After another Toni Kroos midfield masterclass in the Madrid derby back in February, Isco begged his former team-mate not to retire. "Let us enjoy watching you play for two or three more years," the Spaniard wrote on Kroos' post-match post on Instagram.
Unfortunately for Isco, his plea fell on deaf ears. Kroos confirmed the news that all Real Madrid fans had been dreading in May, when he revealed that he would be retiring from football after Euro 2024.
"I am happy and proud that, in my mind, I found the right timing for my decision and that I could choose it on my own," he explained. "My ambition was always to finish my career at the peak of my performance level."
He's done exactly that, with Kroos now bringing the curtain down on his career after one of his finest seasons, albeit one that ended with heartbreak at Euro 2024 as hosts Germany lost to Spain in the quarter-finals.