Quite simply, you couldn’t imagine a better individual defensive performance. Thanks to the outstanding Mats Hummels the German national team reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Brazil. The score of the only goal in what was altogether a fortunate win 1-0 (0-0) win over France was our very own Mats Hummels!

 

 

The Dortmunder was a central figure in securing the team’s passage into the semi-finals, often making telling last-minute interceptions that allowed Germany to chalk up their third clean sheet of the competition.

Hummels nodded home his second goal of the competition in the 12th minute when he cleverly deflected a free-kick onto the underside of the bar and into the net.

The 25 year-old seemes still to be in something of a daze after the game when he commented, “So that’s another dream come true. It’s amazing how well this competition is going just now.”

It has to be said, though, that the German team seemed to take a lot out of themselves in registering this win following a game played in conditions far from ideal for north European teams. Hummels admitted as much at the end of the tense 90 minutes during which he often took on water, “I was knackered early today. You had to keep drinking to get through.” 

So, courtesy of Mats Hummels Germany are in their fourth World Cup semi-final. On Tuesday they take on Brazil but Mats Hummels was already thinking ahead, as he looked back at the Maracana, “I hope we shall be returning here in nine days time...”

In nine days time, on Sunday week, the Maracana will see the new champions of the world crowned. (br)