Antonio Rudiger will leave Chelsea at the end of the season after admitting that contract talks between him and the London club have broken down beyond repair. But he isn’t running away, nor is feeling any bitterness towards his current employers. His ups and downs made him one of the game’s toughest players- and the calmest one.Rudiger recalled his trip to Sierra Leone just after the civil war when he spoke to The Players Tribune. Three people were desperately trying to sell him, and his parents loafs of bread.”Three guys approached our car and offered bread. We said no thanks. One of them talked about how this was the best bread in the city, and to please, please, please buy the bread. I think about this memory when I start to feel any pressure from football. Because the truth is that all three of those guys were selling the exact same bread, from the exact same bakery, to the exact same cars. One of those families would have a plate of food on the table. The other two, maybe not. That is pressure. That is real life.”Hero’s welcome for kind soul Rudiger as he touches down in Sierra LeoneEver since that day, Rudiger remembers those men pressured by life and he realizes that no football match would ever be as stressful. It gives him the strength to push forward. It also helped him revive his career at the English club. He was all but forgotten when Thomas Tuchel arrived to take over from Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge. It was the German coach that turned it around.”When Tuchel came in as manager and gave me a chance, it was a new life. He did something right away that I think many managers could learn from. It had nothing to do with tactics. He just came up to me, and he said, “Toni, tell me about yourself.”Sunday, 18.00: (1.21) Chelsea (7.50) Watford (16.0)The human touch made Rudiger work even harder and do everything to help Tuchel on the journey. Just a few months later, they won the Champions League by beating favourites Manchester City.”It was a crazy season for me. Not even six months before that final, I was on the floor, brother. At the time, I’d been dropped from the squad. There were a lot of rumours. I was getting a lot of abuse on social media. It was the hardest time in my career, and I stayed silent because I did not want to cause issues for the club. Imagine — if you would have told me that within a few months, I would be starting in a Champions League final against City?”Hey, boy, you’re a good player. Here’s $47 million for you!Even though he won’t sign another contract to remain with the Blues, the Germany international says that he would forever cherish the memories from London – and his friends N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and many others.”Chelsea will always be in my heart. London will always be my home. I came here alone, and now I have a wife and two beautiful kids. I also have a new brother for life named Kova. I have an FA Cup, a Europa League and a Champions League medal. And of course, I have hundreds of memories that will stay with me forever.”Real Madrid are getting one hell of a player and a strong character.
