‘What might be hiding in the grass’: Kimmich fears about on-field serpent intervention, after snake scare hit the German camp

In the ongoing tournament of FIFA World Cup 2026, several teams had encountered with experienced and gigantic teams till date. Though most of the teams resulted in a draw in their matches, the veteran teams gave their impactful outputs.

Meanwhile, the story changes for the German side. Ahead of their matches in the grand tournament of the world, the German first had to make a face-off against slithery crawlers. The German footballers are worried about the matter after spotting a snake at their base camp in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Germany captain Joshua Kimmich opens up about their fear of serpentine problem, with also similar complaints from the Swiss and Norwegian teams too, as reported by BBC.

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Kimmich suggests on field inspection before game-tactics

Ahead of their World Cup opener, Kimmich and his teammates had an encounter with a copperhead snake, which is quite a deadly and venomous snake of that area of North Carolina.

Speaking to BBC, Kimmich told, “In Germany, you worry about tactics, injuries, and your next opponent. Here, you also have to think about what might be hiding in the grass.”

“We saw a snake yesterday, we were told it was venomous. If you get bitten, you have to go to the hospital. I don’t think you’ll die, but it’s certainly dangerous. I have the feeling that if you step on a snake like that, it can end badly,” he added.

Joshua Kimmich admitted the German squad got a serious reality check at their World Cup base. Germany does not really have dangerous wildlife, so finding out a snake near their camp was highly venomous, instantly killing the jokes.

The team is keeping a safe distance from the local animals now. Fresh off a ruthless 7-1 thrashing of Curacao, the four-time world champions are shifting focus to their June 21 clash against Ivory Coast—hopefully with fewer off-pitch distractions.

The same problem faced by Switzerland and Norway

The snake challenge was not only meant for Germany, but also for the Swiss and Norwegian players too. The teammates of Norway are also traumatised after a snake spot at their camp, and are cautiously stepping in the fields, whether it be the training camp or the main event field.

Speaking to the BBC, the Norwegian captain Kristian Thorstvedt said, “We’re here trying to prepare for the biggest tournament in football, and suddenly players are looking at the ground before every step they take.”

“I’m not happy at all to hear that,” Thorstvedt added, with these slithery spotings around the North Carolina basecamps of the competing teams of the tournament, the matter came to a concern after it burst out by the players. The safety of the players came into question after this incident, and the hosting countries were ordered to look into the matter by the board officials.

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FAQs

Q1: What specific species of venomous snake did Joshua Kimmich and his Germany teammates encounter at their camp?

Ans: The German squad encountered a copperhead snake at their Winston-Salem base camp.

Q2: Which other two European national teams reported similar snake scares at their tournament bases?

Ans: Both the Swiss and Norwegian teams also reported spotting snakes near their respective camps.