Sorry Toni Kroos – even legends don’t always get their dream farewell

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

And just like that, the light goes out, the curtain comes down, the show is over. Not just of Germany on home soil at Euro 2024, but of one of their greatest stars in modern history and one of the defining midfielders of a generation.

Toni Kroos bowed out of the club game with a Champions League winner’s medal and a performance to match the prestige of the occasion; his very last appearance came at international level though, where even he, the great pass-master of die Mannschaft, was unable to match the poise, the possession and most importantly the penetration of Spain.

There has been some surprise as the tournament has progressed over Kroos’ decision, of course. He starred in the group stage, head and shoulders above the rest on more than one occasion.

At 34 he’s not exactly beyond use either, having just enjoyed another tremendous campaign with Real Madrid and having been lured out of international retirement by Julian Nagelsmann, precisely to play this vital role.

But there will be no final this time, no dream farewell scenario. Kroos’ 114th cap is his last, and unfortunately for Germany, among his least effective.

This despite his form, his importance to Nagelsman’s set-up and the ferocious backing of the crowd. The chants of “Toni, Toni” were heard at almost every set piece inside the Stuttgart Arena. In the lead-up to both the Denmark game in Dortmund and this one, it seemed at times that every third or fourth replica jersey worn by the fans had his name on the back.

And yet his defining act in this fixture was not to give Germany the creative hub they so badly needed, but perhaps to rob Spain of theirs.

Early on in the game, he took out Pedri who had skipped past him; the youngster continued for a minute or two but was too hurt to continue. His replacement – Dani Olmo – alongside Fabian Ruiz continued to swarm Germany’s midfield and ease by Kroos. Unwittingly, in seeing Pedri removed, Kroos actually gave Spain their matchwinner: Olmo scored the first and set up the deciding goal in extra time.

Meanwhile, the transgressions continued to mount up: Kroos laid on two chances, but committed five fouls; his attempts to probe Spain’s back line saw him make 11 passes into the final third, but as an increasingly isolated deep midfield option against the counter-attack, he won just five of his 13 duels.

Just past the hour mark that came at a cost: another player bursting past him, another tug back, this time a yellow card. And one of the moments of the match came at his expense too: Ruiz with an exquisite dragback to send Kroos and two teammates heading in entirely the wrong direction.

Yet there is nothing in this about Kroos being old or past it or anything of the sort – this was simply one of the best opponents with one of the best midfields he came up against, and they were better. Better than him, better than his team, for too much of this encounter.

Of course, he still almost had one final act, one final part to play. It was Kroos’ pass, spread to the right, which ended in Niclas Fullkrug so nearly equalising in the final moments of extra time, almost prolonging Germany’s stay into a penalty shootout. But it was not to be.

For too much of the 90 minutes, they were second best. In extra time after they had the ascendency and the momentum with that late Florian Wirtz equaliser, they let it slip once more. Spain enjoyed the superior use of the ball, the better-worked chances – and took the one which mattered.

Minutes before Mikel Merino’s winner, Kroos was left prone on the deck as Mikel Oyarzabal this time drove away from him, curling a shot wide. Germany were incensed Spain continued, but why wouldn’t they? And it’s not as if Kroos would have been making a recovery challenge.

Left as a sole defensive midfielder at times, he was swamped and bypassed, never really able to control this match in the way he has so many others. There was no assist on this occasion and nor will there be again for the youthful stars of the front line.

Kroos has been a legendary figure but even the biggest of icons don’t always get the perfect send-off they dream about and Germany’s exciting new group of players will now have to find their way without him.