Toni Kroos made his final appearance at Real Madrid’s home ground on Saturday as he gets ready to retire.
Real Madrid were grateful to have Kroos for ten years as the Germany midfielder bid farewell to a full Santiago Bernabeu, according to Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Kroos played his last league match for Madrid on Saturday, where they only managed a goalless draw against Real Betis, which hardly did justice to his incredible career with the LaLiga champions.
The 34-year-old still has one more game left for Los Blancos in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium next Saturday.
After his final game at Madrid’s iconic home, Ancelotti was quick to heap praise on Kroos.
“Obviously one of the best,” Ancelotti said. “A top-tier midfielder, with outstanding character, a small ego, very humble, and always putting the team first, very selfless. We were so lucky to have him for a decade!
“To surpass Kroos’ achievements with this team is very difficult. His decision to retire caught everyone by surprise, but he displayed tremendous character, and it’s fantastic to see him say goodbye like this.
“His departure marks the end of an era in football, and, I can’t stress this enough, we were fortunate to have him. Football truly had a gem of a player.”
In his 306th LaLiga appearance, only Bernd Schuster (316) has surpassed him, Kroos bid adieu in his usual style- having the most touches (122), creating three chances, playing 110 passes, and completing 107 passes, which were unmatched on the field.
“I have immense gratitude towards all of Madridismo, the club, my teammates, and the stadium,” Kroos shared with reporters following his last game for Madrid.
“Throughout these ten years, I always felt at home. I couldn’t have asked for more. These 10 years have been truly unforgettable.
“I held it together until I saw my children. That moment broke me.”
Kroos will conclude his playing career with the Euro 2024 tournament, where he aims to lead Germany to victory on home turf.
