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Toni Kroos has revealed he did not think about Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid as a reason to delay his retirement, insisting it was his decision alone to call time on his playing career.
The former Germany international brought an end to a glittering career after the 2023/24 season, bowing out with a fifth Champions League title with Los Blancos (his sixth overall) before featuring for Germany at Euro 2024, exiting the tournament at the quarter-final stage.
Mbappe’s free transfer to the Bernabeu in summer ended one of the longest and most exhausting sagas of recent times, adding to an already stacked forward line that includes Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham.
The France captain is renowned as one of the best players in the world but Kroos has admitted his arrival didn’t enter into his thinking when contemplating his own future.
He told MARCA: “If I was curious to play with Mbappe? No. This decision doesn’t depend on a player who comes or goes, this was my decision.
“I knew Mbappe was coming and I’m happy because he’s going to help the team. It could have been two years ago, but now he’s finally here. But Mbappe didn’t influence my decision.”
Mbappe has unsurprisingly made a positive start to life at Madrid, scoring eight goals in 12 appearances in all competitions. However, there remains plenty of work for Carlo Ancelotti’s squad to put in as they currently trail Clasico rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga. They were also beaten in their most recent Champions League outing, falling to a 1-0 defeat at Lille.
Los Blancos are yet to truly kick into gear so far this season but did win 2-1 at Celta Vigo on Saturday night, ensuring the gap between them and Barca remains only three points ahead of their grudge match this coming weekend.
They first take on Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night in a repeat of the Champions League final earlier this year.
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