Toni Kroos’ momentous return to the German national team saw him lead Die Mannschaft to a 2-0 victory over France in an international friendly on Saturday.
Anas Ali
Starting in the middle of the park, Kroos showed exceptional composure and orchestrated Germany’s possession-based football.
In fact, Kroos started the game with a bang, as he assisted Florian Wirtz’s first-minute opener, which became one of the quickest goals ever scored in international football.
After a tremendous performance that saw him complete 121 passes, Kroos was substituted in the 89th minute, marking an end to a brilliant evening for the Real Madrid superstar.
Nagelsmann sings praises of Kroos
Speaking to the media after the game, German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann was in awe of Kroos’ performance.
“Unbelievable, to be honest,” Nagelsmann said (h/t Fabrizio Romano). “With the ball, we all know that he is an extraordinary player. But also how he got involved in duels.”
Nagelsmann added, “He’s quite a normal guy and integrates into the group. That’s very good.”
Kroos also received praise from Ilkay Gundogan after the game, with the Barcelona star highlighting the German’s quality with the ball.
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What’s next for Kroos?
After the win over France, Kroos will look to shift focus to the other friendly against the Netherlands this midweek.
It will be another opportunity for the Real Madrid superstar to further stamp his authority in the team and make himself an indispensable figure for Germany heading into the European Championship.
This will also serve as a final opportunity for coach Nagelsmann to conduct some last experiments and ascertain a final squad that will head to Euro 2024.
First published by: Madrid Universal
