Joshua Kimmich: Germany captain regrets Qatar World Cup protest

Germany captain Joshua Kimmich regrets the team's protest before their opening World Cup match against Japan.

Kimmich said the team's decision to cover their mouths during the team photo was "not the right way to send out a message."

Kimmich said the team's intention was to raise awareness for human rights issues in Qatar, but he believes they could have done so in a more effective way.

"We wanted to send a sign for human rights, but we should have done it differently," Kimmich said. "We should have found a way that would have been more respectful to our opponents."

The German team's protest was met with criticism from some quarters, who argued that it was disrespectful to Qatar and its people. Others defended the team's right to protest, arguing that human rights are a universal issue that should be raised at every opportunity.

Kimmich said he hopes the team can learn from their mistake and find a more effective way to raise awareness for human rights issues in the future.

"We are all committed to human rights, and we will continue to fight for them," Kimmich said. "But we need to do it in a way that is respectful and effective."