Germany celebrates its new Philipp Lahm

Paris, June 25: Facts couldn’t have been more convincing: 87.5 per cent of his passes in Germany’s last group match against Norther Ireland found their man, he won nearly 60 per cent of his man-on-man duels, touched the ball 104 ball times and he ruled the right flank. We are talking about a 21-year-old and the possible long-term solution for German head coach Joachim Loew’s search for a right back. Joshua Kimmich could well help Germany win the Euro football championship. The next challenge for the intelligent midfielder could be Germany’s first knock-out game at Euro 2016 against Slovakia in Lille this Sunday. German media and fans are celebrating Kimmich’s performance when winning only his second cap. Hermann Gerland, recently appointed by Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti as his future assistant at the 2016 German champion, expressed what most pundits in Germany and in the rest of football Europe are thinking: “Kimmich will be ready to step into Lahm’s shoes at right back. When Lahm retires in about two years, we don’t have to worry,” Gerland said. IANS