Joshua Kimmich Demands Quick Improvement After Germany's Unexpected Loss to Greece Under Jurgen Klopp
Joshua Kimmich has called on his teammates to speed up their tactical adaptation following Germany’s surprising 1-0 defeat to Greece in the UEFA Nations League. The loss has left the national squad grappling with how to fully embrace the intense playing style introduced by new coach Jurgen Klopp.
Kimmich Reflects on Germany’s Current Challenges
After the historic setback at the WWK Arena, Kimmich was straightforward about the team's struggles. Instead of showing clear progress under Klopp, the side looked disconnected and lacked the creativity needed to dismantle a disciplined Greek defense. The Bayern Munich midfielder admitted that adjusting to Klopp’s approach is tough but insisted the players must take ownership of their inability to finish chances.
"We need to improve in every area. We need to understand the coach’s ideas even better. I think what he’s suggesting is very good and will help us. Now it’s up to us to implement it. He’s very clear about what he wants," Kimmich said in an interview with ARD.
Struggles with Tactics and Creativity
The match hinged on a deflected shot by Dimitrios Kourbelis, which slipped past goalkeeper Alexander Nubel—an outcome Kimmich found especially unlucky since he accidentally redirected the ball. Germany failed to generate many chances, finding it difficult against Greece’s deep defensive setup. Kimmich described their performance as too static, lacking movement and inventive playmaking.
"It certainly wasn’t a good performance from us. It’s unfortunate we lost late on; that wasn’t necessary. We didn’t create many scoring opportunities and struggled against their deep defensive line. The goalkeeper made a couple of good saves. With some luck, we could have scored. Overall, we were too static and lacked creativity. A 0-0 draw would have been deserved, so losing is very unfortunate," Kimmich explained.
Setting Klopp’s Era Apart from Nagelsmann’s
Though the defensive stubbornness reminded many of Germany’s poor World Cup exit under Julian Nagelsmann, Kimmich was quick to clarify that Klopp’s philosophy differs greatly. He believes this new system offers a stronger platform for growth, even if the scoreboard didn’t reflect that progress yet.
"I wouldn’t say that. It’s a different way of playing. I don’t think we had many turnovers or got caught on counter-attacks like before. The opponent sat very deep and relied more on long balls. Still, we weren’t creative enough going forward," Kimmich stated.
Kimmich to Miss Upcoming Fixtures
Looking ahead, Kimmich will miss Germany’s upcoming matches against Serbia and the return leg against Greece. Klopp is rotating his squad and testing other talents, meaning the captain's absence will be felt. Other senior players must step up to lead as Germany aims to recover from this disappointing result. Meanwhile, Kimmich will focus on his club duties while his teammates try to secure the first win of Klopp’s reign without him.
- UEFA Nations League A Matches:
- Germany vs Serbia: 1 Oct 2026, 21:45
- Greece vs Germany: 1 Oct 2026, 21:45
- Netherlands vs Greece: (date/time not specified)
