Real Madrid News
Toni Kroos calls Real Madrid his ‘true home’, opens up on retirement – ‘I wanted to be…’
Former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has opened up about his deep connection with the club, calling Madrid his “new home” after spending a decade at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The German maestro, who announced his retirement at the end of the 2023-24 season, admitted that leaving his homeland for Madrid was a life-changing decision—one that ultimately shaped both his career and personal life.
“Real Madrid has given me a new home. I left my country for the first time with a family, with my wife and 8-month-old son.
“And now I’m here with three children, the oldest of whom is 11.
“We’ve found a home, and that goes hand in hand with your success,” Kroos shared, as quoted by MARCA.
On his retirement
Kroos’ decision to retire was not made lightly, as he wanted to step away from football while still being an integral part of the team rather than fading due to physical decline.
“The decision wasn’t made overnight; it was a process. I wanted to be important for the team and not reach a point where people would say my physical level wasn’t the best or that my body was struggling,” he explained.
“It was a period of many conversations with my family, especially my wife. You can win many Champions Leagues and La Liga titles, but the farewell that people gave me is something difficult to explain.”
Champions League nights
The 35-year-old also reflected on the magic of European nights at the Santiago Bernabéu, a stadium where he played a crucial role in many historic comebacks.
“The most important thing is to create a united atmosphere for the team and the stadium to go hand in hand; otherwise, it’s much more difficult.
“We’ve experienced situations that seemed almost impossible, like the semi-final against Bayern in the last Champions League,” Kroos recalled.
“The fans give us confidence, create an atmosphere with just a few actions, and give us that extra boost.”
Having won everything there is to win with Los Blancos, Kroos bows out as one of the club’s greatest-ever midfielders, leaving behind a legacy of elegance, composure, and relentless success.
Real Madrid are planning to place greater emphasis on La Fabrica, with Jose Mourinho and the club’s hierarchy seeing the academy as an important part of both their sporting and financial strategy.
According to Defensa Central, Mourinho and general director Jose Angel Sanchez share the view that Madrid’s academy should have a meaningful role in the club’s future planning.
The pair were together at the Santiago Bernabeu watching the final of the youth Intercontinental Cup, keeping a close eye on the next generation.
Mourinho keeping a close eye on Madrid’s youngsters
The idea is not that every academy prospect must eventually become a Real Madrid starter. Instead, the club want La Fabrica to consistently produce players capable of operating at an elite level.
Mourinho is already looking closely at what the academy can provide. Sergio Mestre, Raul Asencio and Thiago Pitarch have all been involved in the first-team scheme of things in recent months.
The Portuguese manager has always insisted that performance should matter more than age or reputation. If an academy player can offer something different, he wants to keep the pathway open to the first team.
Pitarch is the best example of this. The midfielder has already accumulated significant senior experience and is increasingly looking like a genuine first-team option rather than someone making up the numbers.
La Fabrica can help Madrid beyond the first team
As always with Real Madrid, the academy is not just there to produce players for the first team. The bigger gain comes in the form of sales.
Not every talented youngster will find space in a squad containing some of the world’s most expensive players.
However, developing players of the highest calibre can still generate important transfer income, as it has in recent seasons.
Los Blancos have executed this formula successfully with the likes of Gonzalo Garcia, Nico Paz and many other youngsters in recent years.
By selling them on for a decent initial transfer fee while retaining control through sell-on clauses, buyback options and right-to-match clauses, Madrid protect themselves from both a sporting and financial perspective.
Mourinho’s insistence and constant supervision over the academy is a positive sign in the long run for Madrid, and it remains to be seen how they use La Fabrica in the coming years.
