Ronaldo's phone call now since Real Madrid transfer makes Antonio Rudiger "very nervous."
Antonio Rudiger completed a free transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid earlier this month and was greeted by Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
When his "idol," RONALDO, congratulated him on his move to Real Madrid, Antonio Rudiger admitted he was "very nervous."
After his Chelsea contract expired this month, the 29-year-old German international completed a free transfer to Madrid. He's signed a four-year contract with Carlo Ancelotti's side and will wear the No22 shirt, which became available after Isco's release.
Rudiger has an impressive resume. During his five-year tenure at Stamford Bridge, he won the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup. During that time, the Blues also reached three more FA Cup finals and two EFL Cup finals.
Despite this, Rudiger was still nervous when he first spoke to Ronaldo. The Brazilian legend is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, having won 13 club titles and the World Cup twice. In addition, he was awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1997 and 2002.
Between 2002 and 2007, Ronaldo had a productive four-and-a-half-year spell at Real Madrid, scoring 104 goals in 177 games. During that time, he had some magical moments, including one with a famous Champions League hat-trick against Manchester United in 2003.
As a result, it's not surprising that Rudiger regards Ronaldo so highly. "Ronaldo played the [World Cup] final against Germany in 2002 with a very characteristic haircut," the centre-back told Real Madrid's website earlier this week at his unveiling.
"Ronaldo was our idol when we were kids and played street football. I spoke with him via video call when I signed. He was overjoyed and nervous all at the same time. I'll see you soon. Hello, Madrid!"
Rudiger joined Real Madrid after Real defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League final in May. He hopes to bring the Spanish giants even more success over the next four years, including another European Cup.
Rudiger continued: "It's a privilege to play for Carlo Ancelotti. I'm confident that I can still learn a lot from him, and I'm hoping that he can assist me in winning another Champions League here."
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