Bayern Munich: Is criticism of Joshua Kimmich justified?

After Euro 2024, Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich became the national team captain. Germany had played some very disappointing tournaments, and it was time for a next generation to take over. He was also in the pecking order. But again, the Germans did not excel at the 2026 World Cup.

Kimmich responds to staunch criticism from ex-players

Slowly, the criticism shifted to the new captain, Kimmich. He ‘slows the team's play’ and chooses ‘the safe ball only’. Former German icons such as Oliver Kahn and Lothar Matthäus questioned his leadership. Given the strong performances of players such as Aleksandar Pavlović and Tom Bischof, his starting spot was open for debate. 

"I will be doing my things in the same way. Eventually, only the very best will start. In the last ten years, I succeeded in belonging to the very best."

Joshua Kimmich

Kimmich himself recently responded to all the ‘uproar’ about him. While talking to Bild Sport, he shuts out the noise around him and remains focused on delivering consistent performance on the pitch. He insisted that he will continue to do what he has done for the last decade and justify his place in the team with performances.

As agreed, Kimmich was selected only for the first two UEFA Nations League games. He had hoped to remain with the national squad longer, especially after Musiala’s injury.

But his replacements, Pavlovic and Bischof, made an impression. Kimmich may have competition for places in midfield, which is good news for Germany and Bayern, as healthy competition helps the team achieve excellence.

How does Kimmich's numbers stack up at Bayern?

But it wasn’t only his national team performances that ‘alarmed’ the football world. A lot of criticism also came from Bayern supporters. It focused on the ‘off-pitch Kimmich’ and the ‘on-pitch Kimmich’. 

Off pitch: he does not back his teammates and criticizes without calling a spade a spade. On pitch: the same areas for improvement as in the national squad, playing with more risk offensively and not only choosing the ‘save ball’. 

Let’s take a deeper dive into his statistics in that context. Kimmich has played 86% of Bayern’s total playing time in the Bundesliga. Moreover, in the nine official matches, he played 735 minutes in total. He is one of the most-used players for Die Roten. Kimmich did not receive a single card. 

According to data from Fotmob, he already had 525 ball touches. Only his midfielder colleague Pavlović had more (529). Given his role, the 31-year-old Kimmich should be judged on his attacking passes. He provided two assists, and his average XA (expected assists) per match is 2,26 (only Olise has a higher percentage). 

He has made 409 successful passes in league games so far, which is 89.9%. Of those passes, 91 were successful ‘through the lines’. He has not lost the ball once this season when in position. 

Those are the raw facts. But with the famous ‘football naked eye,’ you can see Kimmich playing very solidly. He is still the typical ‘modern number 6’ alongside Pavlović. 

Judge him from a different point of view 

Bayern supporters want to see more fresh blood, for example, Bischof. Admittedly, Kimmich has lost some pace and is not fully accurate at times. But he could, for example, take on the ‘Pirlo role’ that Andrea himself had in his last Juventus period, being a playmaker supplying from the center of the field. 

But there is a pattern at the club over the last couple of years: when big players have gone beyond their ‘youth peak’, they are no longer as valued as they were at the beginning. But to be as valuable, they should be. Bayern must rely on their legends, and performances must be viewed from a different angle.

The role of Kimmich has been different, and it still is. But he is performing very well from that perspective. 

Judge him that way. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow