Germany captain Joshua Kimmich has called for rapid improvement after the national team suffered a shock 1–0 defeat to Greece in Jürgen Klopp’s first home match in charge.
Dimitrios Kourbelis scored in the 74th minute to give Greece their first-ever victory over Germany, leaving Klopp still without a win after his opening two Nations League matches. Germany had drawn 1–1 with the Netherlands in his first game.
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Kimmich admitted Germany struggled to break down Greece’s deep defensive setup and criticised his side for being too static and lacking creativity in the final third.
“It was definitely not a good performance from us,” Kimmich said after the match. He added that Germany had too little movement and that the team needed to find more solutions when facing a defensive opponent.
The Bayern Munich midfielder also said the players needed to improve their understanding of Klopp’s ideas. According to Kimmich, the German coach has been clear about what he wants, but the responsibility now falls on the players to translate those instructions onto the pitch.
The defeat came despite Germany enjoying long periods of possession. Greece defended deep and limited the hosts to relatively few clear opportunities, with goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis making several important saves.
Klopp made five changes from the side that drew with the Netherlands, with Alexander Nübel, Yann Aurel Bisseck, Josha Vagnoman, Kevin Schade and Karim Adeyemi among those involved. Florian Wirtz and other attacking options were introduced as Germany searched for an equaliser.
Kourbelis eventually broke the deadlock after Greece won possession and attacked on the counter. His shot took a deflection off Kimmich before finding the net, leaving Germany unable to respond during the closing stages.
Klopp accepted responsibility for the result, saying the lineup, changes and tactical decisions were his responsibility. He also acknowledged that Germany had only been working together for a short period and that the team needed time to develop better combinations.
Germany now have one point from their opening two Group A2 matches, while Greece have six points after also defeating Serbia. The result gives Klopp and his players several areas to address as they continue adapting to the new system.