MADRID, 28 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Former German soccer player Stefan Effenberg advised against Real Madrid's German player Toni Kroos from returning to the German team for the 2024 Euro Cup, with Germany as host, because “it can ruin what he has achieved” as a player, although “from the point of view sports, would help the team immediately and provide stability.
“If you miss a tournament like this at an advanced age, it may give you one or even two more seasons at your club,” Effenberg wrote this Thursday in his column for the t-online portal.
The Real Madrid midfielder retired from the national team after the last Euro Cup in 2021, although in recent weeks there has been speculation about a possible return to the 'Mannschaft' for the European Championship with Germany as host, which will be held on June 14. to July 14 of next year. Rumors that grew when the current coach, Julian Nagelsmann, acknowledged that he would like to speak with the 33-year-old player.
“From a sporting point of view, he would undoubtedly help the team immediately and provide stability. He has been performing at a very high level for years and continues to do so at Real Madrid,” Effenberg stressed.
However, the former player understands the veteran footballer's position, since taking into account the irregular moment of the German team, a bad performance could “ruin a little what he has achieved for German football.”
For Effenberg, “things are not going well” after Germany linked two World Cups, being eliminated in the group stage, which led to the dismissal of Hansi Flick as coach less than a year before hosting the Euro Cup.
Finally, the former player asked Nagelsmann not to build the team based on names, but on performance. “It's about who is really good at the moment and who will really help the team,” he wrote.