Everything, in order to bring back the elegance of the number 8 in the white jersey again. If not right in the middle of the field – age and willingness would not allow it – at least in the orbit of Valdebebas. Thus, Real Madrid is working on the awaited return of Toni Kroos. Because let’s face it, since the German superstar retired two seasons ago at 34, it hasn’t been the easiest transition for Florentino’s club. Only minor trophies, no triumph in La Liga, a diminishment in the Champions League that risks stopping at the quarter-finals for the second consecutive year. And above all, after Modric’s farewell, a technical, symbolic, and mental void that is inevitably felt in the midfield. After all, there are few talents like him.
For this reason, the Real Madrid management has made an important decision, even in the middle of the season: to bring Toni back home. In what terms will be seen. But what matters is having the exemplary presence of the former world champion alongside Arbeloa’s boys. Every day, starting next summer. As AS reports, the club’s leadership wants Kroos to become a full-fledged asset even after retiring from playing football. Both in terms of management and active presence in the technical department. The push comes directly from Florentino Pérez, who continues to have a great admiration for the German.
How does Kroos see it? For now, he hasn’t committed in any direction, but it must be reiterated that his relations with Real remain excellent. And a corporate change seems almost natural: today Toni continues to live in Madrid with his family, he has opened a football school in Boadilla del Monte – a project started in collaboration with the Royal Football Federation of Madrid, “to dedicate time to what I am most passionate about: coaching children” – and only in the last few weeks has he visited Valdebebas twice, the headquarters of Real, for friendlies between his teams and the Madrid youth teams. In short, only the cherry on top is missing.
And deep down, everyone at the Bernabéu has been waiting for him since the heartfelt farewell two years ago: on May 26, 2024, in the 86th minute of Real-Betis, the entire stadium stands up to applaud Kroos’s genius one last time. Tears, chants, banners. The penultimate of 465 matches with the Blancos: six days later, Ancelotti’s team triumphs against Borussia Dortmund and Toni lifts his sixth Champions League title in his career. A record shared with very few chosen ones – and all Madrid fans. Compared to other excellent farewells, Kroos’s was particularly heartfelt because it happened with the utmost elegance: in the manner and timing chosen by him, still at the peak of his form, without extra time elsewhere in some luxurious Arab destination – he could have easily done it, he chose not to. For this reason, Toni will always remain a legend at Real. And Real has every intention of not letting him slip away, in any form.