Hummels: "Technique, composure, resilience – we are strong"

Finishing runners-up in both the Bundesliga and DFB Cup was one place too low for Mats Hummels. The Borussia Dortmund defender has high expectations for both himself and his teams, and now he is keen to satisfy these ambitions with Germany at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil – his second major tournament after EURO 2012.

In an interview with DFB.de reporter Steffen Lüdeke, the 25-year-old discussed his team’s preparations in South Tyrol, competition within the squad and his expectations for Brazil.

DFB.de: Mr Hummels, a week ago you and Borussia Dortmund lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich in extra time of the DFB Cup final. Given the circumstances, both you and the team were very unhappy with the result. Have you managed to put the final completely behind you since then?

Mats Hummels: So far, many people have tried to console me and the team, and they have often acknowledged that we were unlucky. That may be true, but it doesn’t solve anything. If you lose a match by a clear margin, you get over it more quickly, but this result will be infuriating for a while yet, especially when you remember that we also suffered as a result of incorrect decisions in the 2013 Champions League final. I don’t want to look for excuses; this was simply the reality in both cases. It’s only because I’m so ambitious that it continues to bother me.

DFB.de: Don’t you believe in overriding justice? It is said that good luck and bad luck even out over the course of a long season, and it must be all the more true over what will hopefully still be a long career for you.

Hummels: Unfortunately I’m too rational for that. I don’t believe in karma or anything like that. I have this issue at home sometimes (laughs), but I can’t imagine there being an entity that controls good luck and bad luck. I don’t want to keep complaining about it. I haven’t completely put the cup final behind me, but it has pretty much been dealt with. Now I’m here with the national team, my focus is on the present and future with them.

DFB.de: You’ve been in South Tyrol since Wednesday. How are things in the Passeier Valley?

Hummels: The hotel is incredible. It’s one of the most beautiful I’ve ever stayed in; I can attest to that because as footballers we’re very privileged and as a result I’ve stayed in many nice hotels. All in all, the conditions are wonderful. We saw how beautiful our surroundings are when we cycled through them on Wednesday afternoon. It’s a great place to rest, recover and, in our case, prepare ourselves for the task ahead.

DFB.de: Preparing for the tournament means the players must work hard to build a foundation for the competition. You have a tough programme ahead of you when you wake up tomorrow, but are you looking forward to getting started anyway?

Hummels: All our training essentially involves playing football; we hardly ever just go running. As long as there’s a ball and goals involved in whatever we’re doing, I’m happy. If the drills don’t involve scoring, I have to motivate myself a bit more, but that’s no problem either. We’ve all got one overriding goal in the back of our minds – the opportunity to play in a World Cup in Brazil – so nobody finds it difficult to push themselves to the limit.

DFB.de: What has to happen in South Tyrol for the training camp to be considered a success at the end of the ten days?

Hummels: In sporting terms, we have to improve some things, particularly our tactical approach. Some of us are used to different tactics with our clubs, so it takes a little time for the national team’s procedures to become second nature. Of course, fitness is a big issue for all of us including me, and team building in particular. We’ve made great progress in this area in the past two or three years. We all know each other better; we’re more relaxed and can appreciate each other more. I can definitely say that everyone gets on extremely well within the team, but just because things are already going well doesn’t mean they can’t still be improved. That’s why a training camp like this is also a great chance to grow even closer as a team. It happens both on and off the pitch – particularly off it.

DFB.de: Not least at the table tennis tables! It has been said that the matches between you and Marco Reus are legendary. Have you had the opportunity to continue this duel here yet?

Hummels: No, but there’s still time. At EURO 2012, Marco, Mario (Götze – editor’s note) and I played some really intense games. If I’m not mistaken, I didn’t win many of them back then. I’m keen to emerge victorious this time, and hopefully I will. It’s extremely important. (laughs)

DFB.de: There are players in the squad that have only been around for a short time, such as Erik Durm, Kevin Volland, Shkodran Mustafi and Matthias Ginter. What has been your experience of the new additions so far, and what impressions have you gained of them?

Hummels: First of all, that they’re really all very good footballers. I’m impressed, as there are quite a few good players in Germany. What’s also positive is that they’re open; they don’t go into their sheels but want to integrate into the squad instead, and that’s no problem in this team. Everyone approaches everyone else here, and that’s very helpful for any new players coming in. I remember the same thing when I joined the national side for the first time.

DFB.de: It all sounds very harmonious. You say that everyone gets on very well and that the mood is good within the team. Doesn’t competition within the squad have any negative effects? After all, you’re competing for places yourself. For example, in you, Per Mertesacker and Jerome Boateng, the coach has at least three top-quality options for two positions.

Hummels: That’s right, but I don’t think competition has to have an effect on our relationships. Per and Jerome are both great lads who I get on brilliantly with. Of course, all three of us want to play and each of us wants to stake our claim for a place. The same goes for Benni Höwedes, Matthias Ginter and Shkodran Mustafi, all competing to play in central defence having played that position to a high level all season, and I’m sure anyone who doesn’t get to start matches will be very disappointed. But that doesn’t have an impact on how we interact with one another. We’re always very respectful and friendly with one another, and the national coach’s decisions don’t change that.

DFB.de: You missed several games for BVB this season through injury, playing only 23 of a possible 34 Bundesliga fixtures. You haven’t exactly overplayed this season, have you?

Hummels: Definitely not. My physical condition is very different to how it was at the end of the previous season. After that Champions League final, it would have been extremely difficult for me to play a major tournament like the European Championships or World Cup. In that respect, the injury was actually a positive thing, not least mentally. After my injury lay-off, I was far more optimistic about things. When you haven’t been able to play football for some time, you don’t let the little things bother you so much afterwards, and that helped me to find to my old level again relatively quickly.

DFB.de: As well as missing Bundesliga matches, you were unable to play in the international game against Chile. Germany won 1-0, but Chile played impressive football.

Hummels: That’s not surprising. When it comes to tactics, Chile are one of the strongest nations in football; they’ve been establishing themselves for years. They have a lot of individual quality too. Players like Vidal, Sanchez and Isla have incredible skill; after all, they play for some of the top clubs in Europe. We’re good too and we’re confident, but it would be presumptuous to say that we can always dominate a team like Chile at will.

DFB.de: You recently said that the current national side is the best of all time in terms of players.

Hummels: Not quite, but it’s certainly the best of all the teams I’ve ever known over the past 25 years.

DFB.de: What makes you so confident about the quality of the squad?

Hummels: Training. When you see the level at which all the players can operate, how they go into one-on-one situations, how composed they are on the ball, how they can get free under pressure, how they can impact the game, the sense of purpose that radiates from them, or their resilience when tackling. The team combines a lot of different skills, and overall that is extremely impressive.

DFB.de: Which of these skills will be crucial to success at the World Cup?

Hummels: You always need a blend of skills. In any case, we’ve got an intuitive kind of individual class in attack, contrasting with a defence where everything is very well rehearsed. Traditional characteristics like fighting spirit, purpose and commitment will be extremely important in Brazil. The climatic conditions will have an impact on play, and anyone who doesn’t let themselves be influenced by that has a good chance of winning the tournament.

DFB.de: Fans in Germany are expecting you to lift the trophy. How much does this pressure affect you?

Hummels: Honestly?

DFB.de: Yes please!

Hummels: For me, it doesn’t really matter what others expect from me or from us as a team. I go into every match with the same attitude: I’ll be unhappy if we don’t win. Of course, I’m aware that the fans will be disappointed if we lose matches and even more disappointed if we exit the tournament early, but I don’t let that affect my performance. The expectations of others have no impact on what I want to show on the pitch.

DFB.de: You’ve already praised Chile’s strengths. Who are your other favourites to win the World Cup?

Hummels: The usual suspects. First and foremost you have to name Brazil among them, but also Italy, who are always dangerous at these tournaments. Of course, there’s also Spain, the Netherlands and France. England have a lot of potential, even if they’ve never managed to fulfil that potential at past tournaments. There are many countries who can achieve a lot, and we’re one of them. For me, there are no top favourites. We aren’t the top favourites either; even with all the confidence in the world it’s impossible to talk about us in those terms.