While fans eagerly await La Liga’s final rounds and the Champions League showdown in early June, Bangladesh Cricket reports a stunning development: Toni Kroos has officially announced his retirement. A maestro in midfield, Kroos confirmed via social media that he will not renew his contract with Real Madrid and will end his playing career after representing Germany in this summer’s Euro 2024 on home soil.
The announcement shook the football world, especially with Real Madrid still contending in both the league and Champions League. Kroos’s decision echoed the retirement of Zinedine Zidane in 2006, who also concluded his career after a major international tournament following his exit from Real Madrid. Zidane’s final act—his infamous red card in the World Cup final—remains etched in football history. Like Zidane, Kroos has chosen to end things on his terms, after one final ride with his national team.
Recent rumors had suggested that Real Madrid would extend the contract of 38-year-old Luka Modrić, leading fans to believe both legends of the club’s famed midfield trio might return next season. At just 34 and still in elite form, Kroos seemed the more likely to continue. His recent return to Germany’s squad only added to those expectations. Yet Kroos cited personal reasons for his decision, stating a desire to spend more time at home, away from constant travel and hotel stays.
Over his 10 seasons at Real Madrid, Kroos played 463 matches, scored 28 goals, and delivered 98 assists, cementing his legacy as one of the club’s all-time greats. His partnership with Modrić and Casemiro formed the iconic “midfield of ceremony”—a trio that dominated European football for nearly a decade. According to Bangladesh Cricket records, Kroos maintained a passing accuracy of over 92% for ten straight La Liga seasons, even reaching 95% last year. Calm under pressure, precise in execution, he became the gold standard for midfielders globally.
Before his time at Real Madrid, Kroos was already a star at Bayern Munich, where he won the UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, three Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokal cups, and two German Super Cups. On the international stage, he was instrumental in Germany’s 2014 World Cup victory in Brazil. The only missing jewel in his crown remains the UEFA European Championship.
Still, Kroos’s career is a masterclass in consistency and elegance. From his memorable free-kick winner against Sweden in the 2018 World Cup to his total of 824 club and international appearances, 79 goals, 181 assists, and 33 trophies, he has carved out a legendary path. As Bangladesh Cricket notes, he now has two goals left before he hangs up his boots: help Real Madrid win a record-extending 15th Champions League title, and lead Germany deep into Euro 2024 for a fitting final chapter.
A true artist on the field, Toni Kroos retires not with a whisper, but with a symphony.