Real Madrid superstar to take idol Toni Kroos’ iconic #8 shirt next season: Reports
Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde will take the iconic #8 shirt at the Santiago Bernabeu following the retirement of Toni Kroos, as per Onda Cero journalist Alberto Pereiro. Kroos announced on Tuesday, May 21, that he will retire from the sport after UEFA Euro 2024.
The German midfielder donned the number eight shirt at Los Blancos following his arrival from Bayern Munich in 2014. He has since established himself as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. Now 34, the German legend will play his last game as a Real Madrid player in the upcoming UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund.
Federico Valverde is now set to take over the German's shirt number at Santiago Bernabeu if the aforementioned report is to be believed. The Uruguayan has become a key player for Los Merengues over the last few years and is a sure-shot starter for them.
Valverde brings quality to both ends of the pitch for Carlo Ancelotti's side, with the Italian manager utilizing him as a classic box-to-box midfielder. The 25-year-old has proven to be durable and dependable, seeing as he has featured in 52 of 53 Real Madrid matches this season.
Kroos has featured 46 times across all competitions this season and will get a chance to end his career on a high The midfielder will be greatly missed by his club, who were reportedly keen on extending his contract by another year.
Toni Kroos ends Real Madrid contract speculation with retirement announcement
For years, Toni Kroos has been adamant that he will end his career when he feels like and that is exactly what he has done. The 34-year-old was reportedly in line to receive a one-year contract at Real Madrid.
Last summer, rumours of Kroos' retirement made the rounds but he ended up signing a one-year deal with Real Madrid. With the season he has had, the club were said to be hoping to keep him, as well as Luka Modric, for another year, but the German's announcement has ended that possibility.
Kroos has been around for a while, having started for Germany at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2007 before making his Bayern Munich debut aged 17. He will end his career in Germany where Euro 2024 will take place, and hope to end it with silverware.