"It depends on him, his performances, and on other players" - Manager opens the door for the return of Real Madrid star to the national team
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos remains an option for the German national team after Die Mannschaft manager Julian Nagelsmann revealed that the door remains open for him. Kroos has not played for Germany in over two years since enduring a disappointing EURO 2021 campaign.
Nagelsmann took over as Germany manager earlier this year after the DFB decided, for the first time, to fire a manager. The former Bayern Munich boss replaced Hansi Flick, another ex-Bavarian manager, at the helm after a poor run of form.
In his time as manager, Flick never got to select Kroos, who had retired from international football following an underwhelming EURO 2021 campaign. However, the 33-year-old has continued to play at the highest level for Real Madrid, leading to talk of a potential national team return.
With Germany set to host EURO 2024 next summer, Nagelsmann will be keen for his side to fare well at the continental tournament. The manager, who recently met Kroos, was asked about their meeting by SportStudio.
"Interesting thought. My job is to think about all German players. Toni is a great person who says his opinion clearly - and a very successful footballer. You can talk to him about everything," he replied.
Nagelsmann went on to add that the two did not speak about Kroos' potential national team return in their meeting but talked about general topics.
"No, not concretely. We spoke about general topics. I think playing Euros at home is an attractive prospect for all German players. It depends on him, his performances, and on other players," the German manager added.
Kroos starred for Germany between 2010 and 2021, playing a key role in their 2014 World Cup-winning squad under Joachim Low. The veteran midfielder represented his country 106 times until his international retirement in 2021.
Old but gold: Real Madrid turn to veterans amid midfield problems
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has navigated a potentially tricky injury situation by turning to his older stars. The Italian saw his side pick up a plethora of injuries to key players, including midfielders Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Los Blancos handed out one-year contract extensions to Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in the summer, keeping them tied down until 2024. The move has proven to be a masterstroke, with both veterans having shown how important they are to the club's fortunes.
Kroos has scored once and provided five assists in 17 La Liga appearances this season, while Modric has a goal and three assists in 14 league matches.