Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger has been accused of ‘mocking’ Japan attacker Takuma Asano during Germany’s World Cup defeat.
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When the four-time world champions were 1-0 up, the former Chelsea player was forced to defend a ball over the top.
And the German star pulled out a bizarre running style, seemingly over exaggerating his movements as he shepherded the ball out of play.
TalkSPORT’s co-commentator for the game, Tony Cascarino, was not impressed with Rudiger. He said: “Rudiger there is mocking his opposition position in Asano, that was a strange running style but he was laughing as he was running.”
Commentator Jim Proudfoot added: “It’s an idiosyncratic running style he’s got. His arms are like a cartoon character running through treacle, but he does actually make headway when it looks like he shouldn’t.”
However, it came back to haunt them as disaster struck for Germany, they conceded two late goals in the space of eight minutes to eventually lose 2-1.
Ritsu Doan got the first goal for Japan before it was Asano himself who got the winner. Ilkay Gundogan had put Hansi Flick’s team in front with a penalty.
Cascarino went back to that very moment after Japan had taken the lead and again questioned Antonio Rudiger’s actions.
He said: “Do you feel that moment of Rudiger mocking the forward when he was running contributed to the lackadaisical approach in the second half that Germany have had in this game?
“He was smiling as he was running and he was clearly mocking the Japanese centre-forward.”
Germany could not find an equaliser and now face a huge battle to qualify for the knockout stages with Spain and Costa Rica also in their group.
