By Samuel A. July 6, 2024
Legendary midfielder Toni Kroos has officially retired from professional football after Germany’s 2-1 loss to Spain saw them exit the EURO 2024. La Roja’s 2-1 extra time win over the Euro 2024 hosts in the quarterfinal brought the curtain down on a glittering career for the Real Madrid stalwart.
Kroos had previously announced his retirement from the sport at the conclusion of the 2023/24 season, having just won a UEFA Champions League and La Liga double with Los Blancos, but decided to play his last tournament for Germany as well before bowing out in style.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, with Sociedad’s Mikel Merino heading in the winner in the 119th minute, the 34 year old legend insists the future is bright for Germany. “Every game could be my last game for a few weeks now, but today really is the last game, and I’m proud of our team,” Kroos said post match. “We’ve really taken a step forward if you look into the last five or six months, how the team was then and how it is now, fighting against the best. This team has a great future, we have great players. I hope they’ll keep growing. I’ll see them on TV.”
Kroos racked up awards and trophies in his 17 year senior career, including three Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich and four with Real Madrid.
The metronomic midfielder leaves football with six Champions League triumphs and a World Cup winners medal.
Compatriot Joshua Kimmich went so far as to say that he is Germany’s greatest player, or at least their most successful. “I want to thank Toni” said Kimmich. “Unfortunately, it was his last game. Unfortunately, we were defeated. But we still celebrate his titles and records, and it would have been great to win this title with him. Am I wrong or is he the greatest player we have? No one was so successful, no doubt.”
In a double blow, Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller also hinted at the possibility of his own retirement from international football. He announced that: “There is a high probability that this was my last international match.”
Muller has made 135 appearances for Die Mannschaft and was understandably devastated at the timing of Merino’s winner.
“When I saw the ball go into our goal it felt like a stab in my heart,” Muller said. “Yes, going behind 1-0 really made us wake up, because we were weaker during the first half, but it wasn’t enough.”
Germany and their head coach, Julian Nagelsmann still have a contract that runs till at least 2026, and they could look to right all the wrongs of this Euros tournament at the World Cup in North America in two years.
