Mats Hummels facts for kids
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Hummels playing for Borussia Dortmund in 2023
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Mats Julian Hummels | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 16 December 1988 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bergisch Gladbach, West Germany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2006 | Bayern Munich | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Bayern Munich II | 42 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Bayern Munich | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | → Borussia Dortmund (loan) | 13 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2016 | Borussia Dortmund | 212 | (18) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Bayern Munich | 74 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2024 | Borussia Dortmund | 142 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Roma | 14 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 498 | (38) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Germany U20 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Germany U21 | 21 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2023 | Germany | 78 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mats Julian Hummels (born December 16, 1988) is a German former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a defender who plays in the middle of the field. People thought he was one of the best defenders of his time. He was known for his strong tackles, accurate long passes, and good skills in the air.
Hummels started his football journey at the Bayern Munich youth academy. He then moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2008, first on loan, then permanently. He returned to Bayern in 2016 and won the Bundesliga every season he was there. Three years later, he went back to Dortmund. He played over 500 games for Dortmund. With them, he won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal twice. He also reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2013 and 2024. After playing one season in Italy for Roma, Hummels stopped playing professional football in 2025.
Mats Hummels was also a key player for the German national team from 2010 to 2023. He played in the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2018, winning the World Cup in 2014. He also played in the UEFA European Championship in 2012, 2016, and 2020.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting at Bayern Munich
Mats Hummels began his football career at the Bayern Munich youth academy when he was just six years old. He signed his first professional contract with the club in December 2006. On May 19, 2007, he played his first game in the Bundesliga for Bayern's main team. He also played for Bayern's reserve team, Bayern Munich II.
Time at Borussia Dortmund: First Period (2008–2016)
In January 2008, Hummels joined Borussia Dortmund. He first joined on a loan deal. He quickly became a regular player, often playing alongside Neven Subotić. In February 2009, Dortmund officially bought him for €4 million. In 2008, he won his first trophy with Dortmund, the German Supercup, by beating Bayern Munich 2–1.
The 2010–11 season was very successful for Hummels and Dortmund. He was a main defender, and he and Subotić helped Dortmund have the best defense in the Bundesliga. Dortmund won the league title that season. Hummels showed great skill in tackling, positioning, and passing.
In the 2011–12 season, Hummels won the Bundesliga again with Dortmund. They set a new record for points in a Bundesliga season. Hummels also scored a goal in Dortmund's 5–2 win against Bayern in the 2012 DFB-Pokal Final. This win meant Dortmund won both the league and the cup that season. In June 2012, Hummels signed a new contract to stay with Dortmund until 2017. He also scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League that season.
In 2013, Hummels played in the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium in London. However, Borussia Dortmund lost 2–1 to Bayern Munich.
He later won the DFL-Supercup twice with Dortmund, beating Bayern Munich in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, Dortmund reached the 2015 DFB-Pokal final but lost to VfL Wolfsburg.
Hummels played his last game for Dortmund in his first period in the 2016 DFB-Pokal final against Bayern Munich. Dortmund lost the game on penalties.
Returning to Bayern Munich (2016–2019)
On July 1, 2016, Hummels officially rejoined Bayern Munich. He signed a five-year contract. He played his first game back for Bayern on August 14, 2016, in the 2016 DFL-Supercup against his old team, Dortmund. Bayern won 2–0. He scored his first goal for Bayern on August 20, 2016, in a cup match.
In April 2017, Hummels missed a big UEFA Champions League game against Real Madrid due to an ankle injury. He played the second game while still recovering, but Bayern lost and were knocked out. He finished the 2016–17 season with three goals in 42 games.
In August 2017, Hummels helped Bayern win the 2017 DFL-Supercup again, beating Dortmund in a penalty shootout. He scored his first Champions League goal for Bayern in October 2017. In March 2018, he played his 50th league game for Bayern. He finished the 2017–18 season with three goals in 41 games.
In the 2018–19 season, Hummels won his fifth Bundesliga title with Bayern. They finished two points ahead of Dortmund. A week later, he won his second DFB-Pokal as Bayern beat RB Leipzig 3–0 in the final. He finished this season with two goals in 33 games.
Second Period at Borussia Dortmund (2019–2024)
On June 19, 2019, Mats Hummels returned to Borussia Dortmund. He won his first title back with Dortmund, the 2020–21 DFB-Pokal, after a 4–1 win over RB Leipzig in the final.
In February 2023, Hummels played his 454th game for Dortmund. This made him the player with the second-most appearances for the club, only behind Michael Zorc. In May 2023, he extended his contract with Dortmund until 2024. Dortmund almost won the German championship in the 2022–23 season, but they drew their last game, and Bayern Munich won the league by a small difference.
On April 10, 2024, Hummels played his 500th game for Borussia Dortmund in all competitions. This was during a UEFA Champions League quarter-final match against Atlético Madrid. A week later, he helped set up a goal in the second game against Atlético Madrid. On May 7, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-final. This goal helped his club reach the final for the third time in their history. Hummels was the oldest German player to score in the knockout stages of the Champions League at 35 years old. He was named "man of the match" in both games against PSG.
Dortmund lost 2–0 to Real Madrid in the 2024 Champions League final. However, Hummels had a great season in the Champions League. He won the "man of the match" award three times and was named in the Team of the Season for the competition. On June 14, 2024, it was announced that he would leave Dortmund.
Playing for Roma (2024–2025)
On September 4, 2024, Hummels moved to Italy and signed with Roma as a free agent. This was the first time in his career he played for a club outside Germany. He made his debut on October 27, scoring an own goal in a 5–1 loss to Fiorentina.
Hummels started his first game for Roma in the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League on November 28. He scored his first goal for Roma in that game, a 2–2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
On April 4, 2025, Hummels announced that he would retire from professional football at the end of the 2024–25 season.
Playing for Germany
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Hummels played for the German under-21 national team in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He helped them win the final 4–0 against England.
He made his debut for the senior team on May 13, 2010, in a friendly game against Malta. He came on as a substitute in a 3–0 win. On May 26, 2012, he scored his first goal for Germany in a friendly match against Switzerland.
Hummels was in the starting team for Germany's first game at UEFA Euro 2012 against Portugal, which they won 1–0. He played every minute of Germany's Euro campaign. His team lost in the semi-final to Italy.
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Hummels scored Germany's second goal in their 4–0 win over Portugal in their first game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 16. He scored with a header from a corner kick. He missed the next game due to illness but returned for the quarter-final against France. He scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory, again with a header. In the semi-finals, he was part of the team that famously won 7–1 against Brazil. He also played in the final, where Germany won 1–0 against Argentina, winning their fourth World Cup title. He was considered one of the best players in the tournament.
At UEFA Euro 2016 in France, Hummels played in every game. Germany won against Slovakia and Italy. Hummels scored his penalty in the shootout against Italy. He missed the semi-final against France due to a yellow card suspension, and Germany lost 0–2.
On November 10, 2017, Hummels was the captain for Germany for the first time in a 0–0 draw with England.
Hummels was part of Germany's team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He missed one group game due to a minor injury. He returned for the final group game against South Korea, but Germany lost 2–0 and were knocked out of the tournament.
In March 2019, the national team coach said he would not pick Hummels for the team for a while. However, in May 2021, Hummels was called back for UEFA Euro 2020. In his first game of Euro 2020, Hummels scored an own goal, which gave France a 1–0 win.
Hummels was not chosen for Germany's team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In the 2023–24 season, he was called up again for the first time in two years. He played in a 3–1 win against the US national team. His last game for the national team was a 2–0 loss to Austria in November 2023. Despite his strong performances in the 2023–24 Champions League, he was not picked for Germany's team for UEFA Euro 2024.
How Mats Hummels Played
Mats Hummels was known as one of Germany's best defenders. He was a tall, strong player who was good at tackling and winning balls in the air. He was also very smart on the field, able to read the game well and stop opponents' attacks. Even though he wasn't the fastest player, his good positioning helped him a lot.
He was also very skilled with the ball and calm when he had it. He could play as a centre-back or even a defensive midfielder. His ability to play the ball and his confidence made some people compare him to the famous German player Franz Beckenbauer. Hummels could play in different defensive formations. He was also a leader and was captain for Borussia Dortmund. Like many athletes, he had some injuries during his career.
Personal Life
Mats Hummels was born in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. His father, Hermann Hummels, was also a professional footballer and a manager. His mother, Ulla Holthoff, was a professional water polo player. His younger brother, Jonas, also played football but retired early due to injuries.
Mats Hummels married Cathy Fischer in June 2015. They had a son in 2018. They divorced in December 2022. Since late 2023, Hummels has been in a relationship with German model Nicola Cavanis.
In August 2017, Hummels joined the Common Goal Project. This project encourages footballers to donate 1% of their salary to help football organizations that work for social development around the world.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bayern Munich II | 2005–06 | Regionalliga Süd | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2006–07 | Regionalliga Süd | 31 | 2 | — | — | — | 31 | 2 | ||||
| 2007–08 | Regionalliga Süd | 10 | 3 | — | — | — | 10 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 42 | 5 | — | — | — | 42 | 5 | |||||
| Bayern Munich | 2006–07 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Borussia Dortmund (loan) | 2007–08 | Bundesliga | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| Borussia Dortmund | 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | Bundesliga | 30 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 5 | |||
| 2010–11 | Bundesliga | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 42 | 6 | ||
| 2011–12 | Bundesliga | 33 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 3 | |
| 2012–13 | Bundesliga | 28 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 3 | |
| 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 23 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 2 | |
| 2014–15 | Bundesliga | 24 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | Bundesliga | 30 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 1 | — | 50 | 3 | ||
| Total | 225 | 18 | 31 | 2 | 50 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 309 | 24 | ||
| Bayern Munich | 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 27 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 3 |
| 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 26 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 3 | |
| 2018–19 | Bundesliga | 21 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| Total | 74 | 3 | 15 | 3 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 116 | 8 | ||
| Borussia Dortmund | 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 |
| 2020–21 | Bundesliga | 33 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 6 | |
| 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
| 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 30 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 38 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | — | 40 | 4 | ||
| Total | 142 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 199 | 13 | ||
| Roma | 2024–25 | Serie A | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 20 | 1 | |
| Career total | 498 | 38 | 62 | 6 | 120 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 688 | 52 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | |||
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 78 | 5 | |
Germany score listed first, score column indicates score after each Hummels goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 May 2012 | St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland | 14 |  Switzerland |
1–2 | 3–5 | Friendly |
| 2 | 15 November 2013 | San Siro, Milan, Italy | 27 |  Italy |
1–0 | 1–1 | |
| 3 | 16 June 2014 | Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil | 31 |  Portugal |
2–0 | 4–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 4 | 4 July 2014 | Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 34 |  France |
1–0 | 1–0 | |
| 5 | 1 September 2017 | Eden Arena, Prague, Czech Republic | 58 |  Czech Republic |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Awards and Trophies
Mats Hummels won many awards and trophies during his career:
With Borussia Dortmund
- Bundesliga: 2010–11, 2011–12
- DFB-Pokal: 2011–12, 2020–21
- DFL-Supercup: 2013, 2019
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2012–13, 2023–24 (meaning his team came in second place)
With Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
- DFB-Pokal: 2018–19
- DFL-Supercup: 2016, 2017, 2018
With Germany U21
With Germany National Team
- FIFA World Cup: 2014
- UEFA European Championship bronze: 2012 (meaning his team came in third place)
Individual Awards
- ESM Team of the Year: 2010–11, 2011–12
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
- FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2015–16
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21
- UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2023–24
- Ballon d'Or nominee: 2017 (27th place), 2024 (29th place)
See also
In Spanish: Mats Hummels para niños
