Toni Kroos’ greatest matches with the German national team
By Avi Nagar
Although Toni Kroos was already building himself a legacy at Bayern, it was in World Cup 2014 that he truly set himself apart as one of the best. Following are the two matches in which he excelled the most.
Germany 4-0 Portugal, Group Stage, World Cup 2014
In the first group stage match against Portugal, Germany completely dominated the game. Aided by the sending off of Pepe, Germany went on to win 4-0. This was a strong first step in what would turn out to be an extremely successful tournament.
Toni Kroos was perfect in this match. He completely dictated the game from midfield. He gave an assist from the corner kick which was put in the net by Mats Hummels.
Toni Kroos ended up with 89 touches, 1 key pass, a staggering 96.2% passing accuracy, and a 7.71 rating according to WhoScored.
Germany 7-1 Brazil, Semi-Final, World Cup 2014
Widely regarded as one of the most iconic matches in world cup history, that night in Belo Horizonte, was indeed a unique one. Germany completely outclassed Brazil in the semi-final matchup of World Cup 2014. As Brazil suffered a tragic heartbreak in their own backyard, Germany wrote their name in the glory books, as they won with the highest margin ever in a world cup semi-final or final.
In the center stage of glory, was none other than our own, Toni Kroos. He was part of a complete midfield dominance. From the start till the end, Kroos was everywhere, racking up 2 goals and an assist in the process. Additionally, Kroos registered 2 key passes, 93% passing accuracy, and a whopping 9.84 match rating, per WhoScored.
After this astonishing display, Kroos was rewarded with a very well-deserved Man Of the Match prize.
Germany went on to win the final against Argentina in Extra time. Kroos played all 120 minutes and ended up with 1 key pass and a 7.1 match rating. His performances in the World Cup earned him a move to Real Madrid in the summer.