Germany announced a World Cup squad dominated by defenders but included only one right-back, team captain Joshua Kimmich. Kimmich spent the previous season playing in midfield for Bayern Munich. When asked about the lack of right-back options, Julian Nagelsmann said the team has several options depending on the game and group situation, with more attacking and defensive choices. He added there is no classic backup by design, and that if Kimmich is unavailable, it will not end the world because the team already has varied ideas. The roster contains no other player with real right-back experience, making the decision a deliberate gamble.
"Germany announced a World Cup squad full of defenders, but only a single right-back, team captain Joshua Kimmich. This is despite the fact that Kimmich spent the entirety of last season playing in midfield for Bayern Munich."
"Asked about the lack of options at right-back, Julian Nagelsmann struggled to provide an adequate answer. "We have several options; it depends on the game or the situation in the group," he told reporters (via @iMiaSanMia). "There are more attacking and more defensive options.""
""There isn't a classic backup, but that's a conscious choice we made. If something happens to Joshua, it won't be the end of the world. We already have ideas, but they are varied.""
"This is not an easy pill to swallow, since no other player on the roster has any real experience playing the position. The fact that Kimmich himself is a part-timer means that Germany named a World Cup squad without a single natural right-back, and they did it on purpose."
Read at Bavarian Football Works
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