Joshua Kimmich is one of the most promising young players in the world, but scoring twice against Rostov is hardly a difficult feat.
When it comes to picking out young talent, Bayern Munich are among the best clubs in the world. Before the Euros started, they had Joshua Kimmich in their academy, while they bought Renato Sanches from Benfica. Both of them made a case for being the two best young players in that tournament.
Bayern’s propensity for finding great young players is why they’ll always be a powerhouse. When Philipp Lahm retired from Germany, and will soon retire from Bayern Munich, Kimmich took over the right back position right away and looks to be a worthy successor.
As Kimmich’s stock continues to rise, he deserves more attention. His two-goal performance against Russian minnows Rostov could be the first step towards earning that:
Two different goals as a result of being in the right place at the right time. As far as defenders go, you’d be hard pressed to find one more versatile than Kimmich. You don’t normally see a defender have a finish like that.
Given the way this game has gone, it’s hard to tell if this is a result of Kimmich being good or Rostov being bad. Rostov are certainly a terrible team, as are most of the Russian teams that compete in the Champions League. Getting hit hard with sanctions certainly doesn’t help their cause, though.
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But at just 21, Kimmich is only going to get better. Ever since he made the senior team, he’s learned under the guidance of Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, two of the best football minds in the world. Playing Rostov is likely why he got the opportunity in the first place, but his performance should ensure that he gets more starts going forward.