For the second successive day at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Real Madrid had a representative, although he played a very peripheral role for his nation.
It was yet another day with four games at the tournament, with Germany starting off the proceedings with a 7-1 win over Curacao.
It was the only game that had a Real Madrid player on display, Antonio Rudiger but the central defender did not start for his country.
Julien Nagelsmann preferred to go with Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck, a much younger duo as the pairing in central defence.
A peripheral role for Rudiger. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Rudiger did come on though, in the second half, at a stage where Germany were already leading comfortably.
Here is how the German fared.
Antonio Rudiger vs Curacao
Antonio Rudiger’s first appearance of the tournament was more of a late run-out.
The Germany defender came on in the 73rd minute of their Group E opener against Curacao, replacing Jonathan Tah with the game already under control.
By that point, Germany had done most of the damage. They eventually ran out 7-1 winners, with Kai Havertz scoring twice and goals also coming from Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav.
No longer a starter for Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Rudiger’s task was mainly to help close out the final stretch without any unnecessary drama. For Madrid, that’s not a bad thing.
After a long club season, the ideal World Cup start for a senior defender is often simple: get minutes, avoid trouble, and build rhythm without being dragged into a physically demanding contest.
Rudiger remains one of Germany’s most experienced defenders, and while he did not start this opener, he gives Julian Nagelsmann a serious option once the fixtures become more demanding.
It remains to be seen what role he plays for Germany in the coming weeks.
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