Antonio Rudiger Retires From International Football After 86 Germany Caps

Antonio Rudiger has announced his retirement from international football, ending a 12-year career with the Germany national team that began back in 2014.

The 33-year-old Real Madrid defender confirmed the decision in an Instagram post, finishing with 86 caps and three goals across three World Cups and multiple European Championships. "After some time to reflect, the time has come for me to end my career with the national team and make way for the younger generation," Rudiger wrote. His only major title with Germany came at the 2017 Confederations Cup, and he was capped six times at major tournaments, though the "big title" ultimately eluded him at senior level.

Rudiger's final appearance for his country came in Germany's round-of-32 exit to Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup, in which he played 110 minutes. His retirement follows a day after Argentina great Lionel Messi announced his own international retirement, and comes just weeks before incoming Germany head coach Jurgen Klopp is due to name his first squad on September 17, leaving him needing to rebuild part of a defence that has lost one of its most experienced figures.

Rudiger thanked former managers Joachim Low, Hansi Flick and Julian Nagelsmann in his statement, along with youth mentor Horst Hrubesch, and said he would now "focus entirely" on his club career at Real Madrid, where his contract runs through the end of the season.