Mats Hummels has spoken out on social networks for the first time since it became known that he was not nominated for the European Football Championship. The 35-year-old Borussia Dortmund defender published five videos on Instagram on Friday evening showing him training with BVB. “European training champion,” wrote the 78-time national player and former world champion.
National coach Julian Nagelsmann did not name Hummels in his squad for the home European Championship this summer despite his recent strong performances for BVB. Nagelsmann had reported that Hummels and FC Bayern’s Leon Goretzka, who was also not included, had received the news with “extreme” disappointment. BVB coach Edin Terzic also confirmed this.
One day before the fifth-placed team’s last Bundesliga game of the season on Saturday against SV Darmstadt 98 (3:30 p.m./Sky), Hummels’ future at BVB remains open. “We will make the decision together after the Champions League final. If Mats doesn’t change his mind, we will stick to this plan,” said coach Edin Terzic on Friday, with a view to Borussia’s premier class showdown on June 1st London vs Real Madrid. The 35-year-old Hummel’s contract expires this summer.
The fact that the recently strong Hummels was not nominated for the German national team’s European Championship squad does not seem to have forced the 2014 world champion to consider a possible end to his career. “I noticed that the decision had made him. He absolutely deserved to be at the European Championship,” said Terzic, commenting on the personnel selection made by national coach Julian Nagelsmann, who presented his provisional 27-man squad for the home European Championship on Thursday.
Terzic hopes to continue working with Hummels: “Mats has clearly shown what he is still capable of. He has shown what he wants: to play football at the absolute top level.”