Berlin (AFP)
German international midfielder Real Madrid Toni Kroos announced on Friday that he was leaving the German squad, three days after elimination in the round of 16 of the Euro de la Mannschaft.
"I've played 106 times for Germany. There won't be another time," the 31-year-old 2014 world champion wrote on his official Instagram account.
"I had already made the decision to quit after this competition. It was clear to me for a long time that I would not be available for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar," added the player with 17 goals for the national team.
"It was a great honor for me to wear this jersey for such a long time. I did it with pride and passion," he also insisted, saying he wanted to focus on his journey with Real Madrid and clear time for his wife and their three children.
Toni Kroos had already considered withdrawing from the national team after the resounding failure of Joachim Löw's men at the 2018 World Cup in Russia but the national coach, who is also leaving his post, managed to convince him to stay .
Toni Kroos, who worked for Bayern Munich and Leverkusen, played his first national team match in March 2010 before winning the title of player of the year in Germany in 2018.
The midfielder has won the Champions League four times: once with Bayern Munich in 2013, then three more times (2016, 2017 and 2018) with Real Madrid.
Germany will begin a new era in the coming weeks with the arrival as manager of former Löw deputy Hansi Flick, who made a name for himself by winning a historic Champions League-Cup treble. Championship with Bayern Munich in 2020.
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