The 33-year-old centre-back confirmed the decision in a statement on social media, saying the time had come to step aside and "make way for the young generation."
His departure comes two months after Germany's World Cup exit on penalties to Paraguay, in which Rüdiger played 110 minutes, and follows a period of reflection rather than a snap decision made in the immediate aftermath of that defeat.
"When I first wore the German jersey in 2014, I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams that it would eventually lead to 86 international appearances," Rüdiger wrote in his statement. He leaves with 86 caps and three goals to his name, along with the 2017 Confederations Cup as the sole piece of major silverware from his international career, despite representing Germany across six major tournaments.
Rüdiger had reportedly told teammates in the dressing room after the Paraguay defeat that he intended to step away, though the appointment of Jürgen Klopp as the new Germany head coach gave him pause before he made the decision final.
He ultimately concluded that clearing space for a new generation to develop under Klopp was the right course of action, even as the incoming coach now faces selection questions in central defence following the announcement.
With his international career over, Rüdiger intends to focus entirely on preserving his fitness and performance level at Real Madrid, reducing the physical toll of combining club and international commitments as he enters the closing stages of his playing career.
He has become an important figure under new head coach José Mourinho since the Portuguese returned to the Santiago Bernabéu this summer, and is understood to feel fully aligned with the demanding, competitive approach Mourinho has brought to the squad. Rüdiger joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2022 and won a league and Champions League double with the club in 2024.
His retirement leaves Klopp with a selection puzzle to solve ahead of his first squad announcement as Germany head coach on 17 September, with regular defensive option Nico Schlotterbeck also unavailable through an ankle injury.
Between the loss of Rüdiger's experience and Schlotterbeck's absence, the new coach faces an early test of squad depth at centre-back before his Nations League fixtures get under way.