Borussia Dortmund farewell as team-mate left ‘a little sad’ that Germany hero’s career is over

Hummels played his final match for Borussia Dortmund in a friendly against Juventus, receiving a rapturous send-off from the home crowd. The star defender, who captained the team, was substituted in the 19th minute for Niklas Sule to a guard of honour from both sets of players at a packed Signal Iduna Park. The match ended in a 2-1 defeat for Dortmund, with Andrea Cambiaso’s brace securing the win for Juventus before Maximilian Beier scored a late consolation.

Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel revealed Hummels was “incredibly emotional” before the game, noting his professionalism and leadership throughout his career. Coach Niko Kovac, who previously worked with Hummels at Bayern Munich, said it was “only natural” to hand him the armband for his farewell appearance

The friendly served as a fitting tribute to Hummels, who announced his retirement earlier this year after a brief stint with AS Roma. The veteran centre-back enjoyed a decorated career with Dortmund across two spells, winning two Bundesliga titles and two DFB-Pokals. He reflected on his farewell, stating “It was perfect. I couldn’t have imagined it being any better.” His departure marks the end of an era for the German club, where he is the second-highest appearance maker with 508 games.