da betcris： At 35 years of age, the defender is playing as well as ever before – but he won't be representing his country this summer

da fazobetai： Mats Hummels had two targets when the season began: win the Champions League; and make Germany's squad for Euro 2024. Remarkably, the former goal is still achievable – which only makes it even more incredible that the latter is not.

On May 16, Julian Nagelsmann named his preliminary squad for this summer's European Championship on home soil. There were some high-profile omissions – Leon Goretzka, Emre Can, Julian Brandt and Serge Gnabry – but none more surprising than that of Hummels.

The Borussia Dortmund defender turned 35 last December and had already been left off the roster for the March internationals – but his exclusion from the Euros squad still caused controversy. Why? Because he's been the best player in this season's Champions League.

GettyBuLi heartbreak to the UCL final

When the draw for the group stage was made last August, few pundits gave Dortmund a chance of reaching the knockouts. In fact, there were those that doubted that BVB would even manage to qualify for the Europa League – and such pessimism was understandable.

First of all, they'd placed in the 'Group of Death' alongside two state-sponsored clubs in Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle, as well as AC Milan, who had been semi-finalists the season before.

So, while Dortmund may have finished as runners-up in the 2022-23 Bundesliga, the devastating nature of their final-day collapse, which gifted the title to Bayern Munich, coupled with the loss of star player Jude Bellingham had many fans fearing the worst.

However, while Bellingham's Real Madrid will feature in Saturday's final at Wembley, so too will BVB – and Hummels is the main reason why.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMost dominant defensive campaign ever?

Only once in the past 13 seasons has UEFA given its best player award to a defender (Virgil van Dijk, in 2019) but, no matter what happens in London this weekend, Hummels should claim this season's prize. His numbers are frankly ridiculous, indicative of one of the finest individual campaigns the Champions League has ever seen.

Hummels has won more tackles (27) and duels (79), and made more interceptions (21) and clearances (62) than any other player in the competition, while he also ranks second for possession won (77).

And it's not as if Hummels has just remained rooted in defence, heading and booting the ball away at every opportunity. Only four players have covered more ground that the veteran centre-back (120.1 kilometres).

Getty ImagesKohler comparison

It's been about much more than pure numbers, though. Hummels' performance in the crucial 3-1 win over Milan at San Siro on matchday five was astounding, and had Dortmund coach – and childhood fan – Edin Terzic comparing it to Jurgen Kohler's masterclass against Manchester United during the club's triumphant 1996-97 Champions League campaign.

"Mats played an incredible game tonight," the BVB boss told reporters assembled at the Giuseppe Meazza. "There are certainly some people in this room who can remember Jurgen Kohler's game in Manchester, after which he was called a football god. Well, I don't think that Kohler's performance back then was any better than Hummels' performance tonight."

Remarkably, even better was to come in the knockout stage.

Getty ImagesHeroics in Paris

Despite eliminating Atletico Madrid in the last eight, Dortmund were heavy underdogs in their semi-final showdown with Paris Saint-Germain, given little chance of keeping Kylian Mbappe & Co. quiet.

Incredibly, Terzic's team progressed without conceding a single goal. The woodwork came to their rescue several times, but Hummels was the real saviour, combining brilliantly with central defensive partner Nico Schlotterbeck to make some of the most expensive attacking talent in the world look "average", as former Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand put it. It was fitting, too, that the veteran scored the only goal in the second leg at Parc des Princes to book Dortmund's place in the final.

Of course, that only makes it all the more surprising that Nagelsmann has elected to call upon Schlotterbeck for the Euros, rather than both members of Dortmund's defensive duo.