At the top of his game, the Germany and Real Madrid defender teams up with Under Armour, but he never forgets how he got there.
Antonio Rüdiger recently announced to his Instagram followers that he was joining the Under Armour roster. His choice to do so was motivated by the values and ideals that Under Armour upholds.
“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS VALUES. IT’S THESE VALUES THAT MADE IT VERY EASY FOR ME TO CHOOSE UNDER ARMOUR AS THEY UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY WHAT PLAYERS ENDURE DURING THE GAME, BUT HOW COMPETITORS ARE BORN AND BRED BEHIND THE SCENES.” – Antonio Rüdiger
Rüdiger is now wearing the Under Armour Clone Magnetico Pro 2 boot, and the brand is committed to helping him be the best he can be on the football field week in, week out.
“AT UNDER ARMOUR WE STRIVE TO WORK WITH ATHLETES THAT EXEMPLIFY TOUGHNESS, GRIT AND SACRIFICE TO REACH THE SUMMIT OF THEIR SPORTS. TONI EPITOMISES OUR VALUES AND WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ADD HIM TO OUR ROSTER, AS WE LOOK TO ENGAGE WITH YOUNG TEAM SPORTS ATHLETES IN FOOTBALL. HE HAS AN INCREDIBLE STORY, AND HIS EXPERIENCES EXPLAIN WHY HE IS SO TENACIOUS EVERY TIME HE TAKES TO THE PITCH AND GIVES EVERYTHING TO HIS TEAM AND ITS SUCCESS.”
Kara Trent, SVP, Managing Director, EMEA at Under Armour
From the playing on the concrete pitches of Berlin borough Neukölln – where the ground was so hard he wore holes in the soles of his shoes – to the pristine surface at the Santiago Bernabéu, where he now represents the most successful European club side in history, Rüdiger’s journey hits different.
His mother was a refugee from the civil war in Sierra Leone and he grew up in the largely immigrant neighbourhood in the German capital. By his own admission, his football adventure was not about having expensive cars, big houses, and playing in the UEFA Champions League – it was about taking his family out of Neukölln.
Rüdiger recently met with Under Armour in Madrid, where they had a long conversation about the events that impacted his life and made him into the strong athlete and motivating leader he is today. In the ensuing movie, Rüdiger is “Unboxed,” which closely examines a number of objects and pictures that show the people, places, and things that shaped him into the player and person he is now.
Rüdiger elaborates on the experiences that explain why he plays every game with the intensity that earned him the nickname “Rambo” as a child, using old family photos, memories of his difficult upbringing in Neukölln, and even the face mask that has come to represent him.
Along with his Under Armour Clone Magnetico Pro 2 boots, which are decorated with the flags of Sierra Leone and Germany, Rüdiger can be seen reacting to his UEFA Champions League Medal, which serves as the ultimate recognition of his accomplishments in European club football.
This season, Rüdiger will aim to bolster his list of accomplishments, but you can be sure he won’t forget how he got there. With Under Armour on his side, he continues to toil and hustle.
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