Wednesday November 10, 2021
Despite close communication with Flick
Hummels is facing a quick end in DFB-Elf
By Mats-Yannick Roth
The last two World Cup qualifiers will also take place without Mats Hummels. After consultation with the BVB star, national coach Hansi Flick is back on the younger competition in the German national soccer team. Will the World Cup train leave next year without the veteran?
Since Hansi Flick took over the job of German national coach from Joachim Löw in July of this year, Mats Hummels has not yet played a single international match. At first, the defense chief of Borussia Dortmund fell out completely with his persistent patellar tendon pain, which restricted him during the European championship. Even now, the state of health of the world champion from 2014 is repeatedly cited by Flick to justify the non-considerations. Hummels has played every single BVB league game since mid-September, but it’s not enough for a return to the national team in the current season.
“I always have a close contact with Mats, including his coach Marco Rose,” said the new national coach after being nominated for the last two international matches this year. Flick added: “Just like Mats has now said that he is one hundred percent on the way – we as the coaching team see it the same way. This is really a good development. […] In the two weeks that he then has a break, he can focus on his training, that is important. “
The competition of the former German defense chief in central defense has long since seized its chances. The likelihood that Hummels will even take on a leading role in the DFB team again has decreased significantly in recent months. It is clear, regardless of his current corona illness, that Bayern star Niklas Süle is a permanent fixture in the defense center of the DFB team. In addition to him, Antonio Rüdiger has mostly played as the second central defender in the back four favored by Flick.
The bank is also being filled
The 26-year-old Munich-based Süle and the 28-year-old Rüdiger from London are considered to be a duo for the coming years in the sensitive positions in front of goalkeeper and team captain Manuel Neuer. In contrast to Hummels, the two were rarely injured recently and consistently performed. They are considered to be faster and more agile than the sometimes sedate Hummels, who relies on his undoubtedly outstanding anticipatory skills and his duel strength in his defensive game at Borussia Dortmund.
Rüdiger has developed into a world-class center-back under team manager Thomas Tuchel at the Champions League winners FC Chelsea, and recently made his increased demands on the national team. The performances in the DFB dress fit. Also thanks to Rüdiger, Germany conceded only one goal in the five previous competitive games under Hansi Flick.
But even behind the two top dogs, who have so far formed the duo in the defense center in three of the five Flick games, the air for Hummels seems to be getting thinner and thinner. Jonathan Tah recently found his way back to the national team after strong performances at Bayer Leverkusen, albeit only through a subsequent nomination. The same applies to Paris legionnaire Thilo Kehrer, who prefers to see himself in the center-back position.
Hummels knows: there are “really good guys”
Gladbach’s Matthias Ginter is already a constant at the DFB. And with Freiburg’s Nico Schlotterbeck, a U21 European champion of this year is also on the cusp of the team. He was already able to get a taste of the senior national team air under Hansi Flick in autumn, but had to leave this week with muscular complaints.
The affected veteran himself, who has played 76 international matches for Germany so far, is well aware of his tricky situation. Weeks ago, Hummels was not very confident about “Sport Bild” that he would once again play a major role in the DFB team: “The national team clearly only needs me when I’m at 100 percent. At 80 or 90 percent The team doesn’t need me, “said the BVB star, who is indispensable in Dortmund even with a damaged patellar tendon and has already played 14 competitive games this season.
“We have really good guys back there at the DFB. So I know that I can only play an important role if I perform completely at the best level.” But even that might no longer be enough for the five-time German champion.