Toni Kroos was honored with the Laureus Inspiration Award on Monday in Madrid, marking another milestone in a career defined by consistency, success, and leadership. Speaking at the ceremony, the former Real Madrid midfielder reflected on his journey, his values, and life after football.
“I see the people inside, all the spectacular athletes who have won so many important things in the world of sport. That means this award is very valuable. Receiving it in Madrid, my home right now, makes it even
more special.”
Kroos, who retired on his own terms, made it clear that there has never been any temptation to return to the game.
“No, honestly, no (I never thought about returning to football). I never had that thought because I stopped the way I wanted to. I closed the book. If I were to think about going back, even though it’s too late, I always thought it was impossible to end things better. Everything that came after would be worse. Now I have other motivations in my life and other projects. That stage ended well for me, and I was able to leave happy, without the feeling that anything could have been done better. I was happy, and that’s it.”
Now away from the pitch, Kroos acknowledged that individual accolades come less frequently — but carry deeper meaning.
“I win fewer awards than before, so it’s nice to receive one now and then. It’s recognition of something that happened both on and off the field. It’s recognition from the foundation in Germany and the academy in Madrid. It means I wasn’t just a player, winning many titles, and that’s why it’s special.”
Kroos also took a moment to highlight one of his former teammates, offering a concise but emphatic endorsement.
“For me, Fede Valverde is the best. Very short, but very clear.”
Reflecting on his career, Kroos emphasized the importance of collective success over individual relationships, and the role of discipline and clarity within winning teams.
“Within the team, I tried to be a team player. I was clear that I could only achieve great things by playing as a team. Doing that doesn’t mean having 11 or 25 friends on the roster. I’ve never been on a team with 20 friends; that’s impossible. But in the teams where I’ve won, we understood when it was necessary to be a team, to put egos aside, to contribute individual quality so the team could benefit. I think that’s key to winning great things.”
He also highlighted the value of keeping promises in football — something he felt strongly about throughout his time at Real Madrid.
“Today, a word is worth less and less, or so it seems. I was always clear that my goal was to finish my career at Real Madrid. Many have said that, but I was clear that I wanted to fulfill that promise, for people to believe that my word meant something, and that’s something that’s lacking a bit these days.”
