Exactly three years ago, a June 29, 2021 in it Wembley Stadium, Toni Kroos said goodbye to the German national team’s dressing room. They had just lost to England in round of 16 of the Eurocup and the midfielder of Real Madrid It was clear to him that everything would end there. Criticized in his country by fans and even legends like Lothar Matthäusdecided to stop. 1,095 days later, Germany returns today to the round of 16 of the tournament with Kroos as the football helm, absolute idol of the fans and leader of the squad. Gone are the years of criticism and nicknames in that constant love-hate relationship with his people.
Convincing Kroos was the obsession of Nagelsmann when he took office in September 2023The selection came from the failure of Qatarwhere they fell in the group stage, and lost against Belgium, Poland, Colombia, Japan, Türkiye and Austriathe last two already with Nagelsmann as coach. The youngest coach at the Euro had a clear solution.
He first spoke to the heavyweights in the locker room to find out if they had any problems, especially Kimmichmidfielder next to Gundogan and a possible victim of Toni’s return. His positive responses encouraged the coach, who began contacts with the midfielder in November. It took many weeks to get to the “yes”, because Kroos did not see it as easy to change the rhythm of the German team and had ended up very worn out after the 2021 Euro Cup, but he finally accepted. “Toni insisted that he was only going to say ‘yes’ if he was sure that we could change and aspire to win,” Nagelsmann explained these days. And boy do they aspire.
More passes completed
Kroos’ return has been crucial to Germany’s turnaround, which has regained its identity.We have taken a step forward that was necessary», admitted the Real Madrid footballer to this newspaper after the 2-0 against Hungary on the second day. And he has managed to maintain with the national team the extraordinary level that he has shown with the whites this season. He is the player who has completed the most passes in the tournament (326 of 341), well above the second (Rüdiger, with 251), the one who has made the most passes between the lines so far, the one who has moved the ball the furthest with his passes (more than two kilometers) and the one that has generated the most goal actions (20).
“It’s in his best moment», admits a grateful Nagelsmann. With Kroos he has found the last piece of his puzzle, he frees Gündogan in the midfield to connect with Musiala, Wirtz and Havertz and accompanies Andrich, irregular with the ball but strong and physical without it.
The fan favorite
Kroos is the German footballer who more t-shirts are selling at the European Championships and his name has been the most chanted in the stadiums during the first phase. A sign of the affection that the fans feel for him and a change from some moments of the last decade when Toni was not so loved or admired.“He thinks he is better than he is”, Matthäus said about Kroos after the last Euro Cup. “His low passes are like his hairstyle: nice and clean, but that takes time away from the game,” he added, in harsh criticism that confirmed the Madrid midfielder’s feelings: it was no longer worth continuing.
The negative comments began in 2014. “I’m not going to pay you what you ask for because you are not a world class player“, Kroos has acknowledged that he assured him Rummenigge when they were negotiating his renewal. “When he went to Madrid, Bayern didn’t think he was going to be a top player,” he explains to this newspaper. Tobias Altschäfflresponsible for information on Bayern and the national team Bild. “I always They called Cross pass–Tonias if to say that it always gives a lateral passan easy pass,” he explains. A nickname that still reaches the German concentration today. “We always have that expression, Cross pass Toni. “Anyone who still says that today unfortunately has no idea about football,” Nagelsmann said.
“Sometimes people underestimate me”
The nickname has not gone unnoticed by Kroos. “Maybe many pigeonholed me too quickly and my style of play was somewhat controversial in Germany for a long time,” the player said in 2019. “I think a lot of fans appreciate my game, but sometimes I think people underestimate what I have done over the years,” he admitted in an interview in 2023.
Criticism that now, with Kroos back in the national team, no longer exists. Even Matthaus has had to change the tone of his speech: “Selling him to Madrid has been Bayern’s biggest mistake in its history, UEFA should create an award with his name,” he declared. From criticism to love. «Before it could have been a relationship of Love Hate, but now it’s all love. “It’s number one for fans right now,” says Altschäffl.
Kroos, meanwhile, avoids responding to this change in speech and focuses on making the most of his last games as a footballer. Each duel is a final before returning to Madrid, his “home”.