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Toni Kroos Faces Potential Career End Against Spain in European Championship Quarter-Finals

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Toni Kroos has found happiness at Real Madrid. But his successful career could come to an end against Spain.

Toni Kroos stepped onto the podium in flip-flops, but he pushed the thought of vacation and free time far away from his mind. “I don’t think it’s my last game,” Kroos said before the German national team’s cracker against his adopted home of Spain. Therefore, he is “not nostalgic at all.”

And yet the European Championship quarter-finals on Friday (6:00 p.m./ARD and MagentaTV) in Stuttgart could mark the end of a great career. Kroos admitted on Wednesday at the DFB headquarters in Herzogenaurach that he was well aware of that. But he did not feel afraid, even if there would never be anything “that I can do as well as playing football”.

The royal passing machine wants to prove this once again in the match against his adopted home. The only thing missing from the “handle god’s” unique collection of titles is the Henri Delaunay Cup. It would be the 35th title for the 34-year-old.

His surprising return to the national team was always linked to the plan of “becoming European champion”. This title would have “huge significance” for him. But he would also not be “devastated if it doesn’t work out” and his 114th international match would be his last.

His Madrid teammate Joselu wants to send Kroos into retirement on Friday. “I can understand that that’s his idea,” Kroos replied with a smile. But that won’t happen, “because we’re winning.”

Home European Championship can no longer be a “catastrophe”

The 2014 World Champion, who speaks fluent Spanish, has brought this new confidence back to the DFB team. “Before,” emphasised Leroy Sane, “we weren’t as stable. That was a big weakness of ours. He took that weakness away from us.” READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Kroos is expected to bring his strengths to the table against Spain, set the pace like a metronome and vary the rhythm in midfield. Such games are “decided in the middle,” said Kroos: “Whoever wins the duels there and controls the game has a better chance of winning the game.”

Kroos will face Rodri, who is six years younger than him, in the middle. For years, Rodri was in the shadow of Sergio Busquets, but now he sets the pace at Manchester City and in the national team. Rodri wins the ball and distributes it. “He radiates absolute calm and is not at all prone to making mistakes,” praised Kroos. This sentence could also have been said the other way round.

Unlike Rodri, Kroos has already planned for his free time after the European Championships. He is “really looking forward to this phase”. He will be taking care of his three children Leon, Amelie and Fin – and of other people in the “Toni Kroos Academy” in Madrid.

But that is a long way off. For now, he wants to delay the “last hurrah” a little longer. Although Spain would be a fitting farewell. Kroos has found happiness in Madrid since 2014. When he was still being disparagingly referred to as “cross-pass Toni” in Germany, he was already receiving the appreciation he deserved from the Royal Club.

“Some are faster, others need a little longer. But in the end, everyone understands it,” said Kroos – and shuffled off the podium in flip-flops.

2024-07-03 13:02:00
#Football #European #Championship #Optimistic #Kroos #game #career

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Champions League schedule and results, 2024-2025 season

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What is the 2024-2025 Champions League schedule? The new tournament format, which now includes 36 teams compared to 32 previously, promises more confrontations from the start of the competition. Find the complete schedule of matches and their results updated in real time in our table below.

During the league phase scheduled between September and December 2024, each club plays eight matches against different opponents, selected based on their UEFA ranking.

Then, the top eight teams in the rankings will advance directly to the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th will have to go through play-offs in January 2025. These knockout matches will begin in February, with the grand final scheduled for June 2025. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

For French clubs, including PSG, AS Monaco, Lille and Stade Brestois, the challenge will be to stay in the race for direct qualifications and avoid early eliminations.

The final of the competition will take place in Munich on May 31, 2025. We will then know the successor to Real Madrid where Kylian Mbappé now plays.

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Halftime show: Fifa is planning an event like in football at the next World Cup final

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In American football, the halftime show has long been part of the event. Appearances during the break have not been an issue in football so far – but that will change at the next World Cup.

Anyone who goes to the toilet or refills chips during half-time at the next World Cup final will miss something: As the world football association Fifa announces, from the next World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico there will be a half-time show in the final. What exactly the association is planning is still very vaguely worded in the announcement. FIFA is probably planning a musical performance modeled on the Superbowl in American football: This so-called half time show is probably the biggest stage that musicians have had so far. In recent years, megastars such as Coldplay, Rihanna and Bruno Mars have appeared at halftime.

FIFA wants to organize a halftime show together with an aid organization

Global Citizen acts as co-organizer. The aid organization is committed to combating extreme poverty around the world. “FIFA has made it its mission to promote football in all countries of the world and thereby have a positive influence on society,” explains the controversial FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Through this partnership, FIFA, together with Global Citizen, will unite the world of sports and entertainment to actively contribute to a better world. “We are committed to a series of joint actions that promote access to the game and encourage fans to advocate for positive change in their local communities,” Infantino continued. However, the association leaves it open exactly how a halftime show during the World Cup final should support Global Citizen or combat poverty in the world. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

“Eventization” of football is met with rejection in Germany

If FIFA presents an act as big as the NFL at the Superbowl, the football halftime show would actually immediately be in the same league as its US counterparts. In the USA, the show is one of the absolute highlights of the football final. It remains to be seen whether such a show will be received so positively by football fans who are more used to a simpler presentation of their sport.

In Europe and especially in Germany, the organized fan scene is extremely critical of the additional commercialization and “eventization” of sport. A resonant example is Helene Fischer’s act before the 2017 DFB Cup final. The artist was booed so mercilessly and loudly during her short appearance that her singing on the television was difficult to understand at times.

Source: FIFA press release

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Ugo Humbert-Arthur Fils, duel for a title in Tokyo between a calm player and another who doesn’t give up

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Difficult to find two courses as dissimilar as those of Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils at the ATP 500 in Tokyo, but the rectilinear trajectory of the first will still cross the fractured line of the second, in the final, this Tuesday. Despite losing his first set of the week, Humbert (19th in the world) qualified without too much difficulty by beating Tomas Machac (54th) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. After having fought like a madman to eliminate Taylor Fritz and especially Ben Shelton, Son went through two tie-breaks with forceps to subdue Holger Rune. One wanders, the other suffers, but we will be treated to a happy ending. Even with a seven-hour time difference with France, this is a pleasure that we won’t shy away from.

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