Germany captain admits political protest during Qatar World Cup was a mistake

Joshua Kimmich, captain of Germany’s men’s national football team, admitted that his team’s political gestures during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar may have been misguided. “We tried to express ourselves in a very political way, and that took a little bit of the joy out of the tournament,” Kimmich said at a press conference yesterday.

Reflecting on the decision by German players to cover their mouths during the pre-match photo against Japan – a response to FIFA’s ban on wearing pro-LGBTQ+ armbands – Kimmich acknowledged the controversy detracted from their focus. “I think we as a team and we as Germany did not present a very good image overall,” said the footballer, who took over as captain in September.

Germany’s performance on the field also left much to be desired, as they were eliminated in the group stage after finishing third in their group, failing to advance to the knockout rounds. This marked the second consecutive World Cup where Germany failed to progress past the group stage, a significant underachievement for the four-time champions.

Footage has emerged of a Qatar TV show mocking Germany’s World Cup exit by covering their mouths and waving goodbye. pic.twitter.com/4bUbBABDli

— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 2, 2022

The protest also became a subject of ridicule online, with many social media users creating memes mocking the German team’s pre-kick off gesture in addition to pundits on Qatar’s Alkass Sports channel.

Kimmich suggested that footballers might not always be the best advocates for political causes. “We players should stand for certain values, especially me as the captain of the national team. But on the other hand, most of the time it is not our job to express ourselves politically. We have experts in our country for that,” he explained.

The German captain’s comments come as Saudi Arabia, known for its record on human rights, appears set to host the 2034 World Cup. “I would wish that those lads who will take part in the tournament in 10 years’ time can focus on the competition. After all, it is our duty to do our best when nominated because we are measured on results,” he added.

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