TONI KROOS ON ALEXANDER ISAK | MUNDO DEPORTIVO

 

THE ONLY FIVE PLAYERS WHO HAVE WON SIX CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHIES

 The only five players who have won six Champions League:

🇪🇸 Paco Gento - 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

🇩🇪 Toni Kroos - 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

🇪🇸 Nacho Fernández - 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

🇭🇷 Luka Modrić - 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

🇪🇸 Dani Carvajal - 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Real Madrid heritage. ⚪

JÜRGEN KLOPP SPEAKING ON TONI KROOS' PODCAST

 

REAL MADRID'S RODRYGO 'UPSET' BY BALLON D'OR SNUB

Rodrygo told ESPN he was "upset" at his omission from this week's men's Ballon d'Or shortlist, after helping Real Madrid win a LaLiga and Champions League double last season.

Club teammates Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Toni Kroos -- since retired -- Antonio Rüdiger and Dani Carvajal were nominated, as well as Madrid's summer signing Kylian Mbappé, but there was no place for Rodrygo on the 30-man list.

"I was upset, I think I deserved it," Rodrygo told ESPN in an exclusive interview on Sunday. "I don't want to belittle the players who are there, but I think I had a place in the 30. It was a surprise... But there's not much I can do, I'm not the one who decides these things."

The Ballon d'Or winner will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on Oct. 28.

Rodrygo scored 10 goals in 34 LaLiga appearances last season, as well as finding the net five times in the Champions League.

His place in the Madrid team has come under pressure with the arrival of Mbappé, although coach Carlo Ancelotti has continued to pick him as part of a three-man forward line so far this campaign.

In a recent social media post, Rodrygo published a series of photos of himself lifting trophies with Madrid, accompanied by a laughing emoji, which he admitted was intended to make fun of his Ballon d'Or snub.

"I made a somewhat mocking post," Rodrygo told ESPN. "Now there's not much to say. Everyone knows my indignation. Everyone [has supported me], both in the national team and at Real Madrid. People sent messages."

Rodrygo admitted that his versatility has inhibited his progress, especially with Brazil, who play Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

The forward scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory over Ecuador this weekend.

"Often, I'm just filling spaces," Rodrygo said. "Is someone missing there? Put Rodrygo in. Is someone missing on the right? Rodrygo. Is someone missing as No. 9? Rodrygo. That's it. It may get in my way a little, but I'm a team player."

Rodrygo was asked about Madrid and Brazil teenager Endrick, who has been given the ironic nickname "Bobby" by teammates after citing England legend Bobby Charlton as one of his idols.

"Now he has become Bobby!" Rodrygo told ESPN. "He is no longer Endrick. He's become Bobby, that's it. There's nothing to be done, if he gets angry, it's worse!"

- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez

REAL MADRID WANT TONI KROOS U-TURN ON RETIREMENT - ANCELOTTI

Carlo Ancelotti embraced Toni Kroos as he left the field in the closing moments at Wembley. Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

 Carlo Ancelotti has said he wants Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos to reconsider his decision to retire after helping the Spanish club win a record 15th Champions League title in a 2-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund.

Kroos clinched his sixth Champions League winners' medal -- five with Madrid and one with Bayern Munich -- at Wembley, but the 34-year-old stated earlier this season that he would retire from football after playing for Germany at Euro 2024 this summer.

However, having seen Kroos create the opening goal for Dani Carvajal with a pinpoint delivery from a corner, Madrid coach Ancelotti said he and the club are waiting for Kroos to "change his mind" about quitting.

"I'm really grateful to Kroos," Ancelotti said. "He finished at the very top, there is no way to finish higher than this. He had the boldness to finish it [his career] and he is a legend at this club.

"All the fans are grateful to him for attitude, his professionalism. I've told him we are waiting for him to change his mind -- we are waiting for you."

Madrid are expected to announce the signing of Kylian Mbappé this week following the France forward's exit from Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.

And Ancelotti said that Madrid will also look to existing players at the Bernabéu to fill the void left by Kroos' retirement.

"We have lost an important player, but we have players who can replace him and we will adapt and play a slightly different way," Ancelotti said. "We have fantastic players and the resources to remain competitive."

- Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

TONI KROOS EXITS REAL MADRID A LEGEND, PASSING TO THE BATON TO JUDE BELLINGHAM

Toni Kroos signed off on his career at Real Madrid in the best possible way, and has laid a platform for teammate Jude Bellingham to become a legend in his own right. Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images

 LONDON -- It was apt that Toni Kroos' last significant contribution in a Real Madrid shirt helped create another moment of history for the undisputed kings of the Champions League. A perfectly delivered corner, headed into the net by Dani Carvajal, and Madrid were on their way to a record 15th European Cup win by defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley.

