Carlo Ancelotti shares how he’d react if Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos makes dramatic retirement u-turn
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has said that he would love to have Toni Kroos rejoining the squad if the German changed his mind about retirement.
The 34-year-old midfielder announced retirement before the end of the 2023/24 season and finished his club career on a high. He won La Liga, where his side finished 10 points clear of second-placed Barcelona.
Kroos also won the UEFA Champions League final 2-0 against Borussia Dortmund in his final match for the club. Overall, the midfielder contributed with a goal and 10 assists from 48 appearances across competitions this season.
With Kroos having played a vital part in his team's success this campaign, it's no surprise that Ancelotti would be willing to take him back. Speaking to the Italian newspaper, Il Giornale, Los Blancos' manager said (via Fabrizio Romano):
"I already told Toni Kroos...If he changes his mind, maybe in the next months, just one phone call and we can start again!"
Kroos came to Santiago Bernabeu in 2014 from Bayern Munich for a reported fee of €25 million. While in the Spanish capital, he made 465 appearances across competitions, bagging 28 goals and 99 assists.
He won the La Liga title on four occasions while lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy five times with Real Madrid. Now, the deep-lying playmaker is gearing up for the European Championships with Germany, which is set to commence on June 14.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has already wished for Toni Kroos' U-turn on retirement
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has already spoken about wanting Toni Kroos to continue with the club on the night of Los Blancos' UEFA Champions League win against Borussia Dortmund.
The La Liga giants won their 15th Champions League title on June 1, as Dani Carvajal (74') and Vinicius Junior (83') found the net on that night. Speaking about Kroos, who started this fixture, Ancelotti said (via ESPN):
"I'm really grateful to Kroos. He's finished at the very top, there is no way to finish higher than this."
"All the fans are grateful to him for attitude, his professionalism. I've told him we are waiting for him to change his mind."
Kroos has also seemingly chosen the successor for his iconic No. 8 shirt at Real Madrid. In the post-Champions League celebrations, he passed on his shirt number to midfielder Federico Valverde.