Hummels' farewell: Life after football – Self-determination is my goal!”

Hummels' farewell: Life after football – Self-determination is my goal!”

A real football chapter is coming to an end: Mats Hummels wore the Borussia Dortmund jersey for the last time on August 10, 2025 in a thrilling friendly match against Juventus Turin. In front of 81,365 enthusiastic spectators at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, the 34-year-old defense chief played 17 minutes and said goodbye to his long career at BVB in style. Despite the 2-1 defeat against the Italians, Hummels' last appearance for the club stirred up a lot of emotions.

After the game, Hummels spoke about his future and indicated that he was looking forward to more free time and self-determination after years in professional sports. “I have longed for self-determination for years,” said the footballer, who was always a key figure in his 508 competitive games for the Black and Yellows. “In the future, I want to concentrate on my private life and, above all, spend time with my family and friends, especially with my son,” reported Hummels. In the future, he will also occasionally appear as a TV expert for Amazon Prime Video at Champions League games, although not permanently on the screen.

A game of emotions

The final game was characterized by great commitment on both sides. Juventus took the lead with a goal from Cambiaso (16th minute) before striking again in the 53rd minute to extend the Italians' lead to 2-0. Dortmund's young player Beier was able to score a goal in the 89th minute, but there was no equalizer. Coach Niko Kovac praised Hummels' commitment and emphasized his clean style of play. A very special farewell, which was also exhausting for Hummels after a 17-minute mission, followed by breathing problems.

Nevertheless, the memory of this competitive last appearance remains. Borussia Dortmund honored Hummels' achievements in a special setting: a graffiti portrait was dedicated to him in the stadium's catacombs, which seals his place in the hearts of the fans. The club plans to play against Rot-Weiss Essen in the first round of the DFB Cup on August 18, 2025 and to make a new beginning with a powerful team.

Career Transition: A New Chapter

For Hummels and other professionals who are preparing to retire from their active career, there will be interesting programs from the DFB and DFL in the future. The “Player’s Pathway Program” is scheduled to start in autumn 2025 and will help active players master transitions into careers in football management or as coaches. This includes modules to develop leadership skills in the licensing sector or in youth football, which will be of great interest to many former professionals.

Andreas Rettig, managing director of sport at the DFB, has made it clear that such programs are crucial for the transition from the playing field to leadership positions in sport. “It is important to have a career plan after your active career,” said DFL director Ansgar Schwenken. This ensures that players like Hummels can still make a valuable contribution to football even after their sporting days are over.

In the world of football, the farewell to Mats Hummels not only means the end of an era for Dortmund, but also the start of new opportunities - both for Hummels himself and for future generations in football.

Further information about the new programs can be found on the official DFB Academy website. and if you would like to find out more about Mats Hummels' last appearance, you can read the articles from Free press and BVB browse.

Finally, you realize that the end of your career does not have to be the end of success, but rather the beginning of a new, exciting chapter in the football world.