Real Madrid player Toni Kroos had a lengthy conversation with Cadena SER on the El Larguero show.
The German obviously reflected on his farewell at the Bernabéu, the Champions League final, his post-career plans, and other topics.
How are you?
Very well, thank you.
Are you thinking about Dortmund?
Of course! Starting today, we begin preparing for the match, which is the last and most important, so… You can imagine, I’m really looking forward to it.
What do you feel when you say and hear that it will be your last match?
Honestly, I don’t think much about myself. It’s the most important match for the whole team, and we want to finish well. And it’s true that it’s my last one at Real Madrid, yes, but after that, I’m playing in the European Championship with Germany, so I don’t feel like it will be over on Saturday.
Ancelotti described you as “a German” and said you had a lot of “cojones”. When was the decision made?
I’ve been thinking about it for months, sometimes I thought I would continue for another year and sometimes I thought it was over. By April, I already felt that everything was going so well, with the league title won and the participation in the Champions League, that it would be difficult to do better. And for me, to play better. And knowing that in the summer there is the Euro… Well, but I admit it was never a 100% decision, I always had doubts, but I feel good and I’m very happy. I’ve done it, and once I’ve done it, it’s very difficult to go back on it.
Are you afraid of regretting it? Look at Modric…
No. Those are two different cases, two different mentalities about how to finish. Luka is still enjoying it, and I always wanted that, to leave at a very good moment, with a good level, feeling that my body still works very well, because I hope to have many more years to live… and I’m leaving without physical problems, very happy to think that I reached this level at 34. Maybe I could have kept it until 35 or 36…
But you didn’t want to endure having a less important role…
I always wanted to be good, to play, to be important. Now I feel good and I feel like it’s the perfect time.
Did you forget about the weekend or is it difficult?
No, I will never forget it, and I don’t want to forget it, but…
Did you expect it to be like that?
I didn’t expect anything. I just wanted to enjoy that day, whatever happened. But it was very special, exciting. I enjoyed it from the moment I arrived until the shower. I will never forget it… but I’m trying to, at least for this week.
Farewells like yours have been very rare at Real Madrid… Have you thought about the number of legends who would have wanted such farewells?
Surely all of them. It was very nice. The fans, the teammates… everyone gave me a spectacular day. I couldn’t ask for better.
Why do you think that’s the case?
You have to ask the people! I’ve always tried to be honest… and I said that I had a very good relationship with the club and that I wanted to finish here. I think people trusted me, in my word; they felt that I would keep my promises. Transmitting that to the fans, so they can trust…
Yes, that you are a man of your word?
You know I’ve always had trouble talking about myself (laughs). I prefer it to be my colleagues and my fans who do it, because they know me too. I don’t know, maybe this scenario, last Saturday, doesn’t need many words.
Did your daughter say anything to you?
It was very moving for them too. They knew why people were cheering, why they had put that picture with my image in the stands, but of course, experiencing that at that age has a great impact. I was very surprised because my daughter was the happiest when I said I was leaving, with my son, there was a little battle because he wanted me to continue. That’s why I was surprised to see her cry… but there are a lot of emotions. It was a gift for them to be able to experience something like that too. They are marked by it for the rest of their lives… and so am I.
What will you miss the most?
Several things. First of all, the people. The people you live with every day. The physios, the doctors, the players… we all form a team and, of course, there are also many teammates that I have known for many years, like Luka, Lucas Vázquez, or Nacho, whom we already know very well. Of course, I will miss football because I have always loved it. In football, if you succeed, you end up at Real Madrid and, although there are things you have to manage, what I have always loved the most is the game, football. And that, that will be missed.
Álvaro Benito spoke of “depression” when he announced his departure because there is no player with the same characteristics as him, right?
But the important thing is not to find one, the important thing is for Real Madrid to continue winning. This club has always been very good at forming a winning team and, in football, you have to adapt to the players you have. Of course, one day, this team will have to play without Kroos, or without Modric; but just as it had to play without Cristiano, Ramos… everyone. Madrid persists, it continues to win. And that’s what will happen next season. And the following one. It’s about adapting. You have to have an idea of how you want to win, and even if the way changes, what matters is to keep winning.
Spain’s squad for the Euro has been announced: Nacho is there, but not Lucas Vazquez. What do you think?
Well, it’s not a subject that concerns me.
But are you surprised?
The truth is, I haven’t seen the list and I don’t have information on who could or could not go. I won’t be thinking about Spain from next Tuesday onwards (laughs)!
What will Kroos do after the European Championship?
I have several projects. I will open an academy here in Madrid starting in September, where we will have competitions with many kids. I like these kinds of things, I like playing with the little ones. I will also open a league in Germany.
A league?
Yes, a bit like the Kings League here.
To compete with Piqué?
No, no… As I said, it’s in Germany (laughs). And I also intend to spend more time at home, of course. With my family, I have three children… so I will have work, I won’t be bored.
Will you continue to live in Madrid?
Yes, that’s the idea.
Are you coming back to the national team because the European Championship is taking place in Germany? If it had been held in another country, would you have returned too?
I had the feeling that they needed me, Nagelsmann called me, I watched a few matches and I saw that they were struggling: away in Qatar in the group stage (eliminated by Japan and
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