Thank you, Kroos, for giving us one last chance to enjoy you.

Just as in life, no one escapes death. In professional football, no one escapes retirement. Yes, perhaps a somewhat extreme comparison. But for some footballers, hanging up their boots is the closest thing to experiencing death.

They say that very few, very few, retire by their own choice, while many, the vast majority, are eventually forced out by football.

Every mind is a world of its own, and while there are footballers nearing 40 years of age jumping from league to league around the world, facing injuries, and perhaps not fully enjoying their final stage, there are others who, in their prime and at the peak of their careers, decide to put an end to it.

Firstly, saying goodbye to such a high income as that earned by footballers must be an extremely difficult decision to make. Secondly, saying goodbye to the sport you are passionate about, where you have fun and spend 3 or 4 hours a day with your teammates, is probably even harder.

That is why the vast majority of footballers are willing to ‘sacrifice’ their image and the way they may be remembered just to stay in the industry for a few more years.

But, as in everything in life, there are exceptions. There are the chosen ones. There are figures who seem to do absolutely everything right, and one of them is Toni Kroos.

At 34 years old, still in top physical condition and recently crowned champion of Spain, one of the best midfielders in history has suddenly announced his definitive farewell to the pitch.

As if that weren’t enough, he chose an even better stage; he will play his last match with the Merengues in a Champions League final at Wembley, and everything will conclude in his home country, playing a European Championship with his national team.

Is there a better way to say goodbye to a brilliant career? Well, yes, by winning both tournaments.

Talking about Kroos means talking about one of the best in history. His ball striking is pure poetry, and to his refined technique and perfect touch, we must add his ability to find spaces where no one else sees them. In both, he is the best.

A born calculator, of absolutely everything that happened on the pitch. From an oriented control, a routine pass, to a 40-meter stroke. So calculated, that he found the exact moment to say goodbye. So calculated that he will still give us time to value and appreciate his final minutes.

Kroos’s farewell also represents the farewell to his worn-out shoes. Those white cleats that many amateur footballers would be embarrassed to wear were the ones that fit the German best. Because he was never about poses or marketing. Even if he could debut a new pair of boots every week, he felt comfortable with his, and the ball also felt comfortable whenever it was caressed by them.

Finding a photo of the number 8 of Madrid and the German national team diving to the ground is practically impossible. And it’s because when you manage time so well and anticipate what will happen in the next few seconds, it’s unnecessary to go to the ground and stain your uniform. Especially if in both cases it’s white.

That youngster who debuted with Bayern Munich at the age of 17 has now ended his career. I don’t know if everything in his career was really so measured and calculated, but it just so happens that exactly 17 years later he will say goodbye to professional football.

How can we explain that Kroos cost Real Madrid 25 million euros?

Just as he will be ranked among the best midfielders in history, in Real Madrid’s offices he will surely be labeled as one of the best deals ever made.

Having won 4 Champions League titles and on his way to a 5th, Florentino Pérez can boast, like few others, about the vision and strategy he used to secure the services of this incredibly talented player.

Kroos will be missed by Madrid fans, but also by Barcelona fans, Manchester City fans, and any supporter who truly values football.

How long will it take to find someone of his caliber? That’s a question that cannot be answered today, as football is capricious, and just when we think we’ve seen it all, a new figure appears capable of making us ‘forget’ so many legends.

Gracias por todo, Toni. Sobre todo, gracias por anunciar con cierta anticipación tu adiós definitivo. Se te disfrutará más que nunca en tus últimos días.

La despedida de Kroos a nivel clubes será en la final de la Champions League enfrentando al Borussia Dortmund. Apuesta la final y disfruta de este juego que sin duda será muy emotivo.

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