The ongoing debate surrounding Joshua Kimmich’s position in the German national football team has been reignited by Uli Hoeneß, who has openly criticised national team coach Julian Nagelsmann for his tactical choices.

The honorary president of FC Bayern Munich expressed his disagreement with Nagelsmann’s decision to deploy Kimmich at right-back instead of his preferred central midfield role. Hoeneß made his stance clear, saying, “I need Joshua Kimmich in midfield. Under no circumstances should he play at right-back; he can’t be a leader there.” Speaking to Der Spiegel, the 74-year-old further emphasised that the German team (DFB) would benefit from a Bayern core in midfield, pairing Kimmich with Aleksandar Pavlovic.

The issue over Kimmich’s position in the national setup has lingered for quite some time, although it had recently subsided. At club level, Bayern’s manager Vincent Kompany continues to use Kimmich as a defensive midfielder, while Nagelsmann, preparing for the World Cup, has preferred him as a right-back. Reflecting on the matter last year, Kimmich had commented, “It’s actually been a very, very long discussion. The coach knows that I can play in both positions, and so he can make use of that.”

Hoeneß also voiced his concerns about other aspects of Nagelsmann’s World Cup squad selection. He remarked that the team chosen for the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada is “good, but not world-class.” He further noted, “The squad should have played three, four, or five matches together to gel as a unit.” Hoeneß clarified that his criticism was not personal but rather “objective, technical criticism.”

In addition, Hoeneß questioned Nagelsmann’s treatment of goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, who was relegated to the backup role behind Bayern’s Manuel Neuer. “That wasn’t right, it wasn’t fair,” Hoeneß stated. Despite reaffirming his belief that Neuer remains the best goalkeeper in the world, he expressed sympathy for Baumann’s situation.

Neuer, aged 40, had initially stepped away from international football following the 2024 European Championship but has since decided to make a return for the World Cup. Consequently, Baumann, who served as Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper throughout the qualification campaign and had been promised the starting role for the tournament, will now have to settle for a place on the bench.

Germany are set to face Curaçao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador in the group stage of the World Cup, which will be held from 11 June to 19 July.

DFB squad: The final roster for the 2026 World Cup