In just around six months at AS Roma, Mats Hummels has already experienced some ups and downs. Now he has given a detailed account of his time there.
After almost 20 years of playing in Germany, Mats Hummels decided to take the step abroad at the age of 35. “I really wanted to experience an adventure, something I hadn’t had before and that would take me out of my comfort zone,” the now 36-year-old explains his move to Roma in a DAZN interview.
After a good six months in the “Eternal City”, it can be said that things have become adventurous. And it had nothing to do with a comfort zone at first. “I came here and had conversations with Daniele de Rossi about the way we play and my role,” said Hummels. “Then he wasn’t there for another two weeks after I arrived.”
De Rossi’s successor on the sideline was called Ivan Juric, had a “completely different playing style” and was only partially interested in the German newcomer. Benchwarmer instead of key player. “Of course, it was a difficult time personally,” admits Hummels, who nevertheless found a way to deal with it. “I always take things like that with humor. I saw it almost ironically, because it was clear to me that if I kept training and working, my time would inevitably come too.”
Praise for Ranieri, who no longer relies on Hummels either
This period first occurred on October 27, 2024. Roma lost 5-1 in Florence, with Hummels scoring an own goal. “At the time, I was glad that it at least didn’t really affect the result,” the unlucky guy says with some distance. “But of course the start was as bad as it could possibly be.”
Things improved a few weeks later. Juric was dismissed and Claudio Ranieri, a legend in his own time, took over – with significantly more interest in the 2014 world champion. “He has natural authority. He’s relaxed and nice, but takes decisive action when it matters. The combination of coach and team is very good,” says Hummels, even though he has since lost his starting place under Ranieri.
For almost two months, the former Dortmund player has only played in two league games against cellar-dwellers, and there are many indications that his Roman adventure will end after just one season. And just when Hummels had settled in.
“Football is different from the Bundesliga. There’s a lot of man-to-man defending across the whole pitch, which I hadn’t experienced much of before,” says the veteran, who didn’t find the biggest challenge on the pitch: ”The only thing that was a bigger problem for me at the beginning was the traffic. It was crazy, but I got used to that too. I feel very, very comfortable here.”
A sentence that also leaves room for interpretation regarding the scenario of ending his career and staying in Rome? Speculation. On the other hand, Hummels’ personal conclusion for the trip abroad in the fall of a remarkable career seems set in stone: “Exactly what I wanted happened. There were difficult times, there were very good times. Even in the difficult times, you just have to stay with yourself.”
Hummels always tries to do that with a sense of humor and irony. It seems to work for him.
