The German national team and Real Madrid player, Toni Kroos, announced Tuesday that he will retire after the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship.
He indicated that the Champions League final next month against Borussia Dortmund would be his last appearance with the Spanish club.
Kroos said in a statement on his Instagram account: “My current football player career will end this summer, after the European Championship. As I have always said: Real Madrid will be my last team.”
He added: “July 17, 2014, the day I was presented as a player at Real Madrid, the day that changed my life. It’s not just my life as a football player, but as a person, it was the beginning of a new chapter at the biggest club in the world. And after ten years, this chapter will come to an end at the end of the season. I will never forget this exciting and successful decade.”
Toni Kroos Retirement:
Kroos has participated in 463 matches with the club since joining in 2014, and he will depart as one of the most decorated players in Real Madrid’s 120-year history, having won over 20 titles, including four UEFA Champions League titles.
In addition to his titles with Real Madrid, the midfielder won the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany and another UEFA Champions League title with Bayern Munich in 2013.
Kroos is entering his final year of his contract with Real Madrid and announced in February his return to the German national team after three years of international retirement, ahead of the European Championship scheduled for June and July in his country.
Part of History:
Kroos said: “I would like to especially thank everyone who welcomed me with an open heart and trusted me. But in particular, I would like to thank you, dear Real Madrid fans, for your affection and love from the first day until the last.”
The Spanish club issued a lengthy statement praising Kroos and his history with the club, as the departure of the “engineer” of the “Los Blancos” midfield comes after winning the La Liga title and before his possible sixth UEFA Champions League title at Wembley Stadium.
The club said in its statement: “Real Madrid would like to express its gratitude and love for Toni Kroos, the player who has already become part of Real Madrid’s history and one of the great legends of our club and world football.”
It added: “Toni Kroos will always remain in the hearts of all Real Madrid fans for his excellence in football and for being a player who gave everything for this shirt, always representing the values of Real Madrid.”
