Although Real Madrid were going back and forth on the future of center back Antonio Rudiger, new manager Jose Mourinho decided to give the German international another season. Rudiger signed a one year extension with the Royal Whites to begin the summer transfer window, keeping him around as a veteran backup despite Real overhauling their defense with Ibrahima Konate joining the center back rotation and the club interested in one more, bigger signing before the window closes.
Although Rudiger was brilliant in the 2023/24 season as Real Madrid won the Champions League, his decline at the age of 33 has become quite apparent in the past two seasons. Rudiger is no longer a starting caliber player for Real, and fans are wondering if he is even good enough for the squad.
At the 2026 World Cup this year, Rudiger drew the starts at the back for Julian Nagelsmann, but he was no asset as Germany suffered an early exit. Though Rudiger was far from the only - or even the biggest - problem facing Die Mannschaft, he struggled in two starts and was only a sub in his other two appearances, genuinely looking sluggish.
Antonio Rudiger is nearing the end
Now, BILD reports, via Madrid Xtra, that after both his underwhelming performance at the World Cup and Germany's overall struggles with a shock Round of 32 exit to the same Paraguay team that the United States dismantled in the first group stage game, Antonio Rudiger may have actually played his last game with the German national team.
Although Real Madrid are high on Rudiger for some reason and even gave him a new contract despite supposed to be having an even higher standard of play than the German starting XI, Germany were actually the ones already kicking around Rudiger's status in the squad before the tournament even started with many fans wanting nothing to do with the former Chelsea and Stuttgart man.
Now, Rudiger's days with Germany appear to be numbered, and Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho need to start having the same thoughts about him and put the former two time Champions League winner squarely under the microscope.
Rudiger is slow, prone to mistakes, lacking in discipline, and way worse on the ball than he was five years ago when he played for Chelsea under Thomas Tuchel. Real Madrid are working hard to come up with a new defense, and once those players click, Rudiger could be faced with his final season in Spain in 2026/27, too.
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