In a new charity project, Toni Kroos has answered the questions of over 90 celebrities – and among other things, talked about his interaction with Casemiro, who recently departed from Real Madrid.
“I think that the constellation at Real recently came close to what I imagine a ‘perfect match’ to be,” Toni Kroos answers. The special thing: It was not a journalist who asked, but Roger Federer. The tennis legend is one of more than 90 prominent people and companions who each ask Kroos a question in a new book of interviews.
In Federer’s case, which midfielders in Kroos’ career have best suited his style. Kroos chooses the now-defunct combination with Luka Modric and Casemiro, who recently moved to Manchester United, “because we had everything there in our line: with Casemiro, someone who had the clear task of cleaning up in the middle. And with Luka Modric and me, two who didn’t take themselves out of defensive duties. So defensively we had a good compactness. And on the other side, we also stood for a lot of football, for control, in the game going forward with a lot of special moments. “
Together, Kroos, Casemiro and Modric won the Champions League four times, most recently in the final against Liverpool FC at the end of May. Kroos’ much-discussed interview with ZDF reporter Nils Kaben is also the subject of the now published interview book “kroos90”. It was published exactly 90 days after the interview, 90 cents per epaper sold goes to the Toni-Kroos-Stiftung.
“Interplay relatively close to perfection “
Kaben himself also asks Kroos a question – just like Jürgen Klopp, Klaas Heufer-Umlauf, Robbie Williams or Roger Federer. Kroos’ answer to the Swiss – whether made before or after Casemiro’s departure – radiates a little wistfulness. “The coordination between defence and offence was pretty perfect. Also because over the years each of us knew which spaces to play in and which to defend. We didn’t have to talk to each other much in the game, and with this certainty we went onto the pitch.”
In conclusion, he finds “that the interplay with Modric and Casemiro has come relatively close to perfection over the years.” That’s as far as it will go now.