Twelve minutes later, Kroos was substituted by coach Carlo Ancelotti -- who was about to extend his own record to five Champions Leagues wins as a coach -- to a standing ovation from the Real fans in London, with his place in the history books assured.

"It could be worse," Kroos told CBS. "That was the plan [to win the Champions League in his last game for Madrid], even though it's difficult to plan this. It seems in these games we are unable to lose.

"Amazing. Six titles in the Champions League is crazy, something I never thought I'd achieve."

Kroos' six Champions League wins -- one with Bayern Munich and five with Madrid -- puts him in rarified air. Nobody has won more, ever. Real great Paco Gento and Kroos' modern-day teammates Luka Modric, Nacho Fernandez and Carvajal are the only players in history to lift the European Cup six times, but this win was the final chapter for Kroos, with the 34-year-old announcing recently that he will retire from football after representing Germany at Euro 2024.

"It's what he wanted, retiring at the top, and he's done it," Real president Florentino Perez told TVE. "He's a player who'll be one of the great legends of Real Madrid, without doubt."

Just as Kroos was cradling the trophy for the sixth time, Jude Bellingham was getting acquainted with it for the first. At 20, it is likely to be the first of many for the Madrid and England midfielder and he may yet eclipse Kroos' record of six wins.

"I can't put it into words, the best night of my life," Bellingham said after the game.

Bellingham has every chance of winning time and time again for Real. He is playing for the serial winners of the Champions League and he has already established himself as a crucial element of Ancelotti's side since his €103 million transfer from Dortmund last summer. He literally has the world at his feet at the Santiago Bernabeu. But the big challenge for Bellingham now is to assume the mantle that is being vacated by Kroos. Can he become the heartbeat of the Real team and be the guy who delivers when his side needs it the most?

Neither Kroos nor Bellingham were at their absolute best against Dortmund. In fact, they were both chasing yellow shadows at times as Edin Terzic's team surprised the LaLiga champions with their aggressive, committed pressing game, especially in the first half.

Dortmund were dominant for at least an hour and Real's big performers struggled to make an impact. But great players are always able to dig deeper than the rest -- that's what elevates them to the pinnacle of the game -- and Kroos did just that when he stepped up to take the corner which led to Carvajal's headed goal, the full-back's first Champions League tally since November 2015. Kroos has forged a reputation for being arguably the most accurate passer in football, with the ability to deliver the ball with inch-perfect precision, and he did just that for Carvajal, who glanced the ball into the net by connecting at the near post.

What a way to sign off, by creating the chance that makes the crucial breakthrough in a Champions League final. By doing so, Kroos lifted the pressure on everyone in a white shirt, and maybe nobody more so than Bellingham.

It is easy to forget how young Bellingham is. He is not 21 until the end of June, but he has already become an England regular and made his name in the Bundesliga and now LaLiga. In his first season with Madrid, he has scored an incredible 23 goals in 42 appearances and registered 13 assists -- the 13th being the pass which teed up Vinícius Júnior make it 2-0 against Dortmund on Saturday. Because Bellingham has enjoyed such a stellar season, all eyes were on him to be the decisive player in this final, but he didn't have that performance in his locker after a long, tough season.

But he is now a Champions League winner and, with Kroos vacating the stage, Bellingham will now be expected to do what Kroos did in this game.

He certainly has the ability, and he has the temperament too, but Kroos is such a legend at Real that even Bellingham will have to step up and take his game to another level. It is not about an apprentice emulating the master because Bellingham is no apprentice, but Kroos is still somebody he must aspire to match. To do that, Bellingham has to become a more central figure rather than allowing himself to drift out wide or too high up the pitch. But that tactical discipline will come, and it may start to come next season when Kylian Mbappé arrives at the Bernabeu.

Mbappe, who is expected to become a Real player once his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires this month, will take the spotlight and automatically become Real's biggest star. But Bellingham is still capable of being the player that makes Real tick and the one who can create the chances for Mbappe to score so many goals and shoot Real to even more Champions Leagues.

Kroos has handed down the baton and Bellingham is ready to take it on. And don't bet against him breaking Kroos' record of six Champions Leagues if he stays at Madrid.

- Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

JUDE BELLINGHAM HAILS REAL MADRID'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TRIUMPH

Jude Bellingham with his Champions League medal. Julian Finney - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Jude Bellingham has described Real Madrid's Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund as "the best night of my life" as the Spanish giants claimed their record-extending 15th European crown.

Bellingham assisted Vinícius Júnior for the second goal that secured the 2-0 victory after Dani Carvajal headed in Toni Kroos' header to open the scoring, and was visibly emotional speaking to TNT Sports after the game.

"I've always dreamed of playing in these games. You go through life and there's so many people that say you can't do things, and days like today just remind you why," the 20-year-old said.

"I was alright until I saw my mum and dad's face there. The amount of nights where they could be at home by 7 o'clock and they're doing trips at 11, 12 at night to take me to football.

"I can't put it into words, it's the best night of my life."

The win brings to a close a club season that saw Madrid win LaLiga comfortably and win the Spanish Supercopa.

"I think it has got to be up there," Bellingham said when asked if it was the perfect debut season in Spain.

"We missed out on the Copa del Rey that's the only disappointing thing I suppose... I can't have dreamed it much better than this."

 

REAL MADRID TEAMMATES RAVE ABOUT KROSS: 'MAKES THINGS EASIER'

FILIP SINGER/EFE

 Vinícius Júnior said Toni Kroos "makes things easy" after the veteran midfielder provided the pass for the first of the Brazilian's two goals in Real Madrid's 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Vinicius opened the scoring in the 24th minute, converting Kroos' pinpoint throughball, before goals from Leroy Sané and Harry Kane put Bayern ahead. Vinicius then converted a late penalty to leave the Champions League semifinal all square ahead of the second leg in Madrid next week.

The Brazil international has now scored five goals in eight Champions League appearances this season. But, speaking after the game, he highlighted the contribution of Kroos, 34, instead.

"Toni always makes things easy," Vinicius told Movistar. "He gifted me a goal. We practice a lot together in training. I know Toni very well, and he knows me. I'm very happy to have scored two goals. Now we need a magic night at home."

Kroos, who is returning to the Germany team ahead of this summer's Euro in his home country, downplayed the connection that resulted in Madrid's opening goal with their only shot in the first half.

"Vini allowed me to make the pass with his movement," Kroos told reporters. "He opened up the gap. The pass wasn't so special.

"What a pass! Incredible," teammate Rodrygo said. "Age doesn't matter. [Kroos] has always got that skill, that class that I love to see."

Madrid's knack for scoring goals out of nothing is a trait that plays on rivals' minds as Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka acknowledged after the final whistle.

"We let Vinícius out our eye for a bit and then there was a huge hole," Goretzka said. "There wasn't the feeling that something dangerous could happen but that's the quality of Real and you need to be ready for it all the time.

"We had that last season too against Paris with Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappé, they're just players with unbelievable quality. It's extremely dangerous when they're up front. You always have to have a top defense and of course you can't march forward blindly, no question."

With Madrid behind and under pressure, Rodrygo won the penalty in the 83rd minute, forcing a clumsy challenge from Kim Min-Jae as he worked his way through the area, giving Vinicius the chance to equalise.

"This is the Champions League, it will always be like that," Rodrygo said. "In the moments when people think you're dead, that's when you can be dangerous."

"It's a good result," coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "We could have done better. Our best moment was at the start of the second half, and that's when they scored twice. They showed their best version today, and we didn't. But we have time to show it next Wednesday.

"The feeling was that we were comfortable, but we lacked intensity. We gave them too many chances to take control of the game. We didn't want to play in a low block and we went on doing that. We were soft."

Ancelotti said he'd substituted Jude Bellingham, who had a quiet night, in the 75th minute because he was suffering from cramp.

"He'll get back to his best level," Ancelotti said. "He had an injury, which has affected him a lot. Today he wasn't at his best but he'll be back soon, he'll be 100% for Wednesday."

Madrid play Cadiz in LaLiga on Saturday -- and could clinch the league title if results go their way -- before hosting Bayern at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 8.

- Alex Kirkland, ESPN FC

WIRTZ SCORES GERMANY'S FASTEST EVER GOAL IN 2-0 WIN OVER FRANCE

AP Photo 

 LYON, France (AP) — Toni Kroos returned and Florian Wirtz scored the fastest Germany goal ever as they defeated France 2-0 in their friendly on Saturday.

Kroos, coaxed out of international retirement for the upcoming European Championship, wasted no time with a precise pass for Wirtz, who let fly from outside the penalty area to score in off the crossbar after seven seconds.

Kroos later confirmed they worked on the move in training.

The German soccer federation said it was the quickest goal ever scored in a national team game. The previous best was nine seconds by Lukas Podolski in a 2013 win over Ecuador.

Kai Havertz made it 2-0 after the break and Antonio Rüdiger produced a late goal-line clearance as the smiles returned to the German national team.

“It will do a lot of good,” Germany sporting director Rudi Völler said. “We always hoped and tried, also in the last games, to spark a bit of euphoria and I think we achieved it with a game like that.”

France, in contrast, was whistled derisively by the home fans at fulltime.

It was Germany’s second consecutive win over France, but only its third win in 11 games, giving Julian Nagelsmann’s team a timely boost before they host Euro 2024 this summer.

“It was an important step forward,” Kroos said after his first Germany game for nearly three years. “It was clear to us with regard to the European Championship that we were getting to the last opportunities to build some confidence and we'll take that today."

Kroos' return was just one of several team changes made by Nagelsmann in a pre-tournament shakeup.

“The question was whether it could bear fruit so quickly, the changes we made,” Kroos said. “We had a really good training week, though you often hear that and then it doesn't work out. But we were able to take it into the game.”

Stuttgart’s Maximilian Mittelstädt started for his debut at left back and Bayer Leverkusen's Robert Andrich also impressed in just his second Germany match. Stuttgart players Deniz Undav and Waldemar Anton also made their debuts as substitutes.

Undav drew a good save late on from France goalkeeper Brice Samba, who had just thwarted Mittelstädt as Germany threatened to make it 3-0.

The visitors showed bite and commitment and bossed the opening 20 minutes before Marcus Thuram fired the first French chance over. More followed. Marc-André ter Stegen denied France captain Kylian Mbappé the best opportunity in a one on one as the Germans withstood the pressure for the rest of the half.

Kroos was again involved in the second goal, combining with Mittelstädt at the back before Wirtz sent the ball to Jamal Musiala, who rounded the goalkeeper and cut the ball back for Havertz to score in the 49th.

Ousmane Dembélé flashed a shot wide of the far post in response, but the French were unable to exert the same pressure as before.

The German players had the number 83 on their tops before the game as they sang the anthem, corresponding to the remaining days before Euro 2024. The French sung their anthem a cappella, without music, then lined up beside their opponents for a message against racism. Then the stadium observed a minute’s silence for former West Germany stars Franz Beckenbauer and Andreas Brehme, who died in the last two months.

REAL MADRID MIDFIELDER KROOS AGREES TO PLAY FOR GERMANY AHEAD OF HOME EURO 2024

AP Photo 

 MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos said he has agreed to play for Germany again after a request from coach Julian Nagelsmann ahead of the home European Championship.

The 34-year-old Kroos has not played for Germany in three years since the team's exit in the round of 16 at the last European Championship.

“I will play for Germany again from March. Why? Because I was asked by the national team coach, I'm keen to do it and I am sure that much more is possible with the team at the Euros than most people believe!” Kroos wrote on Thursday on Instagram.

Germany has friendlies against France on March 23 and the Netherlands three days later. The host nation has been drawn against Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland in the group stage at the European Championship, which starts on June 14.

TONI KROSS: NEW CONTRACT WITH BERNABEU UP TO 2022

Toni Kross who was linked to Manchester United and Manchester City has signed a new contract with the Spanish team Real Madrid up to 2022...

EURO 2016: GERMANY YASHINDA 2-0 DHIDI YA UKRAINE

 

Shweinsteiger

Germany imeanza vizuri michuano mikali ya Euro 2016 kwa kuwafunga Ukraine 2-1...Bao la kwanza lilitoka kwa Shkodran Mustafi dakika ya 19 na la dakika za lala salama lilitoka kwa Shweinsteiger dakika za nyonyeza mwishoni kabisa...

Mustaafi akipiga kichwa hatari kabisa...

Gumzo lilikuwa jinsi beki hatari Jerome Boateng alivyookoa bao kwenye mstari...Boateng alipiga sarakasi fulani hivi wakati anaokoa bao kwenye mstari na ilibakia kama sentimita chache sana kuingia...

Jerome boateng akiokoa bao golini...

Uzuri wa teknologia ya golini au goal-line technology ndio ilionyesha mpira haujaingia maana ingekuwa utata sana...

Toni Kroos

Pamoja na yote Germany bado hawajakaa sawa sawa...Kuna wakati unaona kabisa defense inazeembea na kipa anabaki kuokoa nafasi za Ukraine...Kifaa kilikuwa Toni Kroos katika midfield...Kroos aliweza kucontrol midfield na kusaidia safu ya mbele...Tuone huko mbelei labda watabadilika...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.