An Ode to Mats Hummels: From Traitor to BVB Legend | OneFootball

Mats Hummels announced his retirement from football at the end of the 2024/2025 season. The former BVB and now AS Roma player has won many trophies and become a key figure in all sides he has played in his career. However, more specifically, Hummels had an unforgettable spell in Black-and-Yellow, even though his relationship with Dortmund fans had its ups-and-downs, per se.

From a discardable in Bayern academy to a BVB pillar, Mats Hummels had everything to spend his entire career at the Signal Iduna Park and solidify himself in an already iconic Borussia Dortmund team. However, destiny (and Mats) had other plans, as Hummels returned to the very place where he did not have a shot at glory at first: Münich.

The fact that Mats chose to return to his origins is a more than understandable move from an outsider perspective; however, that decision was a tough one to swallow for BVB fans. Even though his past in Münich gave some reason for the move, the general feeling at the Westfalenstadion was that Hummels used Dortmund just to come back to the wealthiest club in the country.

Indeed, I cannot be a hypocrite here and say the sentiment toward my allegiance to Dortmund does not allow me to comprehend the rationale behind his decision. Honestly, I get it.

With Klopp leaving and some key pieces getting older or also heading elsewhere, it isn't easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel in Dortmund — especially given how BVB distanced itself from the trophy run these past few years. At the same time, Hummels could have chosen a different destination or at least considered a new contract in respect to his history at the club; therefore, Hummels was fairly placed in the same 'Judas category' as Mario Götze.

I can clearly remember all the times I have seen Hummels in a red jersey, wishing the worst things towards him, as he discarded us in the same matter Bayern discarded him early in his career. Surely, I have grown up and evolved as a person. Since I found out that football is not everything in life, I was able to forgive (or at least forget) Mats's treason. But, even so, I could not shake off the disappointment in my eyes every time I saw him at that point in time.

Still, similarly to Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, Mats Hummels would have his redemption arc in Black-and-Yellow. When he first returned, I had mixed reactions about it. For once, he was still an elite defender, even at his older age, and could definitely contribute to BVB's defense that lacked personality since his departure.

On the other hand, he was aging and closer to retirement than his peak. Also, to be honest, those bad feelings regarding his transfer to Münich slightly echoed at the bottom of my heart. So yes, it was an emotional roller-coaster to see Mats back to where it all started. But, in the end, it was one hell of a good ride.

Mats took Dortmund to a second Champions League final at the age of 35, arguably being the best performer in that campaign. Not only that, Hummels showcased why he is a natural leader both on and off the pitch, as he was not afraid to criticize the higher-ups and point out the issues surrounding the club.

Overall, I cannot place Hummels in the same tier as Marco Reus — also because Marco is on a tier of his own — but still, Mats deserves a spot in the pantheon of BVB legends that many generations will remember and tell their children stories about the great Mats Hummels. He literally had to become a traitor to remind us of what legends look like. A full cycle, but it was worth it in the end.

Mats, now I can open-heartedly say: I forgive you, and thank you for everything...