Still as important in the game of Real Madrid and cornerstone of Carlo Ancelotti's system, Toni Kroos does not feel the effects of age and is having one of the best seasons of his career. While his contract expires at the end of the season with the Merengues, the German midfielder gives the impression of being able to play at a very high level for a long time despite the desire to retire which has accompanied him for several years. Focus before the match against Leipzig in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
It is also the mark of the great legends of this sport. With advances in medicine and support for players, being able to play at the highest level until the twilight of one's career has become a sine qua none condition for being well placed in the football pantheon. At Real Madrid , players who age like good wine have become a trademark. Thus, Luka Modrić, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo have been major players in the Champions Leagues gleaned by the Madrid team in recent years. Toni Kroos is also part of this elite.
Toni Kroos has lost none of her qualities at 34
Arriving in 2014 in the Iberian capital after several high-flying seasons with Bayern Munich and a World Cup won with the Mannschaft, the player with the white and blue adidas 11Pro immediately established himself with Real Madrid. 10 years and an even fuller trophy cabinet later, the 34-year-old midfielder is still essential for Carlo Ancelotti's group. Despite the strong competition in the midfield of the most successful club in the Champions League (Tchouameni, Camavinga, Modric, Valverde, Ceballos), Kroos makes 29 appearances this season and has a string of high-class performances. During Real Madrid's demonstration against Girona this Saturday (4-0), the German was masterful.
La carte des passes de Toni Kroos hier 😳
— BeFootball (@_BeFootball) February 11, 2024
📸 @LaLiga pic.twitter.com/o8WkYDRz6g
Dictating the tempo of his team, the native of Greifswald knew how to draw from the right drawers to energize his team's game as much as possible. A performance defined by a slew of superlatives which reflects his great season. A new vintage which commands respect at 34 years old with 7 assists, the best total of the Madrid squad. And even if Real Madrid's strategy regarding its players in their thirties has not changed one iota, there is no doubt that everyone at Real Madrid would like to see Kroos stay at the club for many more years. Often torn by desires to retire in recent months, the latter does not know what his future will hold, as he recalled yesterday at a press conference.
The keystone of the Ancelotti system
“ I always tell the truth and I don’t know ,” underlines the right-hander. I'm thinking about what to do, but I haven't decided anything. I'm happy that a lot of people want me to play one more year, it's positive, more than the other way around (laughs). I haven't made a decision. The key to continuing? Have the same desire to win as 10 years ago. Otherwise, you don't succeed. I take good care of my body so that I can play every three days without anything happening. Things work. I thought I wouldn't play beyond 32. So it’s okay… ” Being still hungry for titles despite everything he’s won, that’s surely the winning recipe for Toni Kroos.
Favorite of Carlo Ancelotti, the transalpine coach is certainly fascinated by this hunger for success still present in his foal. At a press conference, the Italian did not fail to say all the good things he thought of the man he started 20 times in 2023-2024: “ it’s difficult to say that this is his best season, because it's always the best. It harnesses the energy of young people. His passing percentage is the same as ten years ago .” Ultimately, Toni Kroos represents the football that everyone loves. Fine, elegant, unalterable. Distilling joy through his game, the 34-year-old midfielder receives love from everywhere and his return to Germany this Tuesday evening should be applauded by an audience from across the Rhine who dream of seeing him again in the colors of the Mannschaft during the Euro at home.