Not the first incident
Slap in the face for teammates: fuss about DFB star
May 5, 2026 – 7:27 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Shortly before the World Cup, Antonio Rüdiger is once again in focus. The German international has apparently made another miss.
DFB star Antonio Rüdiger is said to have slapped a teammate at Real Madrid. This is reported by “The Athletic”, among others. Accordingly, the incident occurred in April – after a heated argument in the locker room at the Royal training ground.
Rüdiger is said to have triggered the argument. He later apologized for his behavior. He is said to have invited the teammate he slapped and his family to lunch last Friday.
According to Spanish journalist Miguel Serrano, Rüdiger’s teammate is Álvaro Carreras. The 23-year-old moved to Madrid from Lisbon last summer, where he had already played in his youth. Rüdiger has been under contract with the top Spanish club since 2022.
For Rüdiger, the incident came to light at an inopportune time. On May 21st, national coach Julian Nagelsmann will nominate his squad for the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Rüdiger’s offense could now have an impact on his participation in the World Cup. Because: It is not the first time that the defender has attracted attention through disreputable behavior.
Last year, for example, Rüdiger freaked out at the Spanish Cup final. The former Stuttgart player insulted the referee and his teammates had difficulty holding him back. He was shown a red card for this, even though he wasn’t even on the field anymore.
“He knows my opinion that it’s not good and that the limit has been reached,” Nagelsmann then said about Rüdiger. “He also knows that this can’t happen again, otherwise it will have greater consequences.” It is possible that the 33-year-old will now feel this after his slap in the face.
Recently, Rüdiger was also in the spotlight in the Champions League due to alleged misconduct. Bayern star Josip Stanišić sharply criticized him after the semi-final second leg in the Champions League between Munich and Real (4:3). The reason: Rüdiger is said to have seriously insulted the Croatian international.
“Exactly one word was said – and twice,” Stanišić told reporters in the Allianz Arena. “But you can ask him yourself what he said. Maybe he’ll be man enough to admit it.” It was not known which word Rüdiger had uttered to Stanišić.
