My first Bundesliga game: On the final matchday of the 2006/07 season, I was brought on for Martin Demichelis in the 52nd minute of a game against Mainz. We conceded the first goal three minutes later, so it wasn’t exactly the perfect start.
My first professional goal: It was for BVB in Bremen and it was a spectacular goal. I was injured for three weeks beforehand and came off the bench. We broke away from a Werder corner and I scored to make it 2-1. It wasn’t your typical goal for a centre back.
My first international: It was the benefit match against Malta before the 2010 World Cup. The 0-0 draw with Sweden in November 2010 was of more significance for me though.
Firsts, premieres and debuts – even Germany internationals and World Champions started small. How? Where? When Why? Their first coach, their first position, their first goal, their first title – every day over the next week or so, a DFB-Team player will name their top ten personal firsts here on DFB.de. Today it's defender Mats Hummels.
My first kit: I’ll have to have a think. I had a lot of kits as a kid because, as a coach, my dad would always bring a lot of kits back that he had exchanged at tournaments. I remember two in particular: A classic blue and white Argentina kit that my dad brought back from the Student World Cup. We still have that one – it’s an awesome jersey. The other one was a Barcelona kit that was very, very small.
My first club: I haven’t been at that many clubs. My first one was actually FC Bayern. It was almost Mainz though, but when I wanted to start playing football at six, we moved from Mainz to Munich. And I thought to myself, while we’re in Munich, it might as well be Bayern.
My first coach: I would call my dad my first coach. I always played with him on the driveway or on a nearby football pitch and that was my first training.
My first game: I don’t know who it was against, but it was with Bayern of course. I still remember us winning by a mile, and I think that I scored too, but don’t quote me on that.
My first role model: I never really had any role models in the classic sense. There were players that I thought were good, but none where I said to myself, I want to be like them. The player that probably made the biggest impression on me was Zinédine Zidane. His elegance, his productivity – everything he did looked amazing and he brought so much to the table.
My first title: I won indoor tournaments and stuff during my youth career, but my first significant title was winning the 2009 European U21 Championship in Sweden.
My first trip to a stadium: One of my first was going to the Bruchweg in Mainz when my dad still worked there. I’m told that I went to a stadium in Bonn as a baby, but I don’t have any recollection of that.
My first Bundesliga game: On the final matchday of the 2006/07 season, I was brought on for Martin Demichelis in the 52nd minute of a game against Mainz. We conceded the first goal three minutes later, so it wasn’t exactly the perfect start.
My first professional goal: It was for BVB in Bremen and it was a spectacular goal. I was injured for three weeks beforehand and came off the bench. We broke away from a Werder corner and I scored to make it 2-1. It wasn’t your typical goal for a centre back.
My first international: It was the benefit match against Malta before the 2010 World Cup. The 0-0 draw with Sweden in November 2010 was of more significance for me though.
