Mats Hummels celebrated successes with BVB. Now he is a TV expert against Villarreal. He also talks about Nico Schlotterbeck in Dortmund.

More than three months have passed since Mats Hummels’ last appearance at the Dortmund stadium. In August, he was the center of attention at a soccer game. Borussia Dortmund had organized a farewell game for the 2014 World Cup winner. Hummels and BVB lost the game against Juventus Turin 1-2. Now Hummels has returned to Dortmund. Since this season, the former defender has been working as an expert for Amazon Prime. Before his former club’s Champions League match against Villarreal CF, he stood at the edge of the pitch with a microphone. It was his first appearance at the Westfalenstadion. There, he also spoke about his former teammate Nico Schlotterbeck, with whom he formed the central defense from 2022 to 2024. The national player’s contract expires in the summer of 2027, and there is speculation about his future. “It reminds me of my decision,” said Mats Hummels. He was also courted in the summer of 2016 and ultimately decided to leave BVB. Hummels moved to FC Bayern for a transfer fee of around €35 million. Three years later, he returned to the Ruhr region. Hummels on his old teammate: “A world-class center back” Hummels described Schlotterbeck as a “world-class center back.” The Amazon expert explained that “all doors are open” for the 26-year-old. The 2014 World Cup winner also gave Dortmund fans hope. “But it’s a good package,” said Hummels, “that BVB has to offer.”

Before kick-off, the focus was also on Dortmund’s current form. Coach Niko Kovac’s team had rarely impressed recently. “They lack the imagination to perform even better,” said Hummels, adding: “It’s a stable team that gets the basics right on the pitch, but they lack the big moments of brilliance.”

Christoph Kramer: No more world class at BVB

His long-time national team colleague Christoph Kramer previously cited reasons for Dortmund’s staid style. “As a club, you have to cope with three times less world class,” said the Amazon expert.

Kramer placed professionals such as Marco Reus and Mats Hummels in this category. In addition, there were always players such as Ousmané Dembélé and Erling Haaland. Such greats are currently missing.