Mats Hummels scorned his non-selection by Julian Naglesmann for the summer's European Championships after the German national team coach snubbed him over "age-related things".
Hummels, 35, was left out of Naglesmann's summer squad despite an impressive season for the defender with Borussia Dortmund, even scoring the game-winner against Paris Saint-Germain to book the club a place in the Champions League final against Real Madrid at Wembley this weekend.
While Edin Terzić’s Dortmund finished an underwhelming fifth in the Bundesliga this season, Hummels was a key cog in Dortmund's journey to Wembley and his displays for Dortmund towards the tail end of the year have reportedly piqued interest from Juventus and AC Milan.
Even so, the veteran centre-back will not be participating in Germany's home Euros next month, and Hummels has opened up on the cursory conversation shared with Naglesmann over the decision.
Speaking to German outlet Sport Bild, Hummels revealed that the pair's conversation didn't even last two minutes.
"I had to go to training. But I don't need a long conversation or a long explanation at times like this. That was enough for me," Hummels said. The former Bayern Munich player went on to say that the decision was not rooted in concerns over Hummels' ability to accept a bit-part or bench role at the tournament but rather "age-related things like fitness".
Hummels was left out of Naglesmann's squad for two friendlies in March after a poor run of form with Dortmund. The camp acted largely as a final audition for the summer's squad. And while the German can understand the cohesion honed amongst teammates over that period, he maintained that his status as one of Germany's best defenders on offer makes the snub all the more difficult to take.
“I can understand the idea that a group has been growing since March," he said. "It's bitter for me as an individual because I'm currently one of the five best defenders in Germany. I have the self-confidence to say that."
He added: "If I'd had a phase like the one I had recently before the squad was announced in March, maybe I would have been called up - for the European Championship squad now as well.”
Hummels very nearly missed Euro 2020 when snubbed by then-manager Joachim Löw in 2019 but was reinstated with some surprise alongside Thomas Muller before the summer.
Germany begin their Euro 2024 campaign on June 3 when they host Scotland in the tournament's first match.