Toni Kroos: At Real Madrid, you win the Champions League, and the next day Pérez tells you, "See you again next year."

Toni Kroos was a central figure during the "White Week" at the Real Madrid – European University School. Speaking to students, the German legend, who amassed 23 trophies (including five Champions League titles) during an exceptional decade at the Bernabéu, discussed his retirement, the club's high demands, and his experience of the recent clash where the team defeated Manchester City.

On his retirement from football in 2024:
“I retired because I never wanted to reach a point where I didn't feel as good and started having physical problems. The feel for the ball never disappears; I still have it. It was always clear to me that I wanted to leave in a way that I deserved, that the club deserved, and how I wanted the fans to remember me, because the last impression seems very important to me. I am very happy with this decision; it happened exactly as I always wanted. I couldn't have planned to win the Champions League, as I had made the decision before that. In the end, everything worked out so well, with the Champions League and La Liga – it couldn't have been better.”

The demands at Real Madrid:
“I was hungry for success right up to the very end. Moreover, when you win the Champions League, the very next day the president tells you it’s time for the next one. You can enjoy it for a few hours until the next day, when you hear from the boss: ‘Very good, see you here again next year, in the same place and with the same trophy.’ This might seem like a small thing, but it doesn't allow you to relax. At this club, all that’s in your head is: ‘Champions League, Champions League, Champions League.’”

The three consecutive Champions League titles with Zidane (2016-2018):
“We were a team. There were many great players, but we understood that when the referee blew the whistle to start, we all wanted the same thing. We all wanted to win, and that was the key. We were also very good – if you’re a weak team, you don’t win the Champions League.”

The magic of the Bernabéu:
“This isn't possible at many stadiums. A power is created that transfers to the team and is taken away from the opponent. There have been comebacks against teams you thought were very stable and good. In those moments, the Bernabéu helped us a lot. What makes the stadium special is that they only need one moment to change the course of the game. Opponents think they don't want to play. The team has grown a lot because it knows how to play with this, and there have been big opponents who weren't capable of making three consecutive passes.”

What Real Madrid represents:
“After so much time here, I can say that it is a very human club; internally, it’s very much like a family. And that always starts from the top. The way Florentino Pérez welcomed me from day one, how he has always spoken to me... But not just to me, always when he enters the dressing room. This is something that is also visible from the outside. He exudes something very human, and I have always valued that highly at this club. I have experienced many different dressing rooms here; many players left, and others came, but that didn't change. I felt very comfortable at this club, very protected in difficult moments, because we have had those too. And that also made it special. That's why the end was like this – because we wanted to say goodbye at the top.”

The recent Champions League victory over City:
“The team managed to raise its level, adapting to the opponent and the importance of the match. They played two very good games. At home, number 8 (Valverde, to whom he ‘bequeathed’ his jersey), whom I like very much, also helped us a lot. Now the Germans are coming (Bayern - editor's note).”