Germany defender Antonio Rüdiger has announced his retirement from international football, two months after making his final appearance for the national team at the 2026 World Cup.

The 33-year-old finishes his Germany career with 86 international appearances.

“After some time reflecting, the moment has come for me to end my national team career and clear the way for the young generation,” Rüdiger said in a statement shared on social media.

Rüdiger made his Germany debut in 2014, just one month before the national team won the World Cup in Brazil, although he was not included in the squad for the tournament.

The centre-back will now turn his full attention to his club career with Real Madrid, where he remains under contract for the rest of the season.

“A new chapter begins for me now, in which I will focus entirely on my club,” Rüdiger added.

Born in Berlin, Rüdiger developed through the youth ranks of Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart before moving to Roma and later joining Chelsea in 2017. During his time at Stamford Bridge, he helped the club win the Champions League in 2021.

Rüdiger switched to Real Madrid in 2022 and added further major honours to his collection, winning both the Champions League and LaLiga in 2024.

His international career, however, came during a difficult period for Germany. The four-time world champions suffered group-stage exits at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups before being knocked out in the last 32 by Paraguay at the 2026 tournament, in what proved to be Rüdiger’s final appearance for his country.

“Even though the big title eluded us in recent tournaments and we had to endure some painful defeats, this time was an incredibly special chapter for me—one that will shape me forever,” Rüdiger added.

His biggest achievement with Germany came in 2017, when he helped the national team win the Confederations Cup.

Rüdiger’s time in Borussia Dortmund’s youth system also overlapped with Jurgen Klopp’s spell as manager, although the defender never made a first-team appearance for the club.