Born in a refugee camp, fell in love with life

Pressure is often cited as one of the big factors in sport. Being able to balance your ability against the expectations of others, being ready to perform when it matters, being stronger when your opponent is strong. But for Antonio Rudiger, there is no pressure in football. He’s seen so much hardship in his youth that competing in a big fixture seems a breeze in comparison.

Even though he always seems serious and tough when you see him on the pitch, the Berlin-born star is actually a fun person who always sees the good side in life.

"I’m a happy person. During games, it may seem different because I’m so focused on doing my job, but I’m the kind of man who always wants to laugh and make good vibrations. In life, you have to smile."

These words speak even louder if you consider the road Antonio has travelled since his birth in 1993.

"I was born and raised in a refugee camp near Berlin. My mother lived in Sierra Leone, she is from there and had to flee Africa due to the civil war. And so, she came to Germany, to this area of Berlin. I was born and raised there. Let's say it wasn't easy. It was pretty tough living in this area."

Living in a bad part of the German capital wasn’t a fairy tale but young Antonio made the most of it. As for so many children around the world, football was his favourite pastime.

"I was playing football a lot. I was on the street all day with the ball and I guess that took me away from many other things. My parents always gave me a good education, to follow a good path. Thankfully, I was good enough to become a professional. Football changed my life and the way I look at it. I always say that there is no point in being angry, especially for footballers. I've seen a lot of things in my life that made me realize that real pressure isn’t on the pitch... at least not for me. The pressure is not having to eat. I've seen it."

Sierra Leone is still recovering from the devastating civil war /©Gallo Images)

He may be relaxed and positive, but it doesn’t mean that he isn’t a competitor. It’s quite the opposite – he is a fighter. After all, that’s how he got to play for Chelsea.

"I’m a fighter, a warrior."

Chelsea are preparing to take on mighty Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday as Europe’s biggest tournament approaches its business end. But German international of Sierra Leone descent Rudiger isn’t fazed by the opposition.

"We’ve seen some videos of Real Madrid. We do that ahead of every match. The preparations are the same regardless of who we’re playing. Of course, Real Madrid has a fantastic team, they won the Champions League 13 times, but when the match kicks off – that doesn’t matter a lot. You just play."

Chelsea have improved defensively under Thomas Tuchel (©AFP)

The Chelsea central defender will have a difficult task to prevent Karim Benzema from scoring. Speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca, Rudiger promised to take on Real’s attackers as a team and defend as a unit.

"Karim is one of the best strikers in the world, a player who has been with Real Madrid for over ten years. That alone speaks volumes about how good he is. Simply put, he’s top class. Thankfully, I won’t be playing against him alone, but rather as a member of the team. Benzema and other forward players have the ability to cause us a lot of problems, but it’s up to us to adapt and remain on our toes."

Winning the Champions League would be a major coup for Chelsea. Whether they pull it off or not – their big defender will remain a winner.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Semi-final, first leg

Tuesday

22.00: Real Madrid - Chelsea

Wednesday

22.00: Paris Saint-Germain - Manchester City