(dpa) – January 13, 2022 – Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich has been voted Germany’s player of the year for 2021 in a poll of fans, the federation (DFB) said Thursday.
The 26-year-old took 33.8 per cent of the vote with Kai Havertz of Chelsea, who also scored the winning goal in the Champions League final, second on 22.7 per cent.
Leroy Sane, Kimmich’s team-mate at Bayern, was third on 13.6 per cent.
Kimmich played the first 14 of 16 Germany games in 2021 including 90 minutes in all four matches at the delayed Euro 2020 which ended in last 16 defeat to England.
Being forced into quarantine as an unvaccinated close contact of someone who tested positive for the coronavirus forced Kimmich to miss the final two games of the year as Germany concluded a successful qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Kimmich had sparked a debate about vaccinations in professional sport when he revealed in October he had not been jabbed. After contracting the virus himself Kimmich eventually said in December he would get the vaccine when eligible.