Joshua Kimmich offered an honest assessment after Germany's shock World Cup exit, admitting his side deserved to be knocked out. The four-time champions saw their campaign come to an end in the Round of 32 after losing 4-3 on penalties to Paraguay following a 1-1 draw after extra time. Germany arrived with high expectations but failed to produce the level of performance needed in a knockout contest. They struggled to make the most of their chances, lacked a cutting edge in attack and were unable to take control when it mattered most. The shootout summed up their evening, as they missed three penalties and paid the price against a Paraguay side that held its nerve. For Germany, it was another disappointing World Cup campaign, while Kimmich admitted there could be few complaints about the final outcome.
Kimmich offered a brutally honest assessment of Germany's World Cup campaign, admitting his side struggled throughout the tournament and even had major problems against teams he said were "not world-class." The midfielder accepted that Germany's Round of 32 exit to Paraguay was deserved after failing to produce the level expected of the four-time champions.
“It feels awful,” Kimmich said in the mixed zone after the match.
“We didn’t play well against any opponent. On three occasions we had major problems against teams that are not world-class. That’s a fact.
He didn't hold back and said that the four-time champions deserved to lose and get knocked out.
“We fully deserved to be eliminated,” Kimmich said.
“Blame isn't on the coach”: Kimmich
Kimmich also accepted full responsibility for Germany's disappointing World Cup campaign, saying the players had let down supporters back home. Reflecting on Germany's proud tournament history, the midfielder admitted the current squad had failed to give fans a team they could be proud of and insisted the blame rested solely with the players.
{{/usCountry}}Kimmich also accepted full responsibility for Germany's disappointing World Cup campaign, saying the players had let down supporters back home. Reflecting on Germany's proud tournament history, the midfielder admitted the current squad had failed to give fans a team they could be proud of and insisted the blame rested solely with the players.
{{/usCountry}}"We're playing here to make Germany proud. As a kid, I used to watch Germany always reaching the semi-finals, the finals. We couldn't give that experience to the people watching us from home. I think right now the people in Germany need something to be proud of, but unfortunately it's not this national team. As players on the field, we messed up and we're taking responsibility. The blame isn't on the coach, not the media, not the referee, not the opponent. It was just us," Kimmich said.
Germany opened their World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion with a 7-1 demolition of Curacao, raising hopes of a deep run in the tournament. But their performances steadily declined after that. They needed a stoppage-time winner from Deniz Undav to edge past Ivory Coast 2-1 in their second group game, exposing cracks that had not been visible in the opener. Those weaknesses became even more apparent in the final group-stage match, where Ecuador claimed a deserved 2-1 victory. Germany never truly regained their rhythm, and Paraguay capitalised on their lack of confidence and cutting edge, knocking the four-time champions out on penalties in the Round of 32.