“The coach and I knew it. After 35 points it was clear that he would tell the team. We can understand every single one of his motives.”said sporting director Christian Keller, without being specific: “He gave a nice speech. The team’s long applause was a tribute to a great FC player. After the season we will say ‘thank you’ properly.”
In the Cologne jersey since 2010
The full-back and defensive midfielder has been with the Rhinelanders since 2010. He has played 223 Bundesliga games so far and scored twelve goals for Cologne. In the recent past, Hector has repeatedly struggled with injuries and long absences.
The Cologne captain had already resigned from the national team in autumn 2020. After his debut on November 14, 2014 (4-0 in the European Championship qualifier against Gibraltar), Hector played 42 more times for Germany, always in the starting XI. His last appearance was on November 19, 2019 against Northern Ireland (6-1), in total he scored three goals and provided twelve assists.