‘He is a Legend’: Real Madrid Voices on Toni Kroos before his Final Club Game

Toni Kroos is thrown in the air by Real Madrid teammates last Saturday to mark his final game at the Bernabéu. Photograph: Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/Shutterstock
Toni Kroos is thrown in the air by Real Madrid teammates last Saturday to mark his final game at the Bernabéu. Photograph: Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/Shutterstock
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‘He is a Legend’: Real Madrid Voices on Toni Kroos before his Final Club Game

Toni Kroos is thrown in the air by Real Madrid teammates last Saturday to mark his final game at the Bernabéu. Photograph: Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/Shutterstock
Toni Kroos is thrown in the air by Real Madrid teammates last Saturday to mark his final game at the Bernabéu. Photograph: Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/Shutterstock

Carlo Ancelotti: His decision to go is the decision of a great, a decision of character. We are saying farewell to a footballing great who we have been lucky to have here. He is a great midfielder with huge quality and fantastic character, with little ego, who always played for the team; very altruistic. We have been lucky to have him for 10 years. Toni could close his career with a Champions League and at an individual level he deserves it. But his career doesn’t need another Champions League. He has been a fantastic player for 10 years, he had made history with Real Madrid and in world football.

 

Eduardo Camavinga: Toni doesn’t say much but when he does, he kills you. I like that about him.

 

Vinícius Júnior: If you said I could win this final, win the Copa América and Toni would win the Ballon d’Or, I would sign up for that right now. It’s his last year, we won’t see him play again and it’s a pity. We understand his decision and he understands that we’re all sad about it. We are all saying we have to play [this final] for Toni because it’s his last game. He’s an even better person than the player he is. He has been important not just for the club but, above all, for the young players who have turned up here. All of us had seen Toni on the telly and to get to see him every day was special. Toni makes it easier for everyone. He controls the game, always. When there’s pressure, you know if you give the ball to him he’s not going to lose it. He deserves the farewell he got, all the people who were there for him at the Bernabéu, and now we have to do this for him.

 

Jude Bellingham: It’s not about replacing Kroos directly, it is about looking at what he gives us and finding ways that as a team we can plug that hole. His is a role that’s unique. Toni Kroos is a one-of-a-kind player. He can do things no one else in world football can do.

 

Dani Carvajal: I would give him a 10 out of 10. No player would ever speak badly of Toni. Everyone has seen his level and it’s been so consistent too. In the dressing room, he is a fantastic person, he has a fantastic family and he deserves all the good things that happen to him.

 

Joselu: He has treated me like a brother. He embraced me when I came, welcomed me, he has been very good with me this year. The little German I speak, I have been lucky enough that has helped me communicate with him. As a player, I hardly need to say anything: everyone has seen him. He should have won two or three Ballons d’Or. In his position there is no player like him.

 

Fede Valverde: I was surprised. I expected Toni to be around for many more years. But him retiring when he did speaks to the great player he is. There are few players who choose to retire in moments of glory.Anything I say about Toni will always fall short. Playing with him was a dream come true. Off the pitch he is even better. As a person he is incredible. I would love to wear the No 8. I have spoken to him about it. Numbers don’t mean much to me, what matters is that it comes from him, that he wore it, and that he said he wants me to wear it. That’s unique for me, very emotional. I appreciate that he did it privately, that he spoke to me alone. That shows what a great person he is.

 

Luka Modric: I would give the Ballon d’Or to a Madrid player. The favourites are Vinícius, Bellingham and Kroos. Because of our relationship, how close we are and how long we have been together, I would like it to be Toni. When a player goes, it’s always a pity. Especially a player like Toni. I have been with him at Madrid for 10 years and he’s one of the players I have most enjoyed playing with in my career. It’s sad but it’s his decision and, talking to him, he’s very calm, at peace with his decision. It’s a pity people aren’t going to enjoy his football any more because, for sure, he could have given more. But you have to respect his decision.

 

Antonio Rüdiger: I met him in the national team but we hadn’t been that close. Quite honestly, I had a different perception of him, but when I arrived here I came to know the real Toni Kroos. A great guy who loves his family, who I respect a lot. I see him and I see an example to follow, because the way he treats his family I haven’t seen in any other footballer. I don’t need to talk about Kroos the footballer because in Germany he is without doubt the best we have had and he is a legend at Real Madrid.

 

The Guardian Sport



Microphones Would Have Solved Off-Court Coaching Issue, Says Fritz

Taylor Fritz oh USA celebrates his victory against Daniil Medvedev of Russia during the ATP Finals 2024 in Turin, Italy, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
Taylor Fritz oh USA celebrates his victory against Daniil Medvedev of Russia during the ATP Finals 2024 in Turin, Italy, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
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Microphones Would Have Solved Off-Court Coaching Issue, Says Fritz

Taylor Fritz oh USA celebrates his victory against Daniil Medvedev of Russia during the ATP Finals 2024 in Turin, Italy, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
Taylor Fritz oh USA celebrates his victory against Daniil Medvedev of Russia during the ATP Finals 2024 in Turin, Italy, 10 November 2024. (EPA)

Taylor Fritz believes the tennis authorities should have clamped down hard on off-court coaching rather than change the rules to allow it, saying it takes away from the sport's unique appeal.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will allow off-court coaching from 2025 following trials at the four Grand Slams and ATP and WTA Tour events since 2023.

Fritz, who won his opening match at the ATP Finals on Sunday, thinks organizers have been bullied into the change.

"I think as far as it should go with the coach talking to you is giving you encouragement, saying, 'great shot, good job, keep going, keep fighting' stuff like that," the American told reporters in Turin after his win over Daniil Medvedev.

"I think when it gets into strategic, like 'back up, hit it this way more, cover this', I don't think that's (right).

"I think a lot of the reason they made this rule in the first place is they were almost in a way bullied into it because people would just break the rules anyway and coach anyway."

Fritz, who is at a career-high world number five, said the simple fix would have been to use microphones in coaching boxes.

"I think there should be mics in the boxes. I think there should be someone monitoring the mics. It should be very, very strict to where if anything goes past just encouragement, immediately you're penalized," he said.

"That's how you fix it. That's how you have no coaching. Players have to figure things out on their own. That's, like I said, one of the great things about tennis.

"It would be insane if someone could come on the court for you and serve, right? So why can someone tell you what to do?"

Fritz will face home favorite and world number one Jannik Sinner in his second group match on Tuesday.