<p class="title">Germany defender Joshua Kimmich has risen up the ranks so quickly with his brutally efficient performances that he is considered as a key player for the world champions aged just 23.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, rather than being compared to predecessor Philipp Lahm, he wants to live his own childhood dream.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The versatile right-back made his national team debut in 2016 and has since earned 29 caps, playing all 10 of their World Cup qualifiers and winning the Confederations Cup last year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His consistently impressive footwork over the past two years for club and country have instantly drawn comparisons to retired Lahm, one of the best right-backs over the past few decades.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 2014 World Cup-winning Germany captain was also Kimmich's predecessor as right-back at Bayern Munich.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Germany scored more goals from the right side in their qualifiers than the other wing, with Kimmich far more attack-minded than Lahm.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I don't know why that is so but I enjoy the right side with Thomas (Mueller)," Kimmich told reporters on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kimmich has scored three goals in his 29 internationals so far to Lahm's five in 113.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Philipp Lahm left his stamp on that position for 15 years and when he retired he was captain of Germany and Bayern Munich."</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I am 23 years old so I cannot match him. I lack the experience and I don't try to copy him. I want to be Joshua Kimmich and not Philipp Lahm 2.0."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The diminutive, baby-faced defender played his first major event at Euro 2016 and quickly left his mark, being named in the overall team of the tournament.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This is his first World Cup, having watched Germany win the 2014 trophy from the RB Leipzig training camp after having won promotion at the time to the second division.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Personally I do not need too much to get motivated here," he said. "For me a childhood dream is coming true so there is absolutely no lack of motivation."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Germans kick off their title defence against Mexico on Sunday. They also play South Korea and Sweden in Group F.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"In every game I want to perform well, not for me but for the team," Kimmich said. "We want to have a good start and win this game against Mexico and then look ahead to the next."</p>
<p class="title">Germany defender Joshua Kimmich has risen up the ranks so quickly with his brutally efficient performances that he is considered as a key player for the world champions aged just 23.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, rather than being compared to predecessor Philipp Lahm, he wants to live his own childhood dream.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The versatile right-back made his national team debut in 2016 and has since earned 29 caps, playing all 10 of their World Cup qualifiers and winning the Confederations Cup last year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His consistently impressive footwork over the past two years for club and country have instantly drawn comparisons to retired Lahm, one of the best right-backs over the past few decades.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 2014 World Cup-winning Germany captain was also Kimmich's predecessor as right-back at Bayern Munich.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Germany scored more goals from the right side in their qualifiers than the other wing, with Kimmich far more attack-minded than Lahm.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I don't know why that is so but I enjoy the right side with Thomas (Mueller)," Kimmich told reporters on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kimmich has scored three goals in his 29 internationals so far to Lahm's five in 113.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Philipp Lahm left his stamp on that position for 15 years and when he retired he was captain of Germany and Bayern Munich."</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I am 23 years old so I cannot match him. I lack the experience and I don't try to copy him. I want to be Joshua Kimmich and not Philipp Lahm 2.0."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The diminutive, baby-faced defender played his first major event at Euro 2016 and quickly left his mark, being named in the overall team of the tournament.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This is his first World Cup, having watched Germany win the 2014 trophy from the RB Leipzig training camp after having won promotion at the time to the second division.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Personally I do not need too much to get motivated here," he said. "For me a childhood dream is coming true so there is absolutely no lack of motivation."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Germans kick off their title defence against Mexico on Sunday. They also play South Korea and Sweden in Group F.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"In every game I want to perform well, not for me but for the team," Kimmich said. "We want to have a good start and win this game against Mexico and then look ahead to the next."</p>