New Delhi: Germany midfielder Toni Kroos recently announced his retirement from club football and guided Real Madrid to UEFA Champions League glory in his final game on the club level. He looks to guide his team to another UEFA tournament before retirement as he is set to retire from International football as well post the UEFA Euro 2024.
Toni Kroos has had a legendary career representing European giants like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, winning six Champions League titles and seven league titles across both clubs. The 34-year-old midfielder has been instrumental for both his major clubs and even for the national team during their 2014 FIFA World Cup triumph.
Speaking to the German newspaper Bild, Germany’s national team icon and 1990 World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthäus said “From FC Bayern’s point of view, it was the biggest mistake in the club’s history to sell Toni Kroos simply out of emotion and vanity. Similar to the departure of David Alaba, the decision here was not made rationally. The Kroos case will hurt those responsible for many, many years to come.”
Lothar Matthaus was not happy when Bayern Munich sold Toni Kroos so many years ago. pic.twitter.com/QMgZk4xmSh
— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) June 23, 2024
The ex-Bayern Munich player was critical of his former club’s decision to sell the talented midfielder when he was just 24 years old and had just won the FIFA World Cup for his national side. Ten years on from that fateful move, Bayern have failed to unearth another gem like Toni Kroos for their side.
Having deemed Kroos of not being a ‘world-class player’, the now 34-year-old made sure that his former club will have to eat their words as he went on to achieve everything possible in club football, including becoming the most decorated player in UEFA Champions League history.
The only trophy that’s missing in his decorated career is the UEFA Euro trophy and given this is his final tournament as a player, the German midfielder will give it his all to achieve this piece of silverware this time around. Kroos is an integral part of Julien Nagelsmann’s set-up and he will be relying heavily on him to ensure his side lifts the trophy on home soil.
The Germany national team topped their group with seven points and now face Denmark in their last 16 clash and with the home support behind them, they are amongst the favourites to go all the way and win their first UEFA European Championship since 1996 when the legendary midfielder Kroos was just 6 years old.
As Toni Kroos prepares to bid adieu to the beautiful game, dive in to find out what Germany legend Lothar Matthäus had to say about Kroos’ exit from Bayern Munich back in 2014. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
