Fede Valverde to take over the No 8 from his 'idol' Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos surprised everyone on Tuesday by announcing that he will retire after Germany's participation in this summer's European Championship. In doing so, he says goodbye to 10 years at Real Madrid, where he has become a legend.
From the very moment he announced his retirement, numerous personalities from the world of football and specifically from Real Madrid dedicated a few words to him. One of the most emotional was from Fede Valverde, who considers the German his idol.
"I guess when we were kids we all had an idol that we looked up to, that we saw on TV and thought 'I want to be like that person when I grow up'. And if we were kids with a big imagination, we could dream that we were playing ball with that idol, who was distant, untouchable, hard to reach," Valverde began in his farewell letter.
"That child was me. That child fulfilled his dream and played with the player he had always idolised. Today, with a strange feeling and a lump in my throat, I know that that boy would have liked to play with you for ten more years, and so would I, Toni. Because I never stopped being that kid who always admired you," he said.
The No 8 that Toni Kroos will leave behind already has an owner. It was the German player himself, who took the number previously held by Kaka, who hinted that Fede Valverde will take his number at Real Madrid.
"Phew, my dear Fede. You know you are very important to me. Because I love you as a player and a person. You have absolutely everything to be the captain of this team in the future. I will always be by your side, and tomorrow we will talk about another topic... #8," Kroos replied.
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