Kroos admits Real Madrid superstar’s behaviour can be annoying – ‘Ends up hurting the team’ | OneFootball

Former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos has admitted that superstar Vinicius Jr.’s attitude and behaviour on the field can get out of hand at times and affect the team.

The 25-year-old forward has always been under the scanner for his antics on the field, which do not always go down with opposition players and fans.

The Brazilian has been in the news after his angry outburst at his own manager, Xabi Alonso, following his substitution against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Kroos opens up on Vinicius’ attitude

Now, Kroos, who retired last year, recalled that Vinicius’ behaviour, his gestures, provocations and confrontations with opponents and supporters, already bothered him when they played together.

“At that point, I told him many times that it was enough, because you get the feeling that his behaviour ends up hurting the team. It’s understandable that it can annoy people, whether it’s an opponent, a referee or the crowd,” he said, as quoted by AS.

Toni Kroos has shared his opinion on Vini’s behaviour on the field. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Kroos explained that these tensions did not remain an individual issue, but affected the collective performance. According to the former midfielder, the feeling inside the dressing room was clear, saying:

“As a team, you get the impression that everything is turning against the group because of what is happening around them.”

Kroos added that, on many occasions, he tried to calm Vinicius during matches in order to protect both the team’s dynamic and the Brazilian’s own game.

“I tried many times to calm him down on the pitch, especially so that he wouldn’t lose his rhythm, because sometimes that happened. I always told him: ‘You’re so good that you don’t need all that,'” he concluded.