Antonio Rudiger, who recently secured a one-year contract extension with Real Madrid, often finds himself in the limelight due to his aggressive style of play, which tends to provoke opponents and spark dissent.

While acknowledging that he respects legitimate criticism, Rudiger expressed that many tend to exaggerate his behavior, transforming him into a villain in the eyes of the public.

"First and foremost, I respect opinions," Rudiger stated during a press conference. "I take them seriously and have apologized in the past for my actions. However, there isn't much more to say. Serious criticism is always welcome."

"But one has to consider the impact of all this noise; it generates clicks on social media. I see a positive side to it, as my name garners a lot of attention. I can't fully explain it, but sometimes bad press can turn into good press."

Over the years, Rudiger has been embroiled in several controversies, both for club and country. Notably, he faced a six-match ban for throwing an object at the referee during the 2025 Copa del Rey final in Spain, a move that drew sharp criticism from Germany's national team director, Rudi Voller.

Additionally, during a group-stage match against Japan at the 2022 World Cup, he appeared to taunt the players with a comical high-knee sprint while chasing a ball, a moment that many pundits described as arrogant and disrespectful.

Though he has recently lost his starting position in the German defense to Jonathan Tah, Rudiger is comfortable in his role as a substitute as the team gears up to face Ivory Coast in their second World Cup Group E match on Saturday.

Germany kicked off their campaign with an impressive 7-1 victory over Curacao earlier this week.

When questioned about whether players known for their toughness, such as Spain's Sergio Ramos or Portugal's Pepe, are treated differently than he is in Germany, Rudiger reflected on how he feels singled out on social media for his actions.

"I honestly don’t know," he remarked. "In the realm of social media, I am often portrayed as the bogeyman. In Spain, similar actions are celebrated. I've had numerous games where I executed great sliding tackles, and there were fans chanting my name. Let social media remain social media; we will focus on the real world."