Real Madrid midfielder Kroos agrees to play for Germany ahead of home Euro 2024

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Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos warming up prior the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between RB Leipzig and Real Madrid at the Red Bull arena stadium in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

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Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos claps hands to supporters after winning the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between RB Leipzig and Real Madrid at the Red Bull arena stadium in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

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Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos, right, and Leipzig’s Lois Openda, left, challenge for the ball during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between RB Leipzig and Real Madrid at the Red Bull arena stadium in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has agreed to play for Germany again after a request from coach Julian Nagelsmann ahead of the home European Championship.

Kroos doesn’t want to be seen as a “savior” for the struggling German team, though.

The 34-year-old Kroos has not played for Germany in almost three years. The most recent of his 106 international games came as the team lost in the round of 16 against England at the last European Championship.

“I will play for Germany again from March. Why? Because I was asked by the national team coach, I’m keen to do it and I am sure that much more is possible with the team at the Euros than most people believe!” Kroos wrote on Thursday on Instagram.

Kroos went into more detail on his podcast, saying Nagelsmann, who was hired in September, reached out last year.

There was a definite “appeal” to being asked to return for a home tournament, Kroos said, but he still needed “the last few months” to decide. “I’m really, really happy with this decision and I’m really looking forward to this tournament.”

Germany won just three of 11 friendlies last year, and Nagelsmann has one win in four since succeeding Hansi Flick.

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“I obviously want to help, but I am definitely not the savior either. That’s clear, too,” Kroos said. “Everyone can say goodbye to that (idea) straight away. If I come back, I see myself just like a little cog that hopefully somehow meshes with another.

“Don’t think that with this trick that we’re going to become the favorites. That’s nonsense. Of course I hope that I can in some way contribute a part in the direction of improvement. But of course it’s also clear that something more is needed, too.”

Germany has friendlies against France on March 23 and the Netherlands three days later. The host nation has been drawn against Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland in the group stage at the European Championship, which starts on June 14.

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