German football league - Mats Hummels departs from Borussia Dortmund
Mats Hummels bids farewell to Borussia Dortmund after 13 years. The 35-year-old defender won't be renewing his contract with the club, as announced by Dortmund.
His exceptional performances played a significant part in Dortmund's journey to the Champions League final in the previous season. The 0:2 loss against Real Madrid on June 1st marked the end of his tenure with the club. The exact plans for Hummels' future remain under wraps, but on Thursday evening, the local newspaper "Ruhr Nachrichten" broke the news about his departure.
The center-back, who emerged as a key figure in Dortmund's turnaround from a 13th-place finish in January 2008 to their current standing, shared an emotional message with the fans in a statement, "After over 13 years, my time wearing the black and yellow jersey is coming to an end. It's been an incredible honor and joy to play for this great club and help shape its incredible journey."
A Titan in Blue and Black
Unlike fellow BVB player, Marco Reus, Hummels' relationship with Dortmund was more tumultuous. Born in Bergisch-Gladbach, Hummels started his career at FC Bayern Munich and made his professional debut there in 2007. In January 2008, Dortmund took Hummels on a loan deal, paving the way for him to become German champion in both 2011 and 2012. In the summer of 2009, Dortmund permanently signed the player. He played for Bayern Munich again from 2016-2019, bringing back three more championship titles to his resume. In 2019, he moved back to the Ruhr region, winning the championship with Borussia Dortmund in 2021.
BVB's commercial manager, Lars Ricken, had nothing but fond words for the legendary player. "Mats was one of the critical tacticians of Dortmund's football strategies for the past 15 years. It's never easy for everyone involved when these decisions have to be made. Mats has left his mark on BVB history, and for that, we're forever grateful."
Hummels recorded an impressive 442 Bundesliga appearances (33 goals), and in the Champions League, he showcased his talent in 90 games (5 goals). In his last international game in November 2020 in Austria, Hummels lined up for Germany 78 times. He didn't secure a spot in the team for the upcoming European Championship hosted in Germany. The defender's candid comments on head coach Edin Terzic in an interview with "Sport Bild" before Dortmund's final match against Real Madrid (0:2) did not go down well with the club's hierarchy. Neither his remark nor the recent turmoil with the club's coaching staff and his rumored departure could change this. Addressing the latest reports regarding the coaching crisis and his own possible departure, Hummels said on Instagram, "Today will also be a challenge for me." He paired the statement with a laughing emoji.
