Antonio Rüdiger was born on 3 March 1993 in Berlin, Germany. He began his professional career at VfB Stuttgart, making his Bundesliga debut in January 2012 before moving to Roma on loan in 2015 — a deal that became permanent the following summer for a fee of €9 million.
In 2017, Chelsea signed Rüdiger for a reported £29 million, and it was in west London that he built his reputation as one of Europe's most reliable centre-backs. Among the highlights of his five-year stay at Stamford Bridge were an FA Cup winner's medal in 2017–18, a UEFA Europa League title in 2018–19, and a UEFA Champions League winner's medal in 2021, when Chelsea defeated Manchester City 1–0 in the Porto final. He also earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year for 2021–22.
Rüdiger joined Real Madrid on a free transfer in June 2022, signing a four-year contract. At the Bernabéu he has continued to collect honours, including a Copa del Rey in 2022–23 and both La Liga and a second Champions League title in 2023–24, when he was named in the competition's Team of the Season.
A physically imposing centre-back, Rüdiger is known for his pace, aerial ability, and aggressive but disciplined defending. He made his senior international debut for Germany in May 2014 and has since earned more than 60 caps, appearing at two World Cups and representing his country at UEFA Euro 2020 and Euro 2024. He was part of the Germany squad that won the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.