German defender Mats Hummels is set to play a major role in the European Championships – Euro 2020 starting next month after returning to the national team after a “painful” absence of two years. The 32-year-old, along with fellow 2014 World Cup winner Thomas Müller, were called for the first time since 2019 by coach Joachim Low after interrupting a team review ahead of the tournament.
“Thomas and I have always been proud to be here and it hurts when it happens (in 2019),” said Hummels, who won the German Cup with Borussia Dortmund this season. “But I had set myself a goal to be in the team again. I wanted to do it as an ambition, but also as an honor to play for Germany.”
Hummels’ services and attacking midfielder Müller have been sorely lacking, with Germany far from being confident in recent months and a 6-0 loss to Spain in November for the weakest competitive result.
Low hopes the pair will strengthen the bottom line and improve the team’s low conversion rate, while helping to manage pressure during matches. “Winning mindset is a beautiful word, but it is about putting passion and effort into every workout. Thomas and I are the kind of players who do it, but we are not alone. I want to take on the role of leader,” Hummels added.
“He is going to push against pressure, to resist pressure during matches, not to be passive, but to play a game in which you fight to take control of the ball and the ball. This is a task that, among other things, Thomas and I must do. “
The pair will have only two practice matches to find their position in the team until the tournament begins in 10 days, facing Denmark on Wednesday and Latvia on June 7.
Mats Hummels said, “These games are extremely important. We don’t want an easy training session in those matches, but we want to play the way we want to play at Euros.”
“We want to take control from the first minute and have the same intensity and quality at the start of the tournament.”
Germany will face world champions France in the opening round of Group F on 15 June before playing Hungary and Portugal.
