By Rune Gjerulff@runegjerulff

Kimmich on early career struggles: "It was being considered if I could make it in the 3. Liga"

Joshua Kimmich has established himself as one of Germany’s top footballers. But as he prepares to earn his 100th cap for the national team, the Bayern Munich midfielder admits that his career wasn't too promising in its early stages.
'My blood is boiling not because of result' - Kompany saddened by Musiala's injury in CWC exit
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 1:19
Loaded: 0.00%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 1:19
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected

    Heading into Wednesday’s UEFA Nations League semi-final clash with Portugal, Joshua Kimmich is set to make his 100th appearance for Germany’s national team.

    Looking back on his early years, the 30-year-old admits that such a milestone once seemed unimaginable.

    “At 18, it wasn’t even about being good enough for the Bundesliga. Back then, it was being considered at VfB (Stuttgart) if I could even make it in the 3. Liga," Kimmich told Kicker.

    The Germany captain acknowledged that he had physical shortcomings at the time. When his hopes of joining Stuttgart’s reserve team for pre-season training fell through, he made the decision to join RB Leipzig, who were playing in the third tier at the time.

    “When I compare my level of development back then with that of the 17-year-olds training with us today, I have to honestly say I was nowhere near being ready to play in the Bundesliga.”

    The fact that he is now approaching his 100th cap fills him with pride after a career with many ups and downs in the national team. 

    “These 100 international matches show that I’ve consistently performed at a high level over the past nine years - and that I’ve managed to stay healthy and fit throughout,” said Kimmich.

    Bundesliga news

    Table

    Bundesliga

    Regular Season

    #TeamP
    1 Leverkusen0
    2 Dortmund0
    3 Gladbach0
    4 Frankfurt0
    5 Augsburg0
    6 FC Bayern0
    7 FC Köln0
    8 Union Berlin0
    9 Mainz 050
    10 HSV0
    11 Heidenheim0
    12 RB Leipzig0
    13 Freiburg0
    14 St. Pauli0
    15 Hoffenheim0
    16 Stuttgart0
    17 Wolfsburg0
    18 Bremen0
    View full table
    Kickfieber

    Match days

    2. Bundesliga 25/26 season previews

    Bundesliga End of Season Awards

    German Teams in Europe

    DFB-Pokal

    German National Team

    Long reads

    Exclusive interviews

    Team News