Julian Nagelsmann was not particularly surprised by the announced end of Toni Kroos’ career. The national coach, DFB sports director Völler and association boss Neuendorf all expressed a final wish.
Julian Nagelsmann wishes national player Toni Kroos a career end as a European football champion. “Of course I hope he wins the title. Then you can close a wonderful picture book,” said the national coach at the DFB team’s training camp for the home European Championship in Blankenhain. The 34-year-old Kroos had announced that he would end his great career as a professional after the Champions League final with Real Madrid in London against Borussia Dortmund and the subsequent home tournament.
Nagelsmann was not particularly surprised by this announcement by Kroos, who has been capped 108 times for the German national team and whom he was able to persuade to make a comeback for the European Championship. “As far as the national team is concerned, I already assumed that. I think he thought about it for a long time at the club,” said Nagelsmann. Last weekend, Kroos was already celebrated by the fans after the last home game for Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium.
Nagelsmann: “Toni still has a huge tournament ahead of him”
“I saw a picture of him being sent off with 48,000 trophies on it. It looks impressive,” enthused Nagelsmann. “I always think it’s smart when players don’t miss the moment when they stop. Toni doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore. He now has a huge tournament that he’s really looking forward to and where he can win another title. Then I think he would have won everything.”
Kroos won the World Cup with the German national team in 2014 in Brazil. He won the Champions League with FC Bayern (2013) and then four times with Real Madrid. He was champion and cup winner in Germany and Spain. But he has not yet been European champion.
“It would be an incredible story for us and of course also for him to crown his career like this again. Then it would be the perfect moment to end his career,” said the national coach. Nagelsmann is convinced that Kroos will “play a very good tournament” after “an outstandingly good season at Real Madrid”.
Völler’s wish: Kroos’ last game on July 14
DFB sports director Rudi Völler hopes Kroos “plays his last game on July 14th,” i.e. at the European Championship final in Berlin. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf praised Kroos at the start of the European Championship preparations “as the most successful player we’ve had.” The only thing the midfielder is still missing is the European Championship title. With this, he could “top” his career at the end.
Source: Stern
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