'Top players' won't be able to play! Mats Hummels joins Kylian Mbappe and Pep Guardiola as ex-Bayern & Dortmund defender warns stars being 'worn down' by intense football calendar

Hummels has spoken out against the ever-increasing demands on top players, insisting that football’s fixture calendar is pushing athletes to their breaking point. The ex-Bayern and defender fears many stars could soon miss decisive games due to exhaustion and argued that players are being stretched beyond reasonable limits and that governing bodies need to address the issue urgently.

Speaking ahead of the Champions League season in his new role as a pundit for Amazon, the 2014 World Cup winner said: "This continues to be an issue that needs to be addressed in football. You can't completely overburden the players. The workload is at its maximum. I’m always very worried that in the coming years, many, many top players will no longer be on the pitch in important games because they will eventually be worn down by the strain.”

Despite his criticism, the 36-year-old also offered praise for UEFA’s revamped Champions League format, which now features a league phase. 

“I think the new version is really cool. There are many more different games, and that’s what I like,” he said, admitting he has revised his initial scepticism about the changes.

Hummels’ remarks add weight to a growing chorus of voices warning about fixture congestion. From Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp to players like Toni Kroos and Kevin De Bruyne, many within the game have criticised the expanding schedule, with domestic leagues, UEFA competitions and FIFA tournaments all increasing their demands. Most recently, Kylian Mbappe warned that the quality of matches will suffer because of the strain on players. The introduction of a revamped Champions League, a new Club World Cup, and international tournaments every summer means rest periods are becoming virtually non-existent.

The former German international officially hung up his boots this summer, marking the end of a decorated career that included spells at Bayern, Dortmund and Roma. He bid farewell to Dortmund fans in a friendly against Juventus, where he received a standing ovation and a guard of honour. In total, he made 508 appearances for Dortmund, another 118 for Bayern, and 20 for Roma, while collecting five Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokal cups, and six German Super Cups during his career. Now, he has transitioned into punditry with Prime Video, covering the Champions League.