dpa
Munich
Former Real Madrid and Germany great Toni Kroos has said he will disappear from the public eye after a busy period even after his retirement as a player.
“I just want to take some time off for myself,” Kroos said in the Einfach mal Luppen podcast he runs with his brother, Felix Kroos.
“I don’t necessarily want to be seen or quoted in the newspapers in the next few months.” Kroos, 34, won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, and six Champions Leagues, the last one in his final game for Real in June. His last career match was a few weeks later, Germany’s quarter-final defeat against Spain at Euro 2024.
He was then a guest at various events and award ceremonies, including on Tuesday at the FIFA Best awards where he was named into the team of the year.
Kroos spoke of “a very, very full, special year” for him, in which he was constantly in the spotlight he has never really sought. “Anyone who knows my attitude knows that I’m never really looking for that,” he said.
Kroos said he would stop appearing in the podcast and also reduce travel “to a minimum” because he was on the road a lot as a player.
“I really want to be away from the public eye. I want it for myself,” he said.
