FRANKFURT, Germany (Reuters) – Germany midfieder Toni Kroos, who has returned to the national team after coming out of a three-year international retirement, did not rule out staying on past Euro 2024 while also eyeing a new deal with club Real Madrid.
The 34-year-old, a 2014 World Cup winner with 106 caps, announced his comeback last month and was included in Julian Nagelsmann’s squad for friendly matches against France on March 23 and the Netherlands three days later as they prepare for the tournament on home soil in June.
“I have not really given it too much thought as the decision concerned the tournament before us,” Kroos told a press conference on Tuesday when asked about playing for Germany after the tournament as well.
“I need to first clear the issue of my (club) contract. I don’t have one for next season.”
The midfielder’s contract with Real runs out at the end of the current campaign but Kroos said he had also extended his previous deal late in the season and there were no problems with the club.
“There are no issues whatsoever. My relationship with the club is too good to have any issues. Both sides are relaxed. The club is having a good season and so am I. I hope we will find a satisfactory solution,” he said.
Kroos has been at Real for a decade and has won four Champions League titles among other trophies. He also won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2013.
His return to the national team comes at a difficult time for Germany, who have been struggling in recent matches under Nagelsmann, who took over in September.
Kroos said his experience could be good for the team.
“At the end of the day, when people come back and have 100 caps to their name it may be a bit different but it is not something bad,” Kroos said.
“We have many players with only a few matches and I don’t think it is bad when people with some more matches are there.
“It helps a team when three of four people who have played tournaments are there but they still have to be good.”
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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