Kimmich last to leave German team hotel after World Cup exit, apologized to staff

Published Jul 16, 08:50 AM UTC

Following Germany's shock round-of-32 elimination against Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup, captain Joshua Kimmich remained at the team hotel 'Graylyn Estate' in Winston-Salem for an additional day and a half, becoming the last player to depart. According to Spiegel, the Bayern Munich star repeatedly apologized to DFB staff for the early exit and asked if there was anything more he could do. Kimmich, 31, described himself as 'empty' in an Instagram post and acknowledged the team's failure to represent Germany worthily. Despite the disappointment, he insisted he will not give up on his national team career. The elimination marked his third World Cup without a title, following group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022. Under coach Julian Nagelsmann, Kimmich was deployed at right-back rather than his preferred defensive midfield role.

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