When FourFourTwo were invited to Madrid City Football Academy to meet Antonio Rudiger and take part in Under Armour's 'Power Through Pressure' challenge, naturally we jumped at the chance.
Spring sun? Tick. Testing the latest Under Armour gear with Real Madrid defender Rudiger in attendance? Tick. A beasting fitness challenge including the bleep test? Err, hang on...
In a brutal fitness experience developed by former Newcastle United strength & conditioning coach and current Under Armour athlete performance consultant Paul Winsper, 15 unfortunate souls - among them FFT - were pushed to the limits to replicate high-pressure scenarios in a football match.
Comprised of five competitors per team, Team England, Team Spain and Team Germany faced off in the challenge, starting with a gruelling bleep test. To say it was difficult would be an understatement, the midday Madrid sun beating down on our back as we struggled on the sticky artificial surface.
A three-circuit challenge immediately followed that, involving dribbling, shooting and plenty of running. But this was a competition, with England, Germany and Spain all competing against one another for top prize. Germany came out on top, heading through to a penalty shootout with second-placed England to determine the true winners.
Unnaturally, England won, though FFT fortunately didn't have to take a penalty - the shootout had already been decided, while the lactic acid build-up made moving any quicker than a light jog simply impossible. Under Armour's HeatGear Baselayer helped, our fitness certainly didn't. Cheers, Winsper...
That's no all the event comprised of, though. Watching on from the sidelines, mere hours after beating Barcelona 3-2 in El Clasico and just days after scoring the winning penalty against Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final shootout, was Antonio Rudiger.
In a moment which truly highlighted his ability to stay cool under pressure, Rudiger helped his side progress to the semi-finals with unerring accuracy. Speaking at the event, though, this simply came natural to the German.
"If I'm really honest, a lot of people had their doubts [about me scoring]," Rudiger said. "The day before we were practicing penalties and I wanted to show that, 'Hey, you can put me in the first five', but I think the coaches had different ideas.
"On the night, though, some didn't want to take a penalty, but I raised my hand because I was confident. I felt good, I was ready, and thank God it went in, because if it was the other way around I would've been devastated."
He continued, explaining how his family reacted to him stepping up for the crucial moment.
"They were all shocked - normally my dad is always very calm, but he couldn't understand what I was thinking to shoot the final penalty. But that's football: either you're a hero or you're a loser. Thankfully I was a hero.
"When you perform at the highest level you always have to deal with immense pressure, it’s a part of the game. No matter the conditions, you have to deliver. I take that on and welcome it because it makes me better."
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