Which player has inspired Joshua Kimmich on his journey to fame? Let’s find out together with Hudatwist…

Compared to Lahm and Gundogan

Kimmich is one of the outstanding midfielders that Germany has produced, and he is often compared to legends who have played for the national team.

Two legends that Kimmich has been compared to are former Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm and Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

So who is Kimmich’s idol?

Although he has been compared to Lahm and Gundogan, Bayern Munich midfielder Kimmich truly admires two Spanish legends, Xavi and Xabi Alonso.

In particular, Kimmich has revealed that he has modeled his playing style after Xavi and has tried to emulate the Barcelona star as much as possible.

Coach Pep Guardiola helped Kimmich change his life

Although not an idol, Coach Guardiola has had a significant influence on Kimmich’s career.

Despite being a world-class midfielder at present, Kimmich was once assessed by Stuttgart’s coaches as not being skilled enough to play for the first team.

“Coaches said I wasn’t good enough, lacked physical strength, and needed another year playing for the youth team,” Kimmich shared in an interview about his early career days.

In 2015, Coach Pep Guardiola saw the hidden talent in him. Amidst Kimmich’s first season in the 2. Bundesliga, the Spanish strategist immediately persuaded him to join Bayern Munich.

He asserts himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in football today. However, Kimmich also excelled when deployed as a right-back for the German national team and as a center-back under Coach Guardiola at Bayern Munich.