Germany defender Antonio Rudiger has announced his retirement from international football, ending a 12-year career with the national team.
The Antonio Rudiger decision comes after 86 international appearances and three World Cup campaigns. The 33-year-old defender said he wants to make way for a younger generation and concentrate fully on club football.
“After some time to reflect, the time has come for me to end my career with the national team and make way for the younger generation,” Rudiger wrote on Instagram.
A 12-Year Germany Career
Rudiger made his senior Germany debut in 2014 and quickly established himself as a key figure in the national team’s defence.
He featured at three World Cups and several European Championships but never won a major international title with Germany.
Rudiger was not part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad. The team suffered group-stage exits at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups before losing to Paraguay in the round of 32 at the 2026 tournament.
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That defeat marked Rudiger’s final appearance for Germany.
“Even though we didn’t win a major title in recent tournaments and had to endure some painful defeats, this time has been an extremely special chapter for me, one that will shape me forever,” he said.
Successful Club Career
Born in Berlin, Rudiger developed through the youth systems of Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart before beginning his senior career.
He later played for Roma and Chelsea before joining Real Madrid in 2022.
The defender won the Champions League with both Chelsea and Real Madrid. He also lifted the LaLiga title with the Spanish club.
Rudiger has now decided to close the international chapter of his career while continuing at club level.
“A new chapter is now beginning for me, one in which I will focus entirely on my club,” he said.
His retirement marks the end of a prominent Germany career that spanned more than a decade and included some of the national team’s most challenging years.
