Kimmich will miss Bayern’s Champions League tie with Arsenal on Wednesday after a death in his close family, missing one of the biggest matches of the season while the argument over whether he should even be a certain starter kept rumbling in Germany.
One of the country’s most decorated players is tired of it. Matthäus made his case after Bayern’s 6-1 win over RB Leipzig on Saturday, and his verdict on the 31-year-old was unqualified.
“He is an exceptional leader, not just today, but for years,” Matthäus told reporters.
“Everyone respects him and sees him as a role model. He makes the difference in decisive moments, and he gives the team energy, personality and presence.”
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“I hope this debate finally comes to an end.”
Kimmich’s reply, relayed to the former Germany captain, was warm.
“I appreciate that a great deal, especially when it comes from you.”
Hamann is not convinced
Dietmar Hamann is pushing in the opposite direction. The former Germany midfielder has questioned the premise of calling Kimmich world-class in central midfield, pointing out that three recent national-team managers, Hansi Flick, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann, played him at right-back rather than in the engine room.
“The most important position in football is central midfield. That’s the engine room, where matches are won and lost,” Hamann said.
“And now someone wants to tell me he’s world-class in the middle?”
Hamann made his preference explicit, naming Bayern’s Aleksandar Pavlović and Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha ahead of Kimmich for a hypothetical European Championship final.
“If we were playing a European Championship final tomorrow, Pavlović and Nmecha would start in the middle.”
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Why the argument flared up
Germany went out of the 2026 World Cup in the Round of 32, losing 4-3 on penalties to Paraguay on 29 June after a 1-1 draw in Foxborough. It was their earliest World Cup exit since 2018 and their first penalty shootout defeat at the tournament. Nagelsmann stepped down days later.
Jürgen Klopp was appointed Germany head coach on 15 August on a four-year contract that runs to the 2030 World Cup. During the September international window Pavlović and Tom Bischof impressed in Kimmich’s absence, feeding the questions that have followed him through three tournament cycles without a World Cup knockout win as a regular starter.
Bayern face Arsenal without him
Bayern confirmed on Wednesday that Kimmich would miss the Arsenal fixture and asked that his privacy be respected.
“On behalf of the family, we ask that his privacy and grief be respected, and that further inquiries and reporting be refrained from. We send our deepest condolences to Joshua Kimmich and his loved ones,” the club said.
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Bayern host Arsenal at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League league phase with Kimmich joined on the sidelines by the suspended Michael Olise and the injured Jamal Musiala.
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