Toni Kroos displayed a 1000 football IQ in stoppage time for Real Madrid against Shakhtar
Toni Kroos has been hailed as a football genius after his instruction brought the goal that secured Real Madrid's passage to the Champions League round of 16.
The reigning European champions drew 1-1 away at Shakhtar Donetsk, with Antonio Rudiger putting his head where it hurt to score a dramatic 95th minute equaliser.
But although Rudiger was brave as ever, Kroos was the man who orchestrated the last-gasp strike.
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In the 91st minute, Real were in possession in the middle of the park and the ball was with Kroos.
Under little pressure from Shakhtar, Kroos waved his arms aloft in a bid to get Rudiger to join the attack.
The Germany international charged up the pitch and gave Los Blancos skipper Karim Benzema a helping hand in the box.
Kroos then swung in a superb cross right on the head of the former Chelsea man, whose header was just past the post and had Anatoliy Trubin worried for a second.
Kroos asked Rudiger to come forward two minutes before the goal and put in a perfect cross. He did the exact same thing two minutes later and it ended in a goal. Genius. pic.twitter.com/wDNxkCobSN
— V (@KaizerTK8) October 11, 2022
Minutes later and with Real continue to throw the kitchen sink, the very same combination worked for the 14-time European Cup winners.
It was genuinely a carbon copy situation, with Kroos producing a deep cross from an identical position.
Beautiful beautiful assist and an incredible goal. pic.twitter.com/g85pxJ6AVt
— V (@KaizerTK8) October 11, 2022
Rudiger was again in there but this time Trubin came out to try and collect the ball and Real's No.22 beat him to it to head home the last-gasp leveller.
He ended up getting taken out completely and left a bloody mess that reportedly required 20 stitches after a brutal collision.
But the intelligence on display from Kroos proves why he is one of the very best to do it in his position.
He reads and understands the game so well, you see why the best coaches are ex-midfielders. https://t.co/yHwl3ytkjI
— Abdallah (@Abdull_tjay) October 12, 2022
Randomly remembering the tweet from that Madrid fan that said if Kroos hand signals to her she'll leave her husband and just start running in the direction he's pointing https://t.co/WJXHy8iHct
— Marvin the Paranoid Android🇦🇷 (@Boboye_Ak) October 12, 2022
Kroos is such a mastermind 😍
— Farhan Madridista (@Farhan_Rm7) October 12, 2022
Seen him do this time and time again https://t.co/temXFCgsKn
I saw when he called him forward and I was like yeah we finna have a masterclass assist and it came a few seconds after https://t.co/nCzBcbh95c
— Tashe☺♥ (@EmpressTashe) October 12, 2022
This is what veterans offer you on the pitch.
— I Sell Land (@G_Samito) October 11, 2022
They can read the game and take risks outside of the coach’s instructions and make game-changing judgement calls. https://t.co/sIhcncvNlp
It’s actually insane he shouted Rudiger’s name, gestured he advance to the box and went ahead to measure an exact pass adequate for him to net.
— T. (@Taiye_Husseiyn) October 11, 2022
Toni Kroos! 👏👏👏 https://t.co/GgaCgaE1lS
The fact that Toni Kroos told Rudiger to move forward and he came close to scoring the first time, and actually score the second time tells you how brilliant these Real Madrid players are. It wasn’t the Coach’s decision to move Rudi upfront, Kroos told Rudiger to, and the goal! pic.twitter.com/0BiQOtUnuc
— Clement (@just_clement_) October 11, 2022
Toni Kroos showing Antonio Rüdiger to enter the penalty area and then sending a perfect cross to him was something superb to watch.
— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) October 11, 2022
Toni Kroos is a hell of a player.
— Jon (@jonhotspur88) October 11, 2022
This a couple of minutes before the goal. Telling Rudiger to go forward then dropping it perfectly on his head. #Conductorpic.twitter.com/n7ShlUXfCU https://t.co/oMl1AEzxzN
It was Toni Kroos who pushed Antonio Rüdiger to move up further ahead with Benz in the 90+2nd min and then he assists him from this position in the 90+5th min.Toni has not only saved us from our first defeat but also costing points in our group.I love you Toni,please don't retire pic.twitter.com/6FIlJU7p5A
— 𝙛𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩 (@fedeagent) October 11, 2022
Toni Kroos pointed Rudiger to go forward and pinged him two back-to-back picture-perfect long balls after the 90th minute while being 1-0 down.
— Mehedi Hassan (@MHassanFootball) October 11, 2022
Gargantuan.
Toni Kroos is so good😭called Rudiger forward then put it on his head🔥
— Joey Fatass (@tshikolomot) October 11, 2022
With actions like that, it's no wonder many are tipping Kroos to be an exceptional coach when he hangs up those iconic Adipure boots.
Last season, Carlo Ancelotti listened to advice from Kroos and Marcelo and let them make the substitutions in the Champions League semi-final second leg win over Manchester City.
Topics: Real Madrid, Antonio Rudiger, Toni Kroos, Shakhtar Donetsk
Josh Lawless