Antonio Rüdiger announces international retirement

German defender Antonio Rüdiger has announced his retirement from international football with Germany, confirming that the time has come to end his career with the Mannschaft and make way for the new generation.

Rüdiger said in an official statement: "After a lot of thought, the time has come for me to end my career with the national team and make way for the younger generation."

Real Madrid defender said: "When I wore the Germany shirt for the first time in 2014, I never imagined that my career would eventually reach 86 international matches."

Rüdiger pointed out that the period he spent with the national team was an exceptional chapter in his career, despite not winning a major title in recent tournaments. He emphasized that the experiences and memories he shared with Germany will remain etched in his memory forever.

The player thanked his teammates and the coaching and administrative staff, specifically mentioning Joachim Löw, Hansi Flick, and Julian Nagelsmann, along with Horst Hrubesch, who was one of the key supporters of his career with Germany's youth national teams.

The German defender expressed his gratitude to the fans of the national team, especially for the atmosphere they created during the UEFA Euro 2024 hosted by Germany.

Rüdiger concluded his message by saying: "A new chapter in my life begins now, and I will fully focus on my career with the club. Thank you for this journey."