Real Madrid News
Just in: Real Madrid defender decides to retire from international football to focus on club
In a major development, MARCA reports that Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has decided to end his international career with Germany.
The veteran centre-back strongly believes the time has come to close an important chapter of his career and focus entirely on his club.
Rudiger to step down from Germany duties
According to the report, the idea of stepping away from international football began to cross Rudiger’s mind after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
At the time, however, the seasoned campaigner decided not to rush into a decision and opted to take time and assess his situation before making a final call.
After more than a decade representing Germany and becoming one of the dressing room leaders, he now feels that his international cycle has come to an end.
If true, Rudiger will leave the German national team after more than ten years, having made his debut for Die Mannschaft back in March 2014.
During his time with the team, the 33-year-old centre-half racked up 88 appearances, even scoring three goals, winning the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in the process.
The report further states that Rudiger’s decision is also motivated by a desire to make room for a new generation.
The defender firmly believes Germany need to look to the future and build a new team around younger players.
As such, he feels his departure can help facilitate that transition and allow new manager Jurgen Klopp to develop a brand-new project with fresh leaders.
All-in on Real Madrid
With his international career seemingly coming to an end, Rudiger will now focus all his efforts on Real Madrid.
At 33, the defender wants to take maximum care of his fitness and physical condition and extend his career at the highest level while reducing the demanding workload that comes with combining club and international football.
This comes after he endured a difficult last season bogged down by multiple fitness problems.
Rudiger is also extremely happy with Jose Mourinho and the role the Portuguese coach has given him since taking charge.
Even though he has started only one game this season, the veteran star feels important at Real Madrid, enjoys working with the new manager and is fully aligned with his footballing philosophy.
As such, he has decided to go all-in and fully direct his focus on club football.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
