Chelsea fans will remember fondly the transformation of Antonio Rudiger under Thomas Tuchel, who, according to former assistant coach Jody Morris, molded Rudiger into arguably the best centre-back in Europe during their successful stint at Stamford Bridge.

Rudiger initially joined Chelsea for £29 million from Roma in 2017, rotating under managers Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri before falling down the pecking order under Frank Lampard. At one point, he was Chelsea’s third-choice central defender, behind Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen. But everything changed when Tuchel took the reins in January 2021.

Morris, who served as Lampard’s assistant, shared insights with talkSPORT on just how transformative Tuchel’s impact was on Rudiger’s game, saying, “When we first went in there, Rudiger had a serious injury and he wasn’t fit for a large spell.”

Despite his recovery struggles, it was under Tuchel that Rudiger found his stride. Morris added, “Has Rudiger played to the level that he played under Tuchel anywhere else? I’m not sure. Previously to us going in there, never.”

Chelsea fans saw Rudiger evolve into an absolute force at the back, especially during our run to the Champions League triumph in 2021.

Morris emphasized just how high Rudiger’s stock rose, remarking, “I don’t think there was a better centre half in Europe after that.” He attributed much of this rise to the tactical approach Tuchel implemented, which allowed Rudiger to shine: “I think you can always get those types of players that excel under a new manager, a new system.”

Morris explained that Tuchel’s strategic switch to a back-three formation was a game-changer for Rudiger’s style of play. “I know that when Tuchel first went into Chelsea… he would align with an analytical company and then maybe look at where is the place that he would like to improve upon the current squad and the playing squad,” he said.

“I think the fact that he moved into a back three allowed for three centre halves to come in and play. I think in a back three with wing backs, I think Tony Rudiger was absolutely outstanding.”

Rudiger’s aggressive, forward-thinking style also came alive under Tuchel, as Morris pointed out: “Not just from a defensive aspect, actually, going forward, I thought he has a few roaming runs, but I’m not sure we see that level of performance previously or maybe since.”

For Chelsea fans, Rudiger’s time under Tuchel is remembered as one of dominance and passion—a player once sidelined who became one of Europe’s most feared defenders. As Tuchel now steps into the England job, his track record of transforming players like Rudiger speaks volumes, and we’ll always celebrate his impact on Rudiger and our club.