Toni Kroos has revealed that he drank so much after Bayern Munich's Champions League defeat to Chelsea back in 2012 that he had to call an emergency doctor.
The midfielder, who now plays for Real Madrid, was attempting to numb the pain of the defeat to the Premier League side, who triumphed on penalties in the final at Bayern's own Allianz Arena.
The Bavarians, who were red-hot favourites going into the match, were ahead with just a few minutes remaining after Thomas Muller netted the opener after 83 minutes.
Didier Drogba headed home before full-time, however, sending the game into extra-time and then penalties - with the Ivorian scoring the winning spot-kick after Bastian Schweinsteiger had hit the post with his effort.
The victory sparked jubilant scenes among the Chelsea players as the Blues claimed what was their first European Cup win, with Bayern left to rue losing a match that had appeared in their grasp.
Indeed, it was all too much for Kroos, who turned to alcohol to help ease the pain of the loss.
Speaking on the Einfach mal Luppen podcast, Kroos's brother Felix recalled: "The Champions League final against Chelsea in 2012 - that was us drinking out of frustration. We were close to needing an emergency doctor!"
To which the Madrid star replied: "It was not a good thing but at least there was a reason for it. I remember that Jessi (Kroos's wife Jessica) then said: 'We can't do that (call a doctor) now. Imagine if it came out that I called an emergency doctor for having too much to drink!'
"There was no other way [to ease the pain of defeat]. In the end I had to call the emergency doctor myself because I thought: 'It can't be allowed to get worse than this.'"
Toni Kroos also referred to another night of boozing with his brother, and former Bayer Leverkusen defender Stefan Reinartz, where he ended up drinking tequila shots "because that was the only thing that went down pretty well".
He was left to regret the decision the following day, however, with Felix joking about how he had to sit on the couch with his brother to make sure he was breathing.
It would appear that was the night that put the 30-year-old off drinking alcohol for good, with Toni Kroos revealing: "It was my fault that I wasn't feeling well the next day.
"That was the point I said: 'It (drinking alcohol) doesn't do any good. I couldn't look at tequila that evening and that's why I gave it up completely. It didn't hurt [giving it up] and I don't miss it."