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Over the past 12 months, Antonio Rüdiger has emerged as one of the best central defenders in the world.
The ever-reliable German star was excellent for Real Madrid last season, helping the team win La Liga and Champions League titles.
Euro 2024 was just a blip in Rüdiger’s 2023-24 campaign. He had hoped to help Germany win the competition on home soil, but they were beaten by eventual winners Spain in the quarter-finals.
Rüdiger thought about it
Rüdiger did a good job at the Euros, even though he could have missed the tournament altogether. According to Bild (via Diario AS), he considered leaving the German national team after receiving criticism over a social media post where he celebrated Ramadan.
According to the report, it was Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann who managed to dissuade the defender from taking an early international retirement. Real Madrid would likely have been disappointed that he was convinced to stay, as they would prefer none of their players to be called up for international duty due to the busy schedule.
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Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
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