Toni Kroos signed off his club career by helping Real Madrid to a historic 15th Champions league trophy earlier this month, but he could be set for a swift return.
Kroos, 37, called time on his club career after starring in Madrid's 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on June 1.
But the Champions League final is not the last that fans will see of the German midfielder, with Kroos set to start for his national team at the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament.
With Germany hosting the Euros, they are one of the favourites to lift the trophy, offering Kroos the opportunity for a fairytale ending to his career.
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Kroos returned to the national team in February this year, after retiring from international football in 2022.
And Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Kroos' return to the Spanish champions is not impossible.
In an interview with Il Giornale, Ancelotti said: “I already told Toni Kroos…if he changes his mind, maybe in the next months, just one phone call and we start again!”
Kroos spent a decade at the Bernabeu, having previously spent seven years with Bayern Munich.
While at Madrid, he won an incredible 23 trophies, including five Champions Leagues and four La Liga titles.
Alongside his trophy-laden club career, Kroos has enjoyed success playing for Germany, something which he will hope to replicate as the Euros get underway this weekend.
Kroos has 109 international caps and was part of the German side that won the 2014 World Cup, defeating Argentina 1-0 with a dramatic goal in the 113th minute.
Despite this, Kroos announced his retirement from international football on Twitter in July 2022, ahead of the Qatar World Cup.
He said: “I have played 106 times for Germany. There will not be another time.”
However, the midfielder returned to the German national team in February after talks with coach Julian Nagelsmann.
"I'll be playing for Germany again from March. Why? Because I was asked by the coach and I'm up for it," Kroos said in an Instagram post.
"I'm sure that much more is possible with the team at the European Championship than most people think right now."
Therefore, after changing his mind on leaving international football, a U-turn on his decision to walk away from a Real Madrid team made up of stars like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, is a possibility.
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Topics: Toni Kroos, Real Madrid, Germany, Euro 2024, Carlo Ancelotti
Ben McCrum