Joshua Kimmich doubles down: No.6 at Bayern, team-first flexibility for Germany

Joshua Kimmich reaffirmed his stance on positional responsibility: he is “very clearly a No.6” at Bayern Munich while staying open to the national team coach’s plan, where he has produced the bulk of his assists from right-back. The remarks came amid renewed discussion about his most effective role for Germany versus Bayern. The data point—25 of his 29 Germany assists from right-back—has reignited analysis around how his passing range, crossing and inverted movements translate across systems. Kimmich emphasized he will play where the coach needs him, framing the debate around tactical fit rather than personal preference.

Following Germany duty, Kimmich fielded questions about his best position after being reminded that most of his international assists came from right-back. He clarified he is a defensive midfielder at Bayern Munich but will align with the national team coach’s plan. The exchange occurred in a mixed-zone style availability during the international window and quickly sparked renewed discourse among supporters and analysts about his role for club and country.

• You made 25 of your 29 assists for Germany from right-back. Would you like to stay there for continuity? Kimmich: "In the end the coach decides. I clearly said that I'm happy to play where the coach sees me. At Bayern I'm very clearly a #6. In the national team the coach

@iMiaSanMia

Impact Analysis

Kimmich’s comments land at the intersection of identity and role clarity for elite players who straddle multiple tactical ecosystems. For Germany, the right-back brief—often with an inverted flavor—maximizes his line-breaking passes from the half-space, supports early switches and underpins stable rest-defense with a natural passing lane to the No.8s. The figure cited (25 of 29 international assists from RB) underlines how width, timing and crossing angles lift his final-ball volume for the national team.

At Bayern, Kimmich’s “very clearly a No.6” characterization speaks to a different optimization problem. As the single pivot, he is the metronome for progression and counter-press security, receiving under pressure, orchestrating circulation and launching diagonal switches. That role suppresses raw assist totals but elevates control metrics: possession chains initiated, press resistance, and defensive coverage in rest-defense. In a squad that often dominates territory, the No.6 must be platform-builder more than chance creator.

Strategically, the statement also helps reduce noise around the dressing room. By deferring to “the coach decides,” Kimmich projects alignment with both club and country hierarchies. For Bayern, where structure under a new cycle emphasizes positional play and verticality, a stable No.6 who can instantly flip the field is crucial. For Germany, the coaching staff can continue leveraging him at right-back without narrative friction. The net effect is improved tactical continuity across two distinct game models.

Reaction

Fan discourse split along familiar lines. A sizable group applauds using Kimmich at right-back for Germany, citing the assist data and the eye test: more space, cleaner crossing lanes and fewer congested receptions than he faces in the pivot. They argue that his world-class delivery and tempo setting are amplified when he starts wider and steps inside on his terms. Others counter that his football IQ is most valuable in the engine room, where he dictates rhythm, breaks presses and stabilizes transitions.

Some voices questioned power dynamics—suggesting, without hard evidence, that past club decisions reflected player influence more than coaching preference. That narrative met pushback from supporters who emphasize that elite squads require flexible leaders and that Kimmich has repeatedly played wherever asked. Tactical purists chimed in with nuance: at right-back for Germany he often operates as an auxiliary midfielder anyway, inverting to form double-pivot structures, so the debate is less binary than it appears.

There was also a pragmatic refrain: role should be opponent-driven. Against low blocks, right-back Kimmich widens and whips; against pressing teams, No.6 Kimmich helps Bayern and Germany break the first line. The overarching sentiment: his versatility is an asset, not a problem, provided the staff communicates the plan and teammates are selected to complement his zone of influence.

Social reactions

You playing in midfield is the reason why Bayern will never be serious. At this time we should be asking who will be next to pavlo (our main midfielder).

Ma3eh (@MazenEi25309813)

Nah in Bayern is Kane, Neuer and Kimmich who decides

maxismō (@skeletooms)

Start passing Woltemade the ball instead of ignoring him

Malma42 📚 📺 ⚽️ (@malma421)

Prediction

Expect Germany to continue deploying Kimmich nominally at right-back with frequent inversion into midfield, especially in matches where control through central overloads is a priority. Against compact low blocks, he will remain a primary crossing and cutback supplier from the half-space, feeding late-arriving midfielders and the near-post striker. In tougher pressing matchups, his inside movements will help form a temporary double pivot, stabilizing rest-defense while unlocking diagonal switches to the weak-side winger.

For Bayern, the No.6 designation should hold, but with modular adjustments. Versus high presses, he will drop between or alongside center-backs to initiate progression; versus deep blocks, expect more advanced positioning to connect the half-spaces and invite full-backs to overlap. If Bayern pair him situationally with a ball-winning partner, Kimmich can surge higher to create third-man combinations, preserving his creative influence without sacrificing structure.

In sum, the most likely pathway is role duality calibrated by game state. The public message—coach first, team first—lowers external noise and gives both staffs maximal flexibility. The data trend suggests Germany will keep harvesting his crossing and switch-play from RB, while Bayern continue to rely on his orchestration at the base. Outcomes: stabilized build-up for Bayern, sustained chance creation for Germany, and a quieter narrative as long as results validate the plan.

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Conclusion

Kimmich’s clarification does not shut the debate; it reframes it productively. The international evidence indicates that right-back usage unlocks his final-ball profile, while his Bayern mandate as a No.6 optimizes control and structure. Rather than a contradiction, this is a classic example of role specialization across two systems with different needs and personnel. The unifying thread is his decision-making under pressure—whether receiving in the pivot or stepping inside from the flank.

By publicly prioritizing the coach’s choice, Kimmich projects leadership and tactical humility, two traits that reduce locker-room friction and media churn. The coming fixtures will likely cement a pragmatic equilibrium: Germany continue to leverage his hybrid RB/inverted playmaker brief; Bayern maintain him as the platform-building pivot. If both teams align selections around those principles—mobile full-backs, complementary midfield partners, and wide outlets who attack his switches—the debate will transition from positional labels to performance outputs. That, ultimately, is the healthiest outcome for player and teams alike.