Antonio Rüdiger has announced his retirement from the German national football team. The central defender for Real Madrid confirmed on Tuesday that after a period of reflection, he felt it was the right time to end his national team career and open the door for the younger generation.
The 33-year-old added that despite the team failing to secure major titles in recent tournaments and having to accept painful losses, the time spent in the national squad was an extremely special chapter that will forever shape him. He expressed his gratitude to his teammates, the coaching and support staff, and the fans. Rüdiger specified that he is now entering a new phase where he will focus entirely on his club commitments.
Rüdiger first debuted for the DFB squad in 2014 and, since then, has appeared in 86 international matches, scoring a total of three goals.
