Roma and former Germany defender Mats Hummels has announced he will retire from football at the end of the season.
In a heartfelt Instagram video posted Friday, the 36-year-old described his decision as “a moment no footballer can avoid,” bringing to a close a career spanning nearly two decades.
Hummels rose through the Bayern Munich youth ranks before making his name at Borussia Dortmund, where he played a pivotal role in Jürgen Klopp’s title-winning sides.
He later returned to Bayern, adding three Bundesliga titles to his name, before another stint at Dortmund and a final season in Serie A with Roma.
A key figure in Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph, Hummels was ever-present in the final against Argentina.
He earned 78 caps for the national team and made over 600 club appearances, including two Champions League finals, both at Wembley and both ending in defeat.
Tributes have poured in, with Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann calling Hummels “a role model for a generation of defenders.”
His legacy as one of the modern game’s most composed and intelligent centre-backs is firmly secured.
