Rüdiger on refugees
June 4, 2026 · 07:00 1 min read 7 views
Looking out of his bedroom window, Antonio Rüdiger would check if anyone was playing on the field it overlooked. This was not a large pitch, but it had two goals and enough space for six-a-side, which is where a young Rüdiger developed the skills that would take him to the top.
He was raised in Neukölln, Berlin, in a community mostly made up of refugees, where his parents settled after fleeing civil war in Sierra Leone. By his own account, it was a tough neighbourhood, and football kept him out of trouble. Rüdiger's own family experience is driving his advocacy for refugees and his efforts to challenge stereotypes.
He was raised in Neukölln, Berlin, in a community mostly made up of refugees, where his parents settled after fleeing civil war in Sierra Leone. By his own account, it was a tough neighbourhood, and football kept him out of trouble. Rüdiger's own family experience is driving his advocacy for refugees and his efforts to challenge stereotypes.