Antonio Rüdiger advocates for refugees while reflecting on his background
The Guardian Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 4, 2026, 7:00 AM
Last updated Jun 4, 2026

Antonio Rüdiger, defender for Real Madrid and Germany, speaks on his childhood experiences in Neukölln, Berlin, where he lived in a refugee community after his family fled Sierra Leone. He emphasizes the importance of listening to refugees, drawing on his own family's struggles. Rüdiger argues for better understanding and breaking stereotypes about refugees, sharing insights from his upbringing that kept him engaged in football despite challenges.
- •Rüdiger grew up in a refugee community in Berlin.
- •His family fled civil war in Sierra Leone.
- •He uses his platform to challenge stereotypes.
- •Rüdiger's football journey is rooted in his early experiences.
- •He stresses the need for society to listen to refugees.
- 7:00 AMThe Guardian Sport — Antonio Rüdiger: ‘Refugees have no other choice – it’s important they be listened to’
"Drawing on his own family’s experience, the Real Madrid and Germany defender is advocating for refugees and challenging stereotypes As a child, Antonio Rüdiger would look out of his bedroom window to see whether anyone was playing on the field it overlooked. It was not a big pitch, but it had two goals, enough room for six-a-side and was where a young Rüdiger honed the skills that would take him to the top. He grew up in Neukölln, Berlin, in a community largely made up of refugees, where his parents settled after fleeing civil war in Sierra Leone. It was, by his own account, a tough area, and football kept him out of trouble. Continue reading...
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