ROME (AP) — An emotional Mats Hummels has announced the end of his soccer career.
The Roma defender and 2014 World Cup winner said on Friday he will retire from professional soccer at the end of the season.
“I’m struggling with my emotions right now,” the 36-year-old Hummels said in a video on X.
“Now comes the moment that no footballer can avoid. After 18 years and so many things that football has given me, I’m ending my career this summer.”
Hummels joined Roma as a free agent in September, signing a one-year contract with the option to extend for another season.
A five-time Bundesliga champion — twice with Borussia Dortmund and three times with Bayern Munich — Hummels is considered one of the finest German defenders.
He left Dortmund in June, when his contract expired, following a total of 13 years at the club.
Hummels played for Dortmund in two stints, from 2008-16 and then again from 2019 after a spell in between with Bayern. He helped Dortmund win the Bundesliga in 2011 and 2012 and the German Cup in 2012 and 2021 as well as reach two Champions League finals.
His strong finish to last season meant it was somewhat of a surprise that he was left out of the Germany squad for the European Championship on home soil.
Hummels has had mixed fortunes in a tumultuous season for Roma. He wasn’t fully fit when he signed and coach Daniele De Rossi was fired just two weeks later.
He was rarely used by replacement Ivan Juric but under Roma’s third coach of the season, Claudio Ranieri, Hummels has returned to the center of the defense.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Dortmund's Mats Hummels celebrates after the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, April 16, 2024(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
FILE - Dortmund's Mats Hummels plays the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
FILE - Germany's Mats Hummels holds the trophy after the World Cup final soccer match between Germany and Argentina at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, July 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
FILE - Roma's Mats Hummels smiles when walking on to the pitch for the warmup before the Europa League playoff first leg soccer match between FC Porto and AS Roma at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira, File)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Cole Caufield and Patrik Laine scored in the second period to rally the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Sunday night.
Jakub Dobes turned back 36 shots for the Canadiens, who extended their winning streak to five games after a five-game skid.
Steven Stamkos scored and Juuse Saros made 15 saves for Nashville, which was scoreless on four power plays and lost its sixth straight and for the seventh time in eight games.
Stamkos opened the scoring at 4:19 into the first off a feed from Filip Forsberg for his 25th of the season.
Caufield converted a pass from Nick Suzuki less than two minutes into the second period, tying the score at 1. It was Caufield's 36th goal of the season. Laine scored the go-ahead goal, his 20th of the season, just over four minutes later.
Nashville's Matthew Wood made his NHL debut. The 20-year-old winger, the 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft, finished with one shot in just over 13 minutes.
Canadiens: Montreal (38-30-9) holds the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Ottawa (42-29-6, 90 points) and six points ahead of the New York Rangers (36-33-7) and Detroit Red Wings (36-33-7).
Predators: Saros lost his third straight decision and for the fourth time in his last six games.
Lane Hutson's assist on Laine's goal was his 58th of the season and gave the 21-year-old from Holland, Michigan, 64 points, tying Chris Chelios' franchise record for points by a rookie defenseman.
Nashville carried the play in the second period and had a 15-8 edge in shots on goal in the frame. But, Montreal scored two goals in the period to take a lead it never relinquished. The Predators outshot the Canadiens 37-17 overall.
The Canadiens host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. The Predators host the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Montreal Canadiens left wing Michael Pezzetta (55) fights with Nashville Predators defenseman Andreas Englund (8) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier (45) and Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (52) chase the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) and Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier (45) vie for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Nashville Predators left wing Kieffer Bellows (26) falls over the stick of Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovský (20) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) passes the puck backwards to Steven Stamkos (91) as Montreal Canadiens center Oliver Kapanen (91) follows during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a stop on a shot by Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) and Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) chase the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher (11) chases the puck ahead of Nashville Predators defenseman Jordan Oesterie (82) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L'Heureux (68) and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) follow the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
