Toni Kroos, who just turned 34 on January 4, is a peculiar guy, someone with clear ideas in the Real Madrid locker room, which he arrived in July 2014 and who has become one of its icons and most important players. dear ones. Kroos maintained at all times his opposition to playing in Saudi because he understood that it is a country that does not respect human rights and where he only goes for money. In a stand mostly in favor of Madrid, the player was whistled every time he touched the ball against both Atlético and Barcelona. After the final, Kroos was the only player who refused to pose with the commemorative shirt on which the number thirteen corresponding to the Spanish Super Cups won by the whites had been printed.
Kroos’ criticism of playing in Arabia comes from afar. Already in 2020, Kroos harshly criticized the scenario chosen to play the Spanish Super Cup by declaring on social networks: “We are only puppets of FIFA, UEFA and the other institutions. If there was a union of footballers, we would not play a “Spanish Super Cup in Arabia”.
The strongest criticism came in an interview with Kroos in Sports Illustrated magazine: “I would never play there; The lack of human rights would prevent me from doing so. It has been said that ambitious football is played there, but everything revolves around money. Going to Arabia is a decision for money and against football,” declared the German.
The most recent came with a single-word tweet on Kroos’ Instagram account following the departure to Arab football of Gabri Veiga, a Celta footballer in whom Madrid was interested: “Shameful.” Then, the midfielder commented: “Football players have to make that decision for themselves, like Cristiano, who did it in the final stretch of his career. But it becomes very difficult when some who are in the middle of their careers, with enough quality to be among the best in Europe, decide to accept those transfers. That’s when this starts to be difficult for the sport we all love.”
Kroos did not start in the semifinal against Atlético and the boos from the stands began when he came out to warm up the band. Then, when he left, the whistles intensified every time he touched the ball. After the match, the German did not want to comment but he posted a tweet on his account that read: “That was fun today! Incredible fans.” The whistles did not decrease at any time in the final, in which he did start.
After the match, Kroos did not want to go pick up the trophy or pose with the commemorative shirt. The Italian coach looked for the German to take a photo with him, the two of them alone on the grass. It is the one that Ancelotti uploaded on his social media account. In the press room he said he did not understand the whistles against his player.
Among the support for Kroos, Amnesty International stands out today in a statement: “These whistles show the way and send a clear message: Saudi Arabia’s sportwashing campaign is not fooling anyone: We know what happens off the field! The one who doesn’t seem to know or doesn’t want to know is Movistar or its commentators, who yesterday remained silent about the reason for the boos. “The RFEF does not seem to know it either, which continues to whitewash Saudi Arabia since it took the Super Cup to a country where human rights defenders are persecuted and silenced.”
Kroos’ contract ends this June 2024. The club wants to renew him for one more season (which does not seem to be the case with Modric, already 38 years old). The German is dragging his feet but the club is convinced that he will agree to renew. Kroos is a somewhat strange case in the locker room. Integrated into Spanish life and in the club, he has not lost one bit of his German customs. These are other times and other situations, but the case is remotely reminiscent of that of Paul Breitner, a player signed by a very old Santiago Bernabéu in the 1970s and who was distinguished by his leftist postulates.
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