Toni Kroos explains the brutal reality of coaching Real Madrid – ‘They criticise you if you draw or lose’ | OneFootball

Toni Kroos has offered a thoughtful and wide-ranging assessment of Real Madrid, touching on the club’s relentless demands, his own legacy, and the current challenges facing the team under Xabi Alonso. 

Speaking in an in-depth interview with Brazilian legend Romario, Kroos reflected on what it truly means to represent Los Blancos and why patience will be crucial in the coming years.

Kroos first addressed the mentality that defines Real Madrid. He explained how winning is not simply an objective at the club, but an expectation ingrained into every player from day one. 

“At Real Madrid, they drill into your head that you have to win every tournament,” he began.

Looking back on his own journey, Kroos had no hesitation when asked about the most important chapter of his career. 

With clear emotion, he reflected on his decade in Spain and the sense of belonging he found at the Bernabeu. 

“The biggest club I’ve played for? That’s easy to answer: Madrid. I was lucky enough to play for the best club in the world for 10 years. 

“My time at Madrid was the most successful and where I felt most at home. We were very successful. 

“The club was like a big family. Those were the best years of my career as a football player.” 

On Xabi Alonso

Kroos has spoken in favour of Xabi Alonso. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Kroos then turned his attention to the present, offering a measured defence of Xabi Alonso. 

He acknowledged the immense pressure that comes with the job and warned against unrealistic timelines. 

“The hardest thing as a coach is coaching Madrid. It’s not easy. Here, even if you win games, no one is happy. 

“If you draw or lose, they criticise you very quickly. The coach has little time. You can’t think about how you want to play in a year or two; you need results.” 

Despite this, Kroos made his belief in Alonso clear. “I’m convinced that Xabi is very good and has the quality to coach Madrid. 

“He already knows what Madrid means. He already knew this could happen. You have to give him time and stay calm, but that’s difficult at Madrid.”

On Endrick

The former midfielder also shared his thoughts on Endrick, who recently completed a loan move to Olympique Lyon. 

Drawing parallels with his own early career, Kroos offered practical advice. 

“The most important thing for Endrick is to play, and if you don’t have the chance to play much at Madrid, the best thing is to go to another club on loan to play. 

“I thought the same thing when I was 18. I was at Bayern and decided to go to Leverkusen. The same thing will happen to Endrick.”

Playing with the Brazilians

Finally, Kroos spoke warmly about his bond with Brazilian teammates during his time in Madrid, underlining how chemistry off the pitch fuels success on it. 

Kroos has nothing but admiration for Vinicius Jr. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

“I’ve always liked them, ever since I was very young. At Madrid with Vini, Casemiro, and Militao. 

“I’ve always had a good relationship with them. They enjoy life a lot. they have a very different lifestyle from Germans.” 

He then highlighted his special understanding with Vinicius Jr. 

“Playing with Casemiro or Vini, who understood me perfectly. I had a great connection with Vini. I got on really well with them off the pitch too. 

“If you have a bad relationship off the pitch, it’s difficult to have one on it. I took advantage of Vini’s runs, and he took advantage of my passes,” he added.