Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels pledges 1% of salary to charity

The German, who is reported to earn £136,355 a week with the Bundesliga champions, joins Juan Mata of Manchester United in pledging money to Common Goal

Like Mata, Hummels has challenged his peers to make the pledge for themselves (Getty)

Mats Hummels has become the latest footballer to donate one per cent of his salary to charity.

The Bayern Munich defender, who is reported to earn £136,355 a week with the Bundesliga champions, joins Juan Mata of Manchester United in pledging money to Common Goal – a collective fund of 120 charities in 80 countries around the world.

“As soon as I heard of Common Goal I knew this was a chance for football to improve our world, and I wanted to be part of it,” Hummels explained.

“I feel we could be doing more to connect the increasing revenues in football to some kind of deeper purpose. This is what struck me about Common Goal. Through the one per cent pledge, we’re building a bridge between football and its social impact around the world.”

Mata praised Hummels for his decision to join the initiative and said he expects the German’s inclusion to build momentum for the movement.

“I don’t actually know Mats personally, so I was pleasantly surprised when he contacted me to talk Common Goal,” Mata recalled. “He really gets what we’re trying to achieve and is the perfect teammate to have on-board at this early stage.

“The fact that a World Cup holder—at the peak of his career with one of the biggest clubs on the planet—has chosen to make the pledge shows the power and magic of what we’re doing.

Hummels has urged his fellow footballers to join him in donating to Common Goal (Getty)

"The reception to Common Goal has been amazing so far and I have no doubt Mats’ involvement will inspire more players to join.”

Hummels and Mata’s Common Goal donations will be pooled into a collective fund steered by Berlin-based NGO streetfootballworld.

“What we have here is two star players from different leagues and different countries joining forces in the name of social change,” said streetfootballworld CEO Jürgen Griesbeck.

“It’s an unlikely alliance that highlights the appeal and potential of what we’re doing.”

Like Mata, Hummels has challenged his peers to make the pledge for themselves. “I believe that Common Goal can make a real and lasting impact,” he explained.

“I’m putting the call out to all my fellow footballers: join Juan and me and help to take the game to the next level.”