Toni Kroos (foto: Getty Images)
Toni Kroos emotionally said goodbye to Real Madrid fans and the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
For Real Madrid, it was just a routine match, but it meant much more, especially for Toni Kroos, who recently announced his retirement at the end of the season. The home match against Betis was the last opportunity for the German to bid farewell to Real Madrid fans at Santiago Bernabeu.
Kroos had to walk through a guard of honor formed by his teammates before the match. When Carlo Ancelotti substituted him in the 87th minute, the German left the pitch to ovations and applause, visibly moved. He handed the captain's armband to Luka Modrić.
After the game, Kroos's teammates lifted him into the air, which deeply moved the German. As he later admitted, he held himself together until he saw his children.
"I held it together until I saw my kids. That broke me," Kroos said.
The German played for Real Madrid for 10 years. He appeared in 464 matches, scored 28 goals, and provided 98 assists. He won 21 trophies. His final club match will be the Champions League final, which Real Madrid will play on Saturday.