This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
On July 2, 2021, Germany midfielder Toni Kroos made the shocking announcement that he would be retiring from international football, effective immediately.
The 31-year-old Kroos, who has played for Germany 106 times, scoring 17 goals and providing 19 assists, made the revelation on Instagram, stating that there would be no more international appearances for him.
"I've played for Germany 106 times. There won't be another time," Kroos said, reflecting on his illustrious career.
His decision comes just three days after Germany's 2-0 loss to England in the last 16 of Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium, a defeat that marked the end of their European Championship campaign.
Kroos, who was part of the Germany squad that defeated Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, expressed his desire to focus fully on his goals with Real Madrid for the next few years.
"Mainly because I want to focus fully on my goals with Real Madrid for the next few years," he added, also revealing that he would deliberately allow himself breaks that have not existed as a national player for eleven years.
"It was a great honour for me to be able to wear this jersey for such a long time. I did it with pride and passion," Kroos said, reflecting on his time representing Germany.
With this announcement, Kroos brings an end to an illustrious international career that spanned over a decade, during which he made his debut in 2010.
