The Real Madrid star Toni Kroos has announced he will retire from football after Germany’s Euro 2024 campaign.
Tony Kroos confirmed on Tuesday that he will end his professional career at age 34. He is set to play for Germany at this summer’s European Championship on home soil.
“Toni Kroos has decided to end his career as a professional footballer after the 2024 European Championships,” Madrid said in statement on Tuesday.
“Real Madrid wants to express its gratitude and affection to Toni Kroos, a player who is already part of Real Madrid’s history and who is one of the great legends of our club and world football.
“Toni Kroos arrived at our club in 2014, and has been a fundamental player in one of the most successful periods in Real Madrid’s 122-year history. During the ten seasons in which he has defended our shirt and our badge, he has won 22 titles in 463 games to date: four European Cups, five Club World Cups, four European Super Cups, four Leagues, one Copa del Rey and four Spanish Supercopas.
“Toni Kroos will forever remain in the hearts of all Real Madrid fans for his footballing excellence, and for being a player who has given everything for this shirt.”
The Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, also said in a statement: “Toni Kroos is one of the greatest players in the history of Real Madrid and this club is and will always be his home.”
‘Real Madrid is and will be my last club’
The central midfielder joined Bayern Munich’s academy in 2006 and made his first-team debut in September 2007. He won three Bundesliga titles and the Champions League in 2013 before joining Real Madrid in 2014.
Kroos won his fourth La Liga title with Real Madrid this season and could win his fifth Champions League title with the Spanish giants against Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley on June 1. The World Cup winner has scored 28 goals and provided 98 assists in 463 appearances for Real Madrid.
Kroos wrote on Instagram: “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. 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 who 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: go for 15!!! HALA MADRID AND NOTHING MORE!”
