Joshua Kimmich has expressed a lack of understanding regarding the criticism directed at Antonio Rüdiger and his role within the German national team.
At a press conference ahead of Friday’s friendly against Switzerland, the DFB captain strongly defended Rüdiger. The 33-year-old faces the prospect of being benched behind Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck, following a series of missteps at Real Madrid, physical ailments, and underwhelming performances in recent DFB appearances.
Nevertheless, Kimmich firmly stated: «Toni is a very important player. I sometimes feel that in Germany, people forget what he has accomplished in recent years. Toni is an undisputed starter at Real Madrid and reaches at least the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the Champions League almost every year. This experience can greatly assist us in the tournament.»
National coach Julian Nagelsmann had publicly warned Rüdiger following his outburst in the Spanish Cup final against FC Barcelona in late May, stating: «He knows my opinion, that it’s not good and that the limit has been reached. He also knows that this must not happen again, otherwise there will be greater consequences.»
Rüdiger had insulted the referee and thrown an object, subsequently receiving a six-match ban. More recently, he caused a stir with a tough tackle against Getafe’s Rico, who accused Rüdiger of trying to «smash my face in.»
Is Antonio Rüdiger Only Third Choice in the DFB Behind Tah and Schlotterbeck?
From a sporting perspective, a debate about Rüdiger’s dispensability is emerging before the World Cup, particularly when considering the duo of Tah and Schlotterbeck. Since Nagelsmann insists on fielding a left-footed center-back with strong build-up play qualities, and Tah is having an exceptionally strong debut season with the currently dominant FC Bayern, the former DFB defensive leader faces the threat of being benched. This is also partly because Rüdiger didn’t exactly cover himself in glory during one of his recent DFB appearances. Alongside the then-debuting Nnamdi Collins, Rüdiger made a particularly poor impression during the World Cup qualifier debacle in Slovakia. Rüdiger played his last international match to date a few days later in the victory over Northern Ireland.
Subsequently, his body once again gave out. A severe muscle injury sidelined him for almost three months, and at the beginning of the year, it was his knee that cost him six competitive matches for Real.
Nagelsmann Supports Rüdiger: ‘He is Exceptionally Good There’
This also causes concern for the national coach in the World Cup year, which is why he considered it «not set in stone» that Rüdiger would return as the national team’s defensive leader.
«Much depends on his performance. I have a great relationship with Antonio, a good exchange about all aspects, in what role he can return or even if he doesn’t return because he’s not fit. He had major problems with his knee and took a long time to recover,» Nagelsmann stated in his widely discussed kicker interview earlier this month.
The 33-year-old’s «great strength» is «one-on-one situations in tight spaces. He is exceptionally good there, a really strong tackler. Antonio needs to be 100 percent fit and healthy. If he has niggles, some of which he also had with us, he won’t reach his performance limit, and that makes no sense. But he is on a good path.»
Rüdiger himself is aware of the discussions surrounding him concerning the national team and recently showed understanding. «The discussion shows me once again that I have a responsibility that I haven’t always met in certain moments. I take serious and factually presented criticism to heart because I know myself that I had moments that clearly went too far. I don’t want to be a source of unrest; instead, I want to provide stability and security.»