Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rudiger has announced his retirement from the Germany national team.
The Real Madrid defender posted the news today on social media. The photo showed him in a Germany shirt with the words *“CHAPTER CLOSED”* across it.
Rudiger is 33. He made his Germany debut in 2014 and went on to earn 77 caps. He played at two World Cups and three European Championships. Over the last 10 years he became one of Germany’s main defenders.
He said the decision was made to focus on his club career at Real Madrid. The schedule there is heavy, and stepping away from international duty means fewer games.
For Germany, it’s a big loss. Coach Julian Nagelsmann loses an experienced center-back and a senior voice in the squad just as World Cup qualifying approaches.
The announcement got 182,000 likes within hours. Most of the reaction from fans was thanking him for his service.
