Toni Kroos looks like a guy who doesn’t have a care in the world right now. After all, he’s still basking in Champions League glory a fortnight after Real Madrid’s triumph at Wembley.
That was his SIXTH European Cup in a career which has yielded an incredible 28 major trophies, including the 2014 World Cup. At 34, Kroos has done it all in the game. And the German midfielder wants to retire on home soil as a Euro 2024 winner. So when Kroos faced the media in Herzogenaurach on Tuesday, he looked as relaxed as when he’s spraying 40-yard passes across a pitch.
With his perfect, slick-back hair and smile as big as the Rhine, Kroos doesn’t give off the vibe of a man who’s easily flustered. But whisper it. He’s just a tad concerned about Steve Clarke and Scotland on Friday night. Not because of any recent bad experiences against the Scots. No, it’s more to do with what some of his Spanish pals have told him.
Remember, Clarke’s boys put one over on them at Hampden to pave the way for this German adventure. And despite everything Kroos has achieved in his career, he says he’s well aware of the dangers we might pose to the hosts in Munich.
As he prepared for the mouth-watering Euro 2024 opener at the Allianz Arena, the German superstar said: “For the mood of this country, of course it’s important for us to get a positive result in the opening game. But we know what kind of opponent awaits us in Scotland.
“Scotland can be a very unpleasant team to play against. I have already spoken to some of my team-mates at Real Madrid, who lost to them with Spain. So have been more than warned. We don’t need to have an extra awareness of Scotland. We know it will be a really difficult game on Friday night. But at a home European Championships, this is special for us.
“The whole of Germany is enthusiastic and we have a great responsibility for the mood of the country in the next few weeks. It’s an honour to play in this tournament. But we have to enjoy the pressure. In the end, it’s just football.”
The Germans are facing a bit of flak for their last two friendly performances against Ukraine and Greece. At training on Monday, an altercation between striker Niclas Fullkrug and defender Antonio Rudiger threatened to prompt more negativity. But Kroos is having none of it.
He says his team-mates’ scrap is GOOD for the Germans. And with him pulling the strings for Julian Nagelsmann’s side again, they needn’t panic too much. Kroos said: “I see the incident on Monday as a good thing. When situations like that occur, it’s positive.
“I have to take the wind out of people’s sails a bit – because it wasn’t that serious. The only person Niclas was mad at was the referee. And he knows that it’s his own fault if he gets into a duel with Toni!
“Listen, this is not a group of players that’s difficult to lead. We feel a great enthusiasm, desire and eagerness going into this tournament. You don’t have to push anyone in our squad. And for me, when it comes to the games it will be more about me giving support and security to players who maybe haven’t played in so many big tournaments.
“It’s important that we get through difficult moments or problems we might have. Because there are teams here who will punish you – and suddenly you can be out of the Euros quickly. But we’re doing well and there is still room for improvement.”
Winning the Euros is the career send-off Kroos has been dreaming about since he returned to international duty. The worry for Scotland, and every other team at the Euros, is that he’s as ravenous for success now as he was as a kid at Bayern Munich almost two decades ago.
Ominously, serial winner Kroos insists that – even as he gets ready to hang up his boots – anything less than a gold medal in Berlin on July 14 will feel like a disappointment. He said: “Of course, I’m hungry. That went hand in hand with the decision to come back here. Because I want to succeed and win this tournament.
“If I didn’t have the imagination that it was possible, I wouldn’t have done it. Ending my career with the Champions League and European Championships? I would take it.
“My children will be at the game on Friday against Scotland. They don’t ask about tactics – but they’re used to success. And they haven’t had much from the national team lately.
“So you start from winning the title. Anything else will be difficult to accept.”