Roma defender Mats Hummels will retire at the end of the season.
Hummels, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, has been widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation.
The 36-year-old had two successful spells at Borussia Dortmund and helped them win two Bundesliga titles alongside reaching two Champions League finals, but will bring the curtain down on his career in May at the conclusion of the Serie A campaign.
THE END. Was für eine Reise! @OfficialASRoma @BVB @FCBayern @DFB_Team
Danke, Grazie, Thank you. pic.twitter.com/9a2tnHUyZB
— Mats Hummels (@matshummels) April 4, 2025
In a video posted on his X account, Hummels said: “I’m struggling with my emotions right now. Now comes the moment that no footballer can avoid.
“After more than 18 years and so many things that football has given me, I’m ending my career this summer.”
The four-and-a-half-minute video showed various clips of Hummels’ career and Germany’s triumph in Brazil 11 years ago.
Hummels won 78 caps for his country, played 508 times for Dortmund and also featured on 118 occasions for Bayern Munich.
“When I see all this, I know how much this whole journey, this whole path has meant to me,” Hummels continued.
“How extraordinary it was to be able to experience that. Because it takes a lot, just having the right coaches at the right time, being fit at the right time, having the right team-mates at the right time.
“And I’ve seen so many guys, so many coaches, who I owe a lot to. Without them, my whole career would never have gotten off the ground or reached this level.
“It’s a feeling that I’ll miss. But to have had that all in my career means everything to me. And the fans are what makes it all worthwhile.
“It would only be half as much fun, probably not even half as much, if there were no fans in the stadium.
“When the stadium shakes after a goal or pushes you forward because your team needs one, those are the best moments of all. When that kind of connection is created or strengthened even more than it already was.
“And it was wonderful to be able to play in front of fans like that. And I will miss it. I will miss it terribly.”
