Kroos Criticizes Individual Awards in Football
Retired German midfielder Toni Kroos has stated that "individual awards in football" seem "completely unnecessary" to him.
In an interview given to the podcast 'A to Z', hosted by tennis-playing brothers Alexander and Mischa Zverev, the former international player from Germany noted that "without the team, the individual would be nothing" and emphasized his role in the teams he played for.
"With eleven Toni Kroos, you won’t win anything. But perhaps one Toni Kroos is necessary. That's why I always tried to put my people in positions where they are at their best and where we can win games," he emphasized.
Asked about the end of his career, the former Real Madrid player explained that he "always" wanted to "finish at the highest level," given that he has the experience of having "played with many top-level players," although "few have achieved it."
"There were still changes here and there. The constant travel and being away from family have tired me over the years. Maybe in five years, I’ll say it was a year too soon, but right now, I feel good," he added.
Regarding his future plans, Kroos mentioned that "right now" he doesn't "feel like coaching professionals," but he is "going to open a youth academy in Madrid."
In response to a hypothetical final foray at Real Madrid, the retired midfielder made a joke: "I don't know if they'd find it cool if I show up from time to time saying I want to join training. There’s also a risk that Carlo (Ancelotti) might say: 'Now just stay here,'" he remarked with a laugh.
Kroos praised his former club, noting that "they have always handled things very intelligently," because although they "always" had to "replace high-quality players," there was "already a new young talent ready," allowing "one piece to fit with another," he explained.
When asked about his former teammate at the Spanish capital club, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, he recalled an anecdote to praise him: "Cristiano was there when I arrived at training and was still there when I left. We all want to win titles and score goals, but for him, it was a positive addiction to score them. I dare to say that’s what he also wants in Saudi Arabia."
Faced with the curiosity of the tennis brothers about his interest in racket sports, the German mentioned that he played "badminton before football," since his mother was a champion in the former GDR, which sparked a "joy" for tennis in him. "They say I was a bad left-hander," he concluded with a laugh.
