Antonio Rüdiger steps away from Germany after 86 caps and 12 years with the Mannschaft

One Instagram post and that was it: Antonio Rüdiger put an end to more than a decade wearing Germany's jersey. The Real Madrid center back, born in the Berlin neighborhood of Neukölln, announced his retirement from the national team after 86 caps and 12 years as a fixture in the Mannschaft.

The news arrives at a moment loaded with symbolism. Just one day earlier, Lionel Messi had done the same with the Argentina national team, and barely two months after Germany was eliminated from the World Cup on penalties against Paraguay, a match in which Rüdiger played 110 minutes. There was no injury or controversy behind the decision: the player himself explained that the time had come to step aside for others.

When I first wore the German jersey in 2014, I could never have imagined, not even in my wildest dreams, that I would end up reaching 86 international appearances. Even though the major titles slipped away from us in recent tournaments and we had to go through painful defeats, this was an incredibly special chapter for me, one that will stay with me forever.Antonio Rüdiger

In his farewell message, the defender had words for his former teammates, thanking them for "every challenge shared on the field" and the bonds of friendship he built over those years. He also mentioned the coaches he worked with on the national team: Joachim Löw, Hansi Flick and Julian Nagelsmann, as well as youth categories coach Horst Hrubesch. He closed by thanking the fans and noting that his energy will now be fully devoted to Real Madrid.

A career that already holds a place in the club's recent history

Rüdiger joined Real Madrid in 2022 from Chelsea, after previous spells at Roma and Stuttgart. With the Whites he has already claimed the League and Champions League double in 2024, and before that, in 2021, he had won another Champions League title with Chelsea itself. Numbers that explain why, even as he steps away from the national team, he still looks capable of remaining a key figure at the club.

On Germany's side, Rüdiger's departure leaves a gap that won't be easy to fill. The new coach, Jürgen Klopp, will have to find a replacement at the heart of the defense right before naming his first squad list, set for September 17 ahead of the upcoming Nations League matches. The task is made even harder by the fact that Nico Schlotterbeck remains out with an ankle injury, meaning Klopp will need to find not one but two new solutions at the back.