Toni Kroos | Retiring after Euro 2024

Rockets Redglare

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I’m pretty sure he’s done as a player. He said in his address that he wants to quit at the top. CL Final and Euro’s at home. Almost impossible to get any better than that.
Exactly, he’s made a fortune already and will still be able to make plenty of money after he retires.
Not everyone wants to sell their soul and play in that dreadful league, it’s great to see a brilliant player retire at the top.
 

RoyH1

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Isn't kind of rare for Real legends to get such a sendoff at the Bernabeu while they're still active players? Pretty moving scenes alround (I'm also hammered after that FA Cup victory :devil:)
 

Iker Quesadillas

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It's rare for a Real legend to announce their departure before the season is over. Usually there's a press conference + event after the season is over.
 

carvajal

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It was a great farewell. Everything came together to make it perfect. Relaxed game with la liga won, the fact that he is retiring and not going to a lesser team and doing it as a starter and in a great moment.
I also think that although people loved him a lot, they weren't as effusive with him as they were with Modric.
Somehow it seems that he was always behind so to have received such a long and affectionate farewell is great.
For me the best moment was when he stood on the edge of the box with his children listening to the chants.
Yesterday I'd like to be J̶e̶s̶s̶i̶c̶a̶ Amelie to be in his arms
 

Joel Miller

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He’s been an incredible player for Bayern and Madrid. Maybe not as flashy as other midfielders but every bit as effective.
 

Morty_

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Wasn't really good tonight though, but one hell of a career, for sure.
 

Sylar

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So glad he's retiring on top.

Also another reason I'm glad he's retiring is that we don't try and sign him for 50m
 

ForFuchsSake

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That’s the way to sign off on your career - not pissing about in the Saudi league or MLS. Truly remarkable player who will go down in the conversation of one of the very best midfielders of his generation.

Will be interesting to see how he’ll fare in the Ballon D’or rankings this year. Suspect he’s not glamorous enough to really rank highly despite huge club success. If he plays a pivotal role in Euros success for Germany then perhaps he’s a slight outsider but still probably not enough (due to his position).
 
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BayernFan87

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Im really happy for him.
Some of even the biggest stars ever demolish their legacy by playing way after their peak (hello Cristiano, hello Lionel) but he is going out at the very top and you have to respect that.

Now go on and win the EC with germany and maybe even get the Ballon d'Or for the greatest finish of a sports career ever.
 

El-Manos

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Im really happy for him.
Some of even the biggest stars ever demolish their legacy by playing way after their peak (hello Cristiano, hello Lionel) but he is going out at the very top and you have to respect that.

Now go on and win the EC with germany and maybe even get the Ballon d'Or for the greatest finish of a sports career ever.
Ex with Germany? Highly unlikely
 

That_Bloke

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He and Modric works well together, the problem is they don't have a class DM behind them to anchor the midfield/defense and the front 3 in front of them are useless defensively.

None of this matters, of course. Everybody pointed out what a wrong move this is for him.
Couldn't resist and necro'ed this gem of a post.
 

croadyman

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So glad he's retiring on top.

Also another reason I'm glad he's retiring is that we don't try and sign him for 50m
We should have in 2014 but for some daft reason LVG pulled the plug on deal when he arrived
 

That_Bloke

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It’s a gem indeed because they didn’t have a class DM gay the time, then they found Casemiro ;)
I got that part and you were right at the time, but that was underestimating RM's ability to plan for the future.

The second part though, not so much.

It's just a bit of harmless banter with 100% hindsight. Kroos made the best decision of his life by steering clear of MU and what unfolded fully justified his decision. He'd have destroyed his career if he signed for your club.
 

That_Bloke

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No player other than Kroos has won more CLs.

Incredible feat for one of the best midfielders of the last two decades.
 

Eriku

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Because he was quite vocally attacking players who move there and let's just say the reception he got when he played with Real there (I believe for the Spanish cup or league cup.. .something like that) wasn't friendly. They'd rather whip him to death then sign him to play.

And considering how much he seemed to enjoy that reaction in the stadium that feeling definitely is mutual.
Loved seeing his principled stand in the media on that point. Wish there were more players speaking out against these vanity projects.
 

JogaBonitoRooney

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Some of even the biggest stars ever demolish their legacy by playing way after their peak (hello Cristiano, hello Lionel) but he is going out at the very top and you have to respect that.
Bad snobby take I've heard from Kroos and a few other of his fans about "looking so good by retiring at the top". Good on him but nothing wrong with playing until your late 30s even if you're past your peak.

Neither Ronaldo or Messi have demolished their legacy (even with Ronaldo's United antics). Good for them for playing in lower standard leagues outside of Europe where they can still show off their prowess , and cash in on their brand and give fans outside of Europe a chance to see them. They are entertaining generational players so the longer we get to see them, the better. It's not like there is much for them to offer once they retire.

Both played at Ballon D'or winning level at Kroo's age, even Benzema and Lewandowski did at the same age so it would be a waste for them to retire at 34. This doesn't apply to Kroos as much because no one is going to be too bothered if the master sideways passer retires early.

Modric has a higher chance of demolishing of his legacy. There were reports the old man wasn't happy to be second fiddle to the youngsters during the season. It won't matter now because Real Madrid have been successful but Modric wasn't key for them this season.
 

giorno

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It’s a gem indeed because they didn’t have a class DM gay the time, then they found Casemiro ;)
Yeah it was wrong at the time btw. That Madrid team playing Kroos-Modric double pivot was wiping teams off the pitch like a football tsunami. It was only Modric's injury(fecking san siro :mad::mad::mad:) and the lack of depth that screwed us up that season. We won like 24 consecutive games at one point
 

kouroux

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Im really happy for him.
Some of even the biggest stars ever demolish their legacy by playing way after their peak (hello Cristiano, hello Lionel) but he is going out at the very top and you have to respect that.

Now go on and win the EC with germany and maybe even get the Ballon d'Or for the greatest finish of a sports career ever.
I disagree. If a player is happy to play in his late 30s and there is a club out there willing to give a contract, I say there is no issue. It's actually more respectable in my eyes