Germany captain Joshua Kimmich moves above Franz Beckenbauer on all-time list
On what was a special night against Luxembourg for Germany skipper Joshua Kimmich, the 30-year-old scored a first senior international double and surpassed legend Franz Beckenbauer in the country's all-time caps list.
A 104th cap for Kimmich arrived on the occasion of a 4-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying win in Sinsheim, a result that took Germany to the top of the Group A standings and ahead of Northern Ireland and Slovakia on goal difference.
The versatile midfielder returned to playing right-back for his nation as coach Julian Nagelsmann reverted to a four-man defence against 10-man Luxembourg. The Bayern No.6 put Germany 2-0 up on the night from the penalty spot while an opportunistic strike from close range in the 50th minute closed the scoring for the World Cup hopefuls.
Watch: Kimmich - a legend in the making
It was the first time in Kimmich's senior international career that he scored a brace (he now has 10 goals for Germany) while his latest appearance took him to 11th place in his country's all-time cap list, ahead of icon Beckenbauer and level with Per Mertesacker.
"It was important to win, but also important the way we did it," the Bayern favourite explained following Germany's victory against Luxembourg, a game in which club-mate Serge Gnabry and RB Leipzig's David Raum also found the net.
"It's good for us that we applied certain principles: we were very aggressive from the start and very effective from set pieces," Kimmich continued. "But it was also important to switch quickly after losing the ball."
The former Stuttgart youth and RB Leipzig player - who has amassed 45 goals in 455 appearances for Bayern - will likely be just as important for Germany when Nagelsmann's side face Northern Ireland in Belfast on Monday in what is shaping up to be a crucial encounter in a three-way battle for qualification.
Germany recovered from an opening-night defeat against Slovakia with wins against the Irish and Luxembourg.
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