Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has recognized the significant difficulty of filling Toni Kroos’s shoes after the midfielder announced his retirement.
Kroos, who has been performing at an outstanding level following a phenomenal 2023-24 season, will end his career after the forthcoming European Championship. The Euros present him with an opportunity to win the only major trophy that has eluded him.
The German midfielder has two remaining matches with Real Madrid: Saturday’s home game against Betis and the pivotal Champions League Final at Wembley.
“He’s irreplaceable,” Carvajal said. “We will have players who might come close, but at the end of the day Kroos is just a unique player.”
The sentiment reflects a collective sense of loss within the club. Carvajal continued, “We’re all sad. We know how brilliant a player he is and how much he contributed to our recent success. But we obviously respect and support his decision.”