Germany defender Rudiger announces international retirement

Antonio Rudiger, the 33-year-old Germany defender, has announced his retirement from international football. Rudiger, who made 86 appearances for Germany, including at the 2026 World Cup, cited the need to pave the way for younger players. He made his debut in 2014, months before Germany's World Cup victory, but missed the squad that traveled to Brazil.

Rudiger, who is under contract with Real Madrid for the remainder of the season, said his new chapter involves focusing solely on his club. Born in Berlin, Rudiger began his career in Dortmund and Stuttgart's youth systems before moving to Roma and later Chelsea, where he won the 2021 Champions League. He joined Real Madrid in 2022, winning the Champions League and La Liga in 2024.

Rudiger's tenure with the German defense spanned a decade of poor performances, with the team eliminated at the group stage in both 2018 and 2022, and a last-32 exit in 2026, where they faced Paraguay. Despite the setbacks, Rudiger considered this period a special chapter in his life. His biggest international achievement was winning the 2017 Confederations Cup.