Toni Kroos’s goodbye: the beast that Spain forged retired against Spain
JM González
July 6, 2024

Spain’s 2-1 victory in 120 minutes against Germany left a bitter feeling in the Mercedez Bens Arena. Not only because the local team was eliminated from its Euro Cup, but because Toni Kroos was permanently leaving professional football. A circle that closed before the country that welcomed him and forged him after his departure from Bayern Munich. The talented midfielder closed his last performance among the hugs of his former teammates.

Kroos arrived at Real Madrid in 2014, after ending his stay at the Bavarian club amid controversy over conflicting opinions about the salary the player deserved. When Bayern offered him three million, Toni and his agent asked for 10. Disagreements that ended his time in Munich, where he was trained and was professionally in two stages, divided by a loan to Bayer Leverkusen between 2007 and 2009.

The managerial value that Bayern had in Kroos was so little (but not the coaches, from Heynckes to Guardiola), that Real Madrid only paid 25 million euros for his transfer. Quite a short figure if you consider the stratospheric amounts of money handled by the White House. Perfect step, by the way, that ten years later sees the midfielder retire as a legend.

In Germany he was valued more in the national team than for what he did in the club. That is why in Spain the beast that finally retired against the same Spanish team began to be forged, cyclically closing its football adventure.

After 10 seasons and 306 games at Real Madrid, he leaves the club with four Leagues, four Spanish Super Cups, one Copa del Rey, five Champions Leagues, five Club World Cups and four European Super Cups.

The above only with the club that adopted it as its own and made it great. With Germany he was world champion in Brazil 2014 and with Bayern he added ten other trophies between Bundesligas, Champions League and others.

Toni Kroos, a legend who hangs up his boots. A neat and elegant steering wheel. A gentleman on and off the field. A beast that was forged in Spain and retired before Spain.

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