Many Germans are calling for Real Madrid's Antonio Rüdiger to be removed from the national team following his outburst during the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.

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Rüdiger, who had already been substituted, was sent off in the closing moments of the match after throwing a projectile at referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, following a controversial foul decision in favor of Barcelona.

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His actions, which could result in a lengthy suspension, have sparked outrage.

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Former FIFA referee Thorsten Kinhofer, now an expert for the German publication BILD, believes that Rüdiger’s behavior was shameful and a poor reflection on Germany.

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Kinhofer has urged Germany’s head coach, Julian Nagelsmann, to reconsider Rüdiger’s place in the national team, describing the incident as a "disgrace" to the country. He shared his thoughts with BILD, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.

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"Rudiger's behaviour is a disgrace. The national team coach should consider whether such a man can continue to represent our country."

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A poll conducted by BILD, with over 18,000 readers participating, revealed that 78% of people think Antonio Rüdiger should be excluded from the German national team due to his behavior during the Copa del Rey final.

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Only 20% of respondents believe he should not face consequences on the international stage, while 2% remain unsure about what action coach Julian Nagelsmann should take.

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German national team sporting director Rudi Völler has publicly criticized Rüdiger’s actions in the final but also indicated that it is unlikely to impact his place in the team. Völler added that Rüdiger has already reached out to both him and Nagelsmann to address the incident.

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Speaking to SID, Voller said: “Toni is a great player, but as a national team player, he must also show class in his behaviour. He rightly demands respect for himself, but he must extend that same respect to others without exception.

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"In this case, he and some teammates allowed themselves to be swept up by the extremely heated atmosphere that, inexplicably, often surrounds the club even before kick-off. That is unacceptable, particularly for a German international.

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"Toni reached out to (national coach) Julian Nagelsmann and me yesterday, and we had an extensive conversation about the situation, directly with him, and internally with (DFB president) Bernd Neuendorf and (DFB sporting director) Andreas Rittig."

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The 32-year-old is expected to miss the remainder of the season for Real Madrid, with Spanish media speculating that he could face a ban of four to 12 matches. If he receives a more severe punishment, which seems unlikely, it could jeopardize his participation in the Club World Cup in June.

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