Antonio Rudiger has faced off against some of football's best during his career at the top. Spells at Roma, Chelsea and now Real Madrid, all while being an established international for Germany, have meant he's consistently played at the highest level.
The centre-back himself is a formidable opponent for attackers, with his pace and physicality helping to make him one of the best defenders in the world currently. He's been at the heart of Champions League successes while in west London and in Spain, helping to shut out Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund in 2021 and 2024.
When it came to naming the player who gave him the most difficult time, though, Rudiger opted not to choose Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, two players who are often named when discussing the greatest of all time. Instead, he chose someone who he faced more regularly.
Rudiger's Toughest Opponent
Has repeatedly said how tough he was
Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger
Speaking on an episode of The Inside Scoop, via the Daily Express, Rudiger was asked to name the toughest opponent that he has faced during his career. Although the German had lined up against both Messi and Ronaldo, he named former Manchester City star Sergio Aguero.
The Argentine was prolific in the Premier League, scoring 184 times in 275 appearances for the Cityzens. The club's record goalscorer and a five-time Premier League winner, he was their focal point for over a decade, and one which Rudiger found hard to navigate after arriving in England in 2017.
"Kun Aguero gave me a lot of headaches. He was really tough to play against."
In total, the pair faced each other on seven occasions, with Aguero emerging the winner on five occasions and scoring six goals. Half of those came in Man City's 6-0 drubbing of Chelsea back in 2018.
It's not the only time that Rudiger has stressed just how tough Aguero was to play against. Naming him in his XI of toughest opponents, the centre-back explained that the striker's movement made him a handful in matches. And in a separate interview in 2024, he even stated that Aguero was tougher to play against than Erling Haaland, after he faced the latter in the 2023 Champions League semi-final.
"Holy cow — Haaland is one of the strongest, no doubt. But if I could choose one, it would be Aguero."
Why Rudiger Snubbed Messi and Ronaldo
German had good reason to pick Aguero
Although nobody would question that Aguero was a fantastic striker, eyebrows might be raised considering Rudiger has played against both Messi and Ronaldo. He never won a match against the former, losing and drawing twice apiece during matches for Roma and for Chelsea.
His record against Ronaldo is also not impressive, with just a single victory against the Portuguese star - a 4-2 win in the group stages of Euro 2020. But for Rudiger he didn't feel like it would be fair to include either of them in the debate, as their talents simply surpass what most players have accomplished.
"I could say Messi or Ronaldo, but for me, they are from a different planet. We all know that. We go with human beings."