National player
The captain disembarks: This is how Toni Kroos explains his retirement after the European Championships
Departure of a football icon: World champion Toni Kroos hangs up his football boots after the European Championships
© Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
A legend is retiring: DFB captain and Real Madrid regular Toni Kroos is ending his career after the European Football Championship this summer. He explains why in his podcast “Just Luppen”.
Toni Kroos: Farewell only to the Royals
At the European Championships, the leader in national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s selection will play his last international matches; so far the midfield strategist has made 108 appearances in the DFB jersey. After the 2021 European Championship, Kroos actually ended his national team career, but was brought back by Nagelsmann for the international matches last March before the home European Championship. Kroos is one of the central players in Nagelsmann’s considerations for the tournament from June 14th to July 14th.
National coach Nagelsmann
These players are in the provisional European Championship squad
“I’ve thought about it for a very, very long time and in the last few days I’ve come to a conclusion, and that is that this season, this wonderful season, the tenth with Real, is also my last season with Real,” said Kroos with the Royals facing Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final in London on June 1st. So far, Kroos has won the pot five times, once with FC Bayern and four times with Real.
Anyone who has listened carefully to him in recent years has heard that the only option for him to end his career was at Real Madrid. “And anyone who can add one plus one knows that my last season at Real also means that it’s over this summer. No more Real, no more football,” said Kroos.
Note: This text has been updated.