Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos appeared to criticize the lack of discipline at his former club on the … More
Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos appeared to criticize the lack of discipline at his former club on the latest episode of the podcast he hosts with his brother Felix.
The German midfield maestro famously hung his boots up at the age of 34 around this time last year.
While the last time we saw him on the pitch was when eventual champions Spain beat his Germany team in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals, his club swansong was the sealing of an impressive La Liga, Spanish Super Cup and Champions League treble clinched by beating Borussia Dortmund at Wembley in the latter competition’s decider.
Without Kroos around, as Carlo Ancelotti also had to shoehorn Kylian Mbappe into an attack that was fine as it was, Madrid finished 2024/2025 trophyless while bitter rivals FC Barcelona won every trophy on offer in Spain.
Kroos’ compatriot Hansi Flick was the mastermind behind the shift in power in Spain, and his no nonsense brand of discipline, which saw him punish the likes of Jules Kounde and Inaki Pena for lateness, might have had something to do with it.
“With Hansi, some players have been left out of the team because they are late for a meeting,” Kroos first said, before adding “this has happened several times at Barca”.
Kroos then indicated that Flick’s hard line would have been unacceptable at the Bernabeu, which SPORT took as there being “chaos in the locker room” during his era.
“They are different philosophies. At Real Madrid, they would have laughed. Many times you didn’t know who was late, the player or the coach. It’s a different mentality, not letting someone play because they are five minutes late for a meeting,” Kroos said.
They’re just different. They’re both fine. We could say that Flick’s is typical of Germany,” Kroos went on, while his brother claimed that some coaches from other countries, and not just theirs, would act like Flick to the lack of punctuality from some players.
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