Toni Kroos to retire from football after Euro 2024 with Germany, Liga club Real Madrid confirm

Legendary German midfielder Toni Kroos will retire at the end of Euro 2024, his club side Real Madrid have confirmed.

Kroos, 34, began his career in the Bayern Munich youth team before eventually joining Real Madrid and playing a key part in their success over the past decade.

Kroos has helped Madrid to win four La Liga titles, and four Champions Leagues as well as playing a starring role as Germany won the World Cup in 2014.

However he will now step away from the sport entirely at the end of Euro 2024, where he has won a recall to the team under national team manager Julian Nagelsmann.

A statement on the club website read as follows: "Real Madrid wants to express its gratitude and affection to Toni Kroos, a player who is already part of the history of Real Madrid and who is one of the great legends of our club and world football."

Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez also added: "Toni Kroos is one of the great players in the history of Real Madrid and that this club is and will always be his home."

Kroos also reacted to the news on Instagram, and thanked the Real Madrid fans for their unwavering support as Los Blancos target a record-extending 15th European title.

He said: “July 17th, 2014 - the day of my presentation at Real Madrid, the day that changed my life. My life as a footballer - but especially as a person. It was the start of a new chapter at the biggest club in the world. After 10 years, at the end of the season this chapter comes to an end.

“I will never forget that insolent successful time! I would particularly like to thank everyone that welcomed me with an open heart and trusted me. But especially I would like to thank you, dear Madridistas, for your affection and your love from the first day until the last one.

“At the same time this decision means that my career as an active footballer will end this summer after the Euro championship. As I have always said: Real Madrid is and will be my last club. I am happy and proud, that in my mind I found the right timing for my decision and that I could choose it by my own. My ambition was always to finish my career at the peak of my performance level. From now on there is only one leading thought: a por la 15!!! HALA MADRID Y NADA MAS!#”

Real Madrid end their La Liga campaign at home to Real Betis at the Bernabeu on Saturday, before the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on June 1 - a match live on TNT Sports.

Victory in the final would see Kroos win Europe's premier cup competition for a fifth time, which would rank the German level alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Meanwhile, fellow Los Blancos' stars Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric could add a sixth winners' medal to their trophy laul with a victory in north London.

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