The wife of World Cup-winning German footballer Mats Hummels has spoken of her relief at surviving a brutal mugging on a beach in Thailand.

Cathy Hummels told Germany's Bild newspaper Wednesday that she was attacked while taking a walk after finishing her day's work as a presenter on the TV show "Battle of the Reality Stars" on Saturday.

The 34-year-old, married to the Borussia Dortmund defender since 2015, told Bild she handed over her mobile phone to her attacker after being hit several times.

The socialite and social media influencer also told her 665,000 Instagram followers the thought of her son Ludwig had got her through the ordeal.

"A few days ago, something terrible happened to me. I was mugged. The worst experience of my life. I did not know if I would survive. But I had the best reason to fight: you, Lumpi!" she wrote.

Hummels, who is separated from the Bundesliga star, thanked well-wishers for their support and reassured her fans that, apart from the mugging, she had found Thailand extremely welcoming.

Amphon Buarupporn, a senior police commander for southern Thailand, confirmed in a Facebook post that an attacker had punched a German victim once and made off with her iPhone in an incident on a beach in Phang Nga province.

"Provincial police are proceeding with bringing the perpetrator to be prosecuted as soon as possible," said Amphon.