“She wants us to ride horses together” - Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos reveals how his wife and kids reacted to his retirement

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos revealed how his family reacted to his decision to retire from football. He detailed the immediate reactions of his wife, Jessica, and his two kids, Ami and Leon.

In an emotional Instagram post on May 21, Kroos declared that he would hang up his boots after the upcoming UEFA European Championships. Following the announcement, there was an outpouring of gratitude and praise from football fans all over social media for his incredible impact on the modern game.

A post by @theMadridZone on X revealed Kroos' reply upon being asked how his family reacted to his announcement. The 34-year-old said:

“My family? Jess (wife) is very supportive. Leon (son) did not like the decision. Ami (daughter) despite being a big Madridista is very happy (laughs). She wants us to ride horses together, I always said it’s dangerous but now I need to come up with a new excuse.”

Toni Kroos arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu from German giants Bayern Munich reportedly for €25 million in July 2014. Many already considered him one of the best midfielders in the world in Bavaria; yet, he took his game to the next level at Real.

In his 10 seasons at Real Madrid, he made 463 appearances, finding the back of the net 28 times and setting up his teammates on 98 occasions. He lifted a staggering 22 trophies with the Los Blancos, including four Champions League titles, five FIFA Club World Cups, and four La Liga titles alongside many others.

Even with Kroos' retirement, Real are well-positioned in midfield, with the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Fede Valverde ready to take over the mantle from the German.

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Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr sends emotional message to Toni Kroos after he announces retirement

Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. sent an emotional message to midfielder Toni Kroos, who announced on May 21 that he will retire from football after Euro 2024.

The Brazilian winger made a post on Instagram capturing some of his best moments with the iconic German midfielder. The caption for the post, when translated from Spanish to English, read:

“Genius. It was the closest word I could find to define you, Toni. And yet it's far from what you deserve. Today is a sad day for me and Madridistas. But it's a terrible day for ball, for football. Knowing that soon we will have you no more, you could give [us] so much more. But I understand you. Thank you for every pass, for all the guidance and for allowing me to learn so much in these years. We love you! On to the 15th for you. What a great person you are.”

Vinicius Jr's Instagram post

Vinicius has played 207 games alongside Kroos, with the German assisting him five times and the favor being returned on two occasions. The latest linkup between the pair was in the first leg of Real Madrid's Champions League semifinal matchup against Bayern Munich.

Kroos fizzed the ball, through three defenders, into the path of Vinicius, who slotted the ball past Manuel Neuer with a composed first-time shot. However, it was not the first occasion on which the duo had delivered for Real Madrid under pressure.

Kroos assisted Vinicius' opener against Liverpool in the first leg of the 2020-21 UCL quarterfinals, eventually resulting in a 3-1 victory. The German also assisted the Brazilian in a 2-0 El Clasico victory over Barcelona in the 2019-20 La Liga season.