Bayern Munich’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß has spoken out against Toni Kroos’ comeback to the German national football team. “That would be quite a Titanic signal,” said the 71-year-old on Monday on ServusTV, as the Crown-newspaper reported. The Real Madrid midfielder is “an outstanding footballer, but I don’t think he can save German football,” Hoeneß continued.
Hoeneß had already spoken out strongly against Kroos in the DFB team in the past. “Toni Kroos has no place in this football anymore. (…) His way of playing is totally over,” he said in 2021 after the long-standing top performer was eliminated from the European Championship and the DFB’s subsequent resignation.
National coach Julian Nagelsmann recently described Kroos’ return as an “interesting thought” in the ZDF sports studio. Kroos won the Champions League with FC Bayern in 2013. After turning down a contract extension in Munich, the midfielder moved to Real Madrid in 2014, where he has been one of the top performers ever since.
Matthew and Babbel are also skeptical
The former Lothar Matthäus and Markus Babbel are also critical of a possible return. “If Kroos could play full-back – okay. But the German team has the least need in midfield. That’s how you open a barrel that you don’t even need,” wrote Matthäus in his column on Sky: “Kroos is a clearer in front of the defense “Not either, but if Nagelsmann suddenly sees Kroos as the Holding Six, there will be a lot of discussions again.” That’s exactly how Babbel sees it. Kroos is “a gifted footballer, but is he also the savior? I have my doubts,” said the 1996 European champion at ran.
According to one Picture-Report By the way, Kroos himself can imagine a comeback in the DFB team.