Soon to retire Germany midfielder Toni Kroos is looking to end his highly decorated career on a sensational high by winning the 2024 European Championships with Die Mannschaft on home soil, Soccernet.football reports.
Kroos came out of international retirement to play for Germany in the ongoing competition. However, he announced in May that he would retire from football after the tournament.
The German, who secured a LaLiga title and a sixth Champions League triumph in his final match for Real Madrid, is now aiming to end his career by winning the Euros for the first time.
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Although Germany’s advancement to the next round is uncertain, Kroos could potentially play his last game on Friday if they lose to Spain. However, this bears no weight on his mind.
“It is the second most important title you can win, and it would have a huge importance for me,” he said. “If I did not see having the chance to do it with the team, I would not have [come back].
“It would be a sensational end, but I have also considered the possibility of it not happening. I am not nostalgic at all and did not bring any treats for [journalists] either.
“I do not expect it to be my last game, so I assume we will see each other again.”
Following a series of disappointing results in recent major tournaments, including group stage exits in the last two World Cups, Kroos is optimistic that Germany can achieve success this time.
“There were big doubts about the tournament before it started,” he added. “That’s normal after the previous tournaments we had.
“So we’ve now reached a minimal goal and, whatever the result, we won’t be speaking about a tournament catastrophe here. But anything that comes now is not a bonus.
“We, as a team, have the goal to win the tournament. So, it is not a bonus, but we are at a stage in the tournament we wanted to reach.
“We should be satisfied, but the demand within the team is to progress further, and we are convinced we can do it.”
Kroos has been a pivotal player for the Germans so far. During the group stage, he completed 95% of his passes (411 out of 431), the highest accuracy rate recorded for any player attempting 300+ passes in the competition.
