Germany defender Antonio Rudiger on Tuesday announced his international retirement, two months after last playing for Germany at the 2026 World Cup.
The 33-year-old made 86 appearances for the four-time world champions.
“After some time reflecting, the moment has come for me to end my national team career and clear the way for the young generation,” Rudiger said in a social media post.
Rudiger made his debut in 2014, a month before Germany won the World Cup, but was not included in the squad which travelled to Brazil.
The centre-back said he wanted to focus on his club side Real Madrid, where he is under contract for the remainder of the season.
“A new chapter begins for me now, in which I will focus entirely on my club,” Rudiger said.
Born in Berlin, Rudiger came through the Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart youth systems before moving to Roma and later Chelsea in 2017, where he won the 2021 Champions League.
