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#3 Joshua Kimmich
Footballing legend and former captain Philipp Lahm retired following the 2014 WC, having led his team to glory, while being part of a defense that only let in 4 goals. The Bayern Munich stalwart ended the tournament having completed 562 passes at a rate of 86.3%, the most for that edition.
The man tasked with filling in for Lahm is Joshua Kimmich, a marauding fullback who scored twice against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals. Calm and composed and an excellent passer of the ball, Kimmich was bought by Pep Guardiola at Bayern with the objective of transitioning quickly from attack to defense.
Remarking on Kimmich's versatility, a 2017 article on the Bundesliga's official website referred to him as a "veritable Swiss Army knife of a player", citing Guardiola's conversion of a player he once referred to as "one of the best centre-backs in the world" into a right-back.
Kimmich has enjoyed an impressive season at Munich, winning the Bundesliga and recording a 91% pass success rate while having created 49 chances in the league.
Kimmich will have to be at his usual best to provide Germany their defensive solidity and organisation, and will be a key component of their attack with forays down the right.
Capped 27 times thus far, Kimmich's quality and enormous versatility in both attacking and defensive roles will suit Germany's style of play perfectly, and it should come as no surprise if the young defender puts in some awe-inspiring performances.
