Having recently announced his retirement from football, Toni Kroos will be looking to end his career on a high note. With the La Liga title and Champions League trophy already wrapped up with Real Madrid, the 34-year-old will be hoping to lift the European Championship on home soil as well.
The record-breaking six-time Champions League winner only recently returned to international football after stepping down from national team duty following Euro 2020. Nevertheless, one could have been mistaken for not knowing he had been away.
Alongside Bayer Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich and, later on, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Pascal Groß, Kroos was able to dictate and control the entire game. As well as this, having misplaced just one pass from a total of 102, the former Bayern Munich midfielder is threatening to become the most influential player at Euro 2024.
However, speaking after the final whistle to ZDF, Kroos focused on reflecting on Germany’s performance as a whole and whether the 5-1 scoreline suggests they have found their rhythm.
“I think we did what we set out to do. We obviously wanted to get off to a good start, and we did that. We never let Scotland get into the game, and we won comfortably. We were rewarded for a good start, which gives the team confidence in the first game of a home European Championship. Of course, the opponent wasn’t in top form either, and it was decided after the red card. We played it down confidently, but of course, an early goal helps.”
“I don’t know whether you’re already in the flow after one game. But if we carry that over into the next game, which will definitely be more difficult, we’ll be facing a team that’s at least a class better than Scotland, and if we can prove it there, we can talk about flow.”
With the challenge of Hungary awaiting on June 19, Germany will know that a similar performance should ensure their progression to the knockout stages. However, should Julian Nagelsmann’s side go all the way, then could a Ballon d’Or be waiting for Kroos?
GGFN | Will Shopland
