Midfield magician Kroos’ return will add impetus to Germany’s Euro campaign Premium
The Hindu
Toni Kroos returns to the German national team, bringing experience and leadership to a new generation of players.
Toni Kroos is ‘in the mood’ right now. The 34-year-old German midfielder has never turned down a chance to make it clear that he did not intend to stretch out his career for the sake of being around. However, he had lost the chance to quit while ahead with his national team.
After going from world champions to not being able to get out of the World Cup group stage, the German men’s national team was in trouble going into the 2020 Euro Cup.
With its long-time serving legendary coach Joachim Low announcing his decision to step down after the 2020 Euros, the team wanted to forget the disastrous Russia World Cup and give the manager a proper farewell. But it failed to deliver and crashed out of the tournament with a round-of-16 loss to England.
With a poor string of results and the prospect of a new coach after 15 years, it was clear the time was right for a generation change. Kroos, for whom the team always comes first, surprised the world with his decision to retire at the age of 31 to make way for the generation change. Now the midfield magician has surprised, and excited, the world again with his decision to don the German colours again.
After his shock resignation three years ago, fans of Spanish giants Real Madrid — whose midfield remains under the control of Kroos — were dreading the day the maestro decided to call it a day.
With his clear intention of not putting in a long shift, like his iconic partner in crime Luka Modric, Madridistas were prepared to see that day. But after leaving the national team, Kroos did nothing but keep getting better. The decline that he predicted his age would bring by is nowhere to be seen, and the German keeps making his accurate long balls from deep within his own half to effortlessly switch plays or start a counter.
With Kroos in his best-ever form, and the team performing better than expected for one depleted by injuries, the perfect ending to a glorious career was right in front of the midfield magician. But he kept his word of giving it his all till his body allows; and the signs that his body has a lot more to give is evident from the way he has played this season.