football
Antonio Rüdiger’s Christmas trip to Sierra Leone
Antonio Rüdiger has been committed to helping people in Sierra Leone for a long time. During the winter break, the professional soccer player is traveling to West Africa again – and for the first time to his mother’s home region.
National soccer player Antonio Rüdiger visited his mother’s African homeland during the Christmas break and initiated social projects there. “Trips like this give me more energy during the short winter break than any vacation anywhere else could,” said the 32-year-old professional from Spain’s record champions Real Madrid during his seven-day stay in Sierra Leone.
The central defender returned to his club after the winter break on December 29th to resume training with the team. Real will face Betis Sevilla in the league on Sunday, followed by the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup against Atlético Madrid.
According to Rüdiger’s third visit to Sierra Leone, he was in the Kono district, his mother’s home region, for the first time. According to a statement from his consulting agency, local tribal heads and administrators of his foundation officially guaranteed an area of four hectares of land. A center for learning, education and youth development should be built there in the future.
Rüdiger welcomes people with disabilities
He is already leading a number of humanitarian initiatives in Sierra Leone, West Africa. On Christmas Day, Rüdiger hosted people with disabilities. “Every time I come back I learn something new,” said the defender.
His contract with Real expires in the summer of 2026.
dpa