Job done. Kroos leaves the stage after returning to restore Germany’s standing in world soccer
Germany's Toni Kroos walks off the pitch after a quarter final match between Germany and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Manu Fernandez]
As Germany great Toni Kroos was leaving the soccer stage after his final game, teammates and opponents alike sought him out. The warmest embraces came from the Spanish players after Spain’s 2-1 win at the European Championship on Friday. It was a defeat that knocked out the host nation and ended Kroos’ playing career. Dani Carvajal and Joselu, Kroos’ teammates at Real Madrid last season, gave him hugs and kisses on the cheek, then the other Spanish players went to pay their respects to a player who came out of retirement to help restore Germany’s standing in world soccer. Kroos played 114 games for Germany, but the last five at Euro 2024 helped cement his standing as one of the country’s all-time greats.
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