Rudiger stays in Madrid – Real extend German defender's contract by another year

For months, there had been uncertainty over whether Real Madrid would part ways not only with David Alaba this summer, but also with Antonio Rudiger. That question has now been answered once and for all. The German defender is staying, with both sides agreeing to continue their partnership for at least another year.

Real Madrid have long maintained a policy of offering players over the age of 30 only one-year contract extensions. Rudiger, now 33, reportedly pushed for a two-year deal, but the club stood firm on its position. In the end, the centre-back accepted Madrid's terms and signed an extension that will keep him at the Santiago Bernabeu until June 30, 2027. The agreement was officially confirmed by the club.

Rudiger is currently representing Germany at the World Cup, where he made a substitute appearance in his country's 7-1 victory over Curacao, playing the final 17 minutes. Once he returns to Madrid, he will begin working under Jose Mourinho, despite having had a complicated relationship with the Portuguese coach during previous spells at both Chelsea and Roma.

Under Mourinho, Rudiger is expected to battle for a place in the starting lineup alongside Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen, while Raul Asencio also remains an option in the defensive rotation. However, those three are currently viewed as the leading contenders for regular minutes.

The past season was not an easy one for the German international. Injury problems limited him to just 26 appearances across all competitions. Nevertheless, he managed to regain full fitness during the latter stages of the campaign, re-establish himself as an important figure for Germany, and now looks set to remain a key part of Madrid's plans moving forward.