Rangers' Ryan Naderi Faces International Decision Between Czech Republic and Germany
Ryan Naderi has barely settled into life at Rangers, yet his next big decision may not be about club football at all. It may be about a flag.
According to Bild, the 23-year-old striker is on the brink of a call-up to the Czech national team, with sporting director Pavel Nedved already making contact. For a player who only made his professional debut in 2024, the acceleration has been startling.
This is not a straightforward case of a late-blooming centre-forward picking the obvious shirt. Naderi was born in Dresden to a Czech mother and a Bulgarian father. Bulgaria’s federation has already tried to win him over in the past and got nowhere. The same report suggests he is now more receptive to the Czech Republic.
Germany, though, still hover in the background.
With Jürgen Klopp preparing for his first international window as DFB coach and planning an unusually large squad for matches against the Netherlands, Serbia and Greece (twice), any German-eligible forward with form and physical presence is going to be discussed. If Klopp sees a potential Germany striker in Naderi, he would have to act quickly. The clock is ticking, and the suitors are no longer waiting politely.
A late starter who learned fast
Naderi’s path has never been that of a prodigy fast-tracked to the top. He came through the youth system at Dynamo Dresden, then left for Borussia Mönchengladbach at 17 in search of a bigger stage and sharper competition. The breakthrough into senior football did not come until 2024, with Hansa Rostock in the 3. Liga.
Once it came, he made it count.
Across 45 league appearances for Rostock, Naderi scored 13 goals and laid on nine more. Those numbers, on their own, are solid rather than spectacular. The context matters: a 1.94-metre centre-forward learning how to bully defenders, link play and finish under pressure in one of Europe’s most unforgiving lower tiers. Clubs took notice. Scouts like strikers who impose themselves, not just appear on the scoresheet.
Rangers moved hardest. Last winter they paid a 3. Liga record fee of €5.5 million to bring him to Glasgow. That is not a speculative punt; that is conviction.
Making noise in Glasgow
Since arriving at Ibrox, Naderi has started to justify that price tag. Six goals and six assists in 21 appearances show a forward who contributes beyond the penalty box. He occupies centre-backs, brings team-mates into the game and, when it matters, delivers.
Last weekend, he stepped into the most hostile fixture of them all and looked at home. In a 3-0 Old Firm win over Celtic, Naderi set up one goal and played a key part in the build-up to another. On days like that, careers change. So do perceptions.
A striker who proves he can handle the intensity of Rangers vs Celtic instantly looks more interesting to national-team selectors. The noise around him has grown louder since that derby. So have the options.
Passport, paperwork, and pressure
If Naderi chooses the Czech Republic, the next step is bureaucratic rather than tactical. He would need to apply for a Czech passport before he could pull on the shirt. It remains unclear whether that process could be completed in time for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Croatia, England (twice) and Spain.
Those opponents are not a soft landing. They are a test of whether a new-look Czech side can punch with Europe’s elite. Bringing in a 1.94-metre Rangers striker in form would be a bold statement.
Germany’s situation is different but no less intriguing. Klopp intends to use the forthcoming window to cast the net wide, assess new faces and spring a few surprises. A physically dominant, upward-trending No 9 with Bundesliga roots and a German upbringing fits neatly into that brief.
The dilemma is clear: wait to see whether Klopp’s Germany come calling, or commit now to a Czech project that has already made the first move.
A decision that shapes a career
For Naderi, this is not just about the next international break. It is about the arc of his career. The country he chooses will define his summers, his tournaments, his biggest nights.
Rangers have given him a platform and a spotlight. Hansa Rostock gave him his start. Dynamo Dresden and Borussia Mönchengladbach shaped his foundations. Now the question moves beyond clubs and contracts.
Does he lead the line for the Czechs in battles with Croatia and Spain? Does he wait to see if Klopp wants him in a new-look Germany? Or does Bulgaria, the early suitor, somehow re-enter the conversation?
For a 23-year-old centre-forward who only broke into professional football last year, it is an extraordinary position to be in. The goals in Glasgow have done their work.
The next move is his.
