Toni Kroos joked that he fears Carlo Ancelotti might kidnap him if he ever returned to Real Madrid for a casual kickaround despite his retirement.
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Kroos retired from football after Euro 2024Bowed out from club football after winning the UCLReal Madrid struggling to fill his voidFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! đ˘đąWHAT HAPPENED?
After Kroos chose to hang up his boots, Real Madrid have visibly missed the influence of the German in their midfield. Ancelotti has found it challenging to establish the right balance in the centre of the pitch and his retirement has left a significant void that the Italian has tried to fill by deploying Jude Bellingham in a deeper role.
AdvertisementAFPWHAT KROOS SAID
Speaking on the A to Z podcast, hosted by tennis stars Alexander and Mischa Zverev Kroos joked about being forced back into action at Real Madrid by Ancelotti despite his decision to retire.
âI donât know if they think itâs cool if I pop up once in a while and say I want to join. Currently, there is also a risk that Carlo will tell me: âNow stay here,ââ Kroos quipped.
The midfielder is not even contemplating joining Ancelotti's backroom staff and added: "Right now I donât feel like training adults. I am going to open a youth academy in Madrid, so they will have to believe in it if I play along."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Since joining Real Madrid in 2014 from Bayern Munich, Kroos has amassed a staggering 22 trophies with the Spanish giants. His collection includes five UEFA Champions League titles and four La Liga championships, among other honours. Kroos was an integral part of the midfield trio alongside Luka ModriÄ and Casemiro that dominated European football for several seasons.
(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
Ancelotti will lead his troops in the Champions League against Lille away from home on Wednesday evening. He has been boosted by the return of Eduardo Camavinga in midfield and the Italian would hope to continue their perfect start in the competition by beating the Ligue 1 side. After completing their European commitments, Los Blancos would shift their focus back on La Liga as they are set to host Villarreal on Saturday evening.