#toni kroos goals

[berita-olahraga29]

https://youtube.com/@BERITA-OLAHRAGA?si=LVTX0nwqRt77ei9e

Harry Kane catat rekor baru🔥 Tony Kross Luka Modric tidak jadi starter - BERITA OLAHRGA

[realmadridfamily]

I dedicate this goal to Toni Kroos and then for my wife ... She's gonna kill me (laughs).

Fede Valverde 😅

[bookaholic58]

The fact that the only person in real madrid that scored in his first two games other than bellingham was ronaldo.

[iniyaas]

oh found the kind of shit Kiyora-Kaiser duo pulled in his Magnus goal lmao

(tho fictional, kiyora made the ball stop midgame, so can we give kiyora proper credit for that wonderful assist please??)

[footballfanficwriter]

1st to many

Summary:where Jude wins his first Champions league trophy

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric. The roar of the crowd was almost deafening, but all I could focus on was the man in the white home kit moving effortlessly across the pitch. Jude. My husband. The love of my life. Our son, Louis, was bouncing excitedly beside me, his little hands clutching the edges of his seat as he watched his father in awe. As nerve-wracking as he was the day before, I could see his determination and focus now.

"Mommy, look at Daddy! He's so fast!" Louis exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration.

I smiled down at him, ruffling his curly hair. "Yes, sweetheart. Daddy's amazing, isn't he?"

The match was intense, a true nail-biter. Real Madrid were fighting for every inch of the field, and it seemed like the entire stadium held its breath each time the ball neared the goal. My heart pounded with every pass, every tackle, and every shot. Then, in the 67th minute, it happened. A corner kick delivered by Toni Kroos in the air headed the ball and sent the it  sailing into the net. The stadium erupted into cheers, and I found myself screaming along with them, tears of joy streaming down my face at the end of the game it was 0-2 and Madrid had won

"They did it, Louis! They won!" I shouted, scooping him into my arms and spinning him around.

Louis giggled, his excitement matching mine. "Daddy's the best!"

As the final whistle blew, confirming their victory, the players collapsed onto the field