Euro 2020: German star could retire from international football with immediate effect
Real Madrid midfielder kroos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Toni Kroos could have played his last game for the German national team. Reports claim the 31-year-old is set to call time on his international career after Euro 2020 as Germany's 2-0 loss to England in the round of 16 saw Die Mannschaft exit the tournament.
Kroos had previously stated that he would probably retire earlier than most footballers would. The German is expected to run out his contract at Real Madrid, which runs till 2023 before hanging up his playing boots altogether. His international run could however be over as reports from Build state that an announcement from Kroos on his retirement is 'imminent' following Germany's exit from Euro 2020 on Tuesday.
Euro 2020 is Kroos' third European Championship participation with Germany as he was also present for the 2012 and 2016 editions of the tournament. The Germans were eliminated in the semifinals on both those occasions.
Loew is also set to step down after Euro 2020
Kroos played every minute of all four games for Germany at Euro 2020. That took his caps tally to 106 which is currently seventh on the all-time appearance list for the German national team. That is the record he shares with Bayern Munich midfielder Thomas Muller. Kroos also has 17 goals for the national team.
Toni Kroos made his debut for the German national side in March 2010 and has been a regular for Die Mannschaft ever since. The midfielder has featured for his nation in eight major tournaments, including three World Cup tournaments, three European Championships and two editions of the Nation's League.
Kroos was an integral part of the German side that won the World Cup in 2014 and was included in the Dream Team of the tournament. He would have had hopes of winning one last competition with the German team. But his Euro 2020 dreams were ended by England on Tuesday.
The Real Madrid midfielder will not be the only one on the way out of the German national team. Manager Joachim Loew has since confirmed that he will step down from his role after Euro 2020 with former Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick set to replace him.