Less than 24 hours after Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football with the Argentina national team, one of Real Madrid's most prominent stars declared the end of his journey with his country's national squad, affirming that the time has come to make way for the new generation.
German defender Antonio Rüdiger of Real Madrid revealed via his official Instagram account his retirement from international play, following a career spanning over ten years wearing the German national team jersey.
Rüdiger stated in his announcement: "After a period of reflection, I felt it was time to end my journey with the national team and open the door for the new generation."
He added: "When I first wore the German national team jersey in 2014, I couldn't even have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would play 86 international matches."
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The Real Madrid defender acknowledged that the national team failed to secure a major title in recent tournaments, but emphasized that those years will remain among the most important chapters of his career, saying: "Despite the absence of a major trophy and suffering some painful defeats, this period will remain an exceptional chapter that will accompany me throughout my life."
Rüdiger expressed gratitude to his teammates in the national team, as well as to the technical and administrative staff he worked with, specifically mentioning Joachim Löw, Hansi Flick, and Julian Nagelsmann, along with his youth national team coach Horst Hrubesch. He also sent a special message to the fans, appreciating their support, especially the atmosphere surrounding the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament held on German soil.
He concluded his statement by saying: "For me, a new chapter now begins, in which I will focus entirely on my career with Real Madrid. Thank you all for this shared journey."
