Football
Mark Lovell, Bayern Munich blogger 7y

Bayern Munich's Mats Hummels: Family ties my motivation for return

Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels has said family ties were the motivating force behind his return to the club after eight-and-a-half years at Borussia Dortmund.

Hummels, 28, progressed through Bayern's youth teams but made just a solitary league appearance before opting to join Dortmund in 2009.

He rejoined the German champions for €35 million last summer.

Speaking in an interview alongside his younger brother Jonas in Stern magazine, Hummels said he had missed his relatives and friends in Munich.

"I had eight birthdays whilst playing in Dortmund, but I celebrated just once in Munich -- on the other occasions I just sat around unhappily at home," he said.

"I missed out on a great deal. I didn't get two thirds of the jokes, because they were all inside jokes.

"I laughed along with them, but it was really clear that I didn't truly belong any more. They knew everything about each other and I knew absolutely nothing."

Jonas Hummels, who did not make the grade at Bayern and joined fourth-tier side Unterhaching in 2007, was forced to retire from playing at the end of last season through injury.

"I was devastated when I found out," his older brother said. "We had both shared the dream of playing against each other and shaking hands as captain. At that moment, it became clear this would never happen."

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