“… This chapter comes to an end” – Toni Kroos to retire from football

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos will retire from the round leather game after the conclusion of this summer’s European Championship.

The Germany midfielder made the announcement on Instagram on Tuesday afternoon.

He has also decided not to renew his contract with Real Madrid. His contract with the Spanish giants expires at the end of the current campaign.

ALSO READ:

• Pochettino, Chelsea end affiliation based on mutual consent
• Jurgen Klopp: Where will former Liverpool coach go from here?
• Premier league 23/24: All the award winners
• Manchester city set record for most consecutive premier league titles
• Rodri makes football history following Manchester City’s league win
• Oleksandr Usyk defeats Tyson Fury to emerge undisputed world heavyweight champion

“July 17th, 2014 – the day of my presentation at Real Madrid, the day that changed my life. My life as a footballer – but especially as a person. It was the start of a new chapter at the biggest club in the world,” Toni Kroos wrote.

“After 10 years, at the end of the season this chapter comes to an end. I will never forget that insolent successful time! I would particularly like to thank everyone that welcomed me with an open heart and trusted me. But especially I would like to thank you, dear Madridistas, for your affection and your love from the first day until the last one.

“At the same time this decision means that my career as an active footballer will end this summer after the Euro championship. As I have always said: Real Madrid is and will be my last club. I am happy and proud, that in my mind I found the right timing for my decision and that I could choose it by my own. My ambition was always to finish my career at the peak of my performance level. From now on there is only one leading thought: a por la 15!!! HALA MADRID Y NADA MAS!”

The 34-year-old won the Champions League, the Bundesliga (three times), the DFB-Pokal (three times), the DFL-Supercup, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup with Bayern before joining Real Madrid in 2014.

With Madrid, he has won the Champions League (four times), and the La Liga (four times, including this season). He has also claimed the Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España (four times, including this season).

Kroos also has the UEFA Super Cup (three times) and FIFA Club World Cup (five times) titles with Madrid.

Interestingly, Kroos is also a World Cup winner. He was part of the Germany squad that won the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The football legend still has an opportunity to win the Champions League with Real Madrid his season. Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund in the UCL final this season.

In 2021, the midfielder had announced his retirement from international football. However, he has made a return for this summer’s Euro on home soil.