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by Wolfgang Jenewein
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On Saturday, Toni Kroos played for Real Madrid for the 465th and final time. At the same time, he won his 6th Champions League title in this historic match, making him arguably the most successful German footballer of all time.
Even yesterday, he was once again the conductor and metronome, always the leader of the Madrid team, always available for a pass, often the savior in critical moments, and ultimately the provider of the assist for the 1-0 goal. He never dribbles arrogantly, never adds unnecessary flair—everything he does serves the game and his team. The “servant leader.” Casemiro, a former teammate, once said: “Real’s game always follows Toni Kroos’ rhythm. If Toni wants us to play slower, we do. If he wants a faster pace, we follow him.”
I have always been a fan, even though many in Germany mocked him as “Side-pass Toni” and Uli Hoeneß claimed his time was over because his playing style no longer fit modern football.v
At the latest since this Saturday, all critics should be silenced. Beyond his footballing skills, what moves me most is his human strength. There were never any rumors, never scandals, never arrogance, despite all these incredible achievements. That’s why the Madrid fans love him, which was also impressively evident when Kroos last week played his final home game for Real Madrid after 10 years. No one wanted to leave the stadium after the match, no one wanted to go, and no one wanted him to leave. There were standing ovations for over 20 minutes. Kroos took a final lap with his three children, and the fans couldn’t stop applauding. Many people cried, and even his three children couldn’t hold back their tears—only Toni remained composed. The fans had unfurled a huge banner that simply read: “THANK YOU, LEGEND.” It was the perfect finale to a perfect decade. Not over-marketed or orchestrated, just like Kroos himself, who doesn’t need extravagances or a sports car collection, and at the end of his career didn’t make an extra round in Saudi Arabia just to cash in one last time.
The reactions of his teammates were equally overwhelming. One of them, Fede Valverde, wrote: “…when we were kids, we all had a role model. Someone we looked up to and thought, when I grow up, I want to be like him. That child was me. I fulfilled the dream of playing with the player I always idolized. Today, with a strange feeling and a lump in my throat, I realize that this kid would have loved to play with you for another 10 years, because I never stopped being that child who always admired you.”
Maya Angelou wrote: People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did… but they will never forget how you made them feel.
What are your thoughts on Toni Kroos and the Wembley final?
Warm regards,
Wolfi