(VIDEO) Kroos says goodbye to Real Madrid and the emotive gesture from his teammates who almost made him cry

This past week, Real Madrid’s legendary midfielder Toni Kroos announced that he will retire from professional football after the EUROS 2024. That means Kroos’ last match for Real Madrid will be in the Champions League Final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium on June 1st. His last-ever game at the Santiago Bernabeu is today against Real Betis, which is the final matchday of the La Liga season. The fans at the Bernabeu made sure to pay tribute to him, but it was the gesture his teammates made for him that made the moment emotional. Kroos was the last one to walk out of the tunnel, and his teammates gave him a guard of honor while wearing the number on their backs to honor Kroos playing in his last game at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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The Real Madrid fans did their part as well, as they chanted his name and sang the club theme. A large tifo was raised with the image of Kroos, and a message read, “Thanks Legend.” Kroos started the match against Real Betis for his final game as a Real Madrid player at the Santiago Bernabeu. The German midfielder started next to Eduardo Camavinga in the midfield, while Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham were positioned higher on the pitch.

Kroos spoke about his retirement from football and mentioned that he had always wanted to retire at the highest level, at Real Madrid. The German midfielder said, “I’ve always said I wanted to retire here and this is what will happen. I never wanted another club. I could play some years more, but I didn’t want to be on the bench; I want to enjoy… remember me like this, this player.”

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Toni Kroos admits he is sad to retire

Although he made his decision to retire from professional football, Toni Kroos admits that he is upset that he will stop playing football after this summer. Kroos said, “I am sad at the moment. Something that defined me, that gave so much fun and gave me so many positive memories is coming to an end. Retiring was never a decision I made completely. It was not a 100% probability. In the days at the end it was maybe a 80-20 or 70-30 decision. And that 30% is what makes you feel something.”