Toni Kroos: Enjoy the Greatness Beyond Data While You Can

Toni Kroos once said performance data was overrated, and his recent display against Scotland in the EURO 2024 opener proved him right. Even as he left the pitch at the Allianz Arena, receiving applause from the crowd that had whistled him six weeks earlier, the appreciation extended far beyond the staggering numbers on the big screen.

This wasn't just a player completing 100 passes out of a possible 101 in Germany's 5-1 victory over Scotland. This was a 34-year-old, one of the sport's modern greats, putting on a masterclass in the final weeks of his playing career. Kroos is determined to enjoy every second of this tournament before retiring, hopefully at the very top.

Watching him stroke passes with rare composure, intelligence, and pinpoint accuracy, it was hard not to think he is leaving the stage too soon. Surely, he could keep performing at this level for years. However, Kroos has already made up his mind. He ended his club career at Real Madrid with a victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley. The only remaining challenge is to bow out by winning EURO 2024 with Germany.

“People said I could easily play a few more years — and maybe that’s the case,” he said when he announced his decision last month. “But I don’t want to reach the point where people say, ‘Pffff, why is he still playing?’. So I chose the best moment. And the best moment is now.”

The Playmaker’s Playmaker
Kroos always chooses the right moment, the right pass, weighted just right. He is the playmaker’s player. Former Argentina international Juan Roman Riquelme famously likened him to Roger Federer, saying he is so elegant on the pitch that “he doesn’t sweat, doesn’t get dirty, he can go out, play, go home and not even need to have a bath.” Former Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla described him as a player who is so far ahead in his reading of the game that he “doesn’t need to run.”

At the pre-match news conference on Thursday night, Germany captain Ilkay Gundogan was asked about some fans disparaging his teammate as “Querpass Toni” (Sideways Toni). Gundogan laughed. “In my opinion, that’s not a bad thing,” he said. “Although, of course, I realize that people don’t mean it in a positive way. I know how important these (lateral) passes can be, which look very simple. I’m most fascinated by the things that look very simple but are effective. That’s my game too, to be honest.”

A Masterclass Against Scotland
The Kroos pass that got everyone talking during the game against Scotland came in the 10th minute. A diagonal ball from just short of the halfway line picked out Joshua Kimmich, who in turn set up Florian Wirtz to open the scoring. This set the tone for an evening where everything clicked for Germany.

But it's no exaggeration to say he has hit 1,000 passes like that in his career. By his standards, that particular pass was nothing special, yet it demonstrated his exceptional vision and control. Kroos controlled the game for 80 minutes until he was given a well-earned rest. His calmness, composure, and vision threaded everything together.

Scott McTominay and John McGinn, in the Scotland midfield, couldn’t get near him. For Steve Clarke’s team, it was a wretched night. But this is just what Kroos does. He completed 95 passes for Real Madrid in the Champions League final against Dortmund, 95 against Bayern Munich in the semi-final second leg, and 98 in his final derby against Atletico Madrid.

Farewell Tour
Kroos's return to the national team came as a surprise. After retiring from international football following the last European Championship, he was persuaded by coach Julian Nagelsmann to return for one final tournament. “It took three months to persuade him,” Nagelsmann said. “At which point, Toni told me, ‘Yes, I will be part of it. Let’s rock.’”

Kroos’s style is more akin to a classical musician than the “heavy metal football” of Jürgen Klopp’s famous description. He is ready to play his greatest hits on this farewell tour and leave the stage on the ultimate high, with the crowd longing for more.

Enjoy watching Toni Kroos while you can. His greatness goes far beyond data, and his final performances promise to be a fitting end to an incredible career.