Kimmich to Remain Germany Captain Under Klopp

Germany’s World Cup campaign fell apart far earlier than anyone in the country had planned, but one key pillar of the national side looks set to stand firm: Joshua Kimmich is expected to remain captain under new head coach Jürgen Klopp.

Rudi Völler, Germany’s sporting director, made that clear at the International Coaches’ Congress in Mainz, speaking to DPA. Asked whether Kimmich would continue as skipper, Völler replied: “I assume so.”

“Jo Kimmich has proven in many international matches that he is a leader and a great captain. I cannot imagine there will be any major change in that position.”

The message was unmistakable. The World Cup Round of 32 exit may trigger tactical tweaks, squad debates, even positional experiments, but the armband is unlikely to be part of the shake-up.

Völler still underlined where the power lies now. The final call belongs to Klopp. Yet his reading of the new coach’s early signals points in only one direction.

“We have all followed what he has said. You didn’t really get the impression that anything else was planned,” Völler noted, hinting that Klopp has given no indication he wants to rip up the hierarchy.

Kimmich only took over the captaincy after Euro 2024, inheriting it from Ilkay Gündogan. It was a significant passing of responsibility, a move that aligned with his status as one of the team’s most vocal and demanding figures.

The World Cup failure has raised questions all over German football, from youth development to in-game mentality. One question, though, seems close to being settled: Klopp’s Germany will almost certainly still have Joshua Kimmich at its head, leading from the front as the rebuild begins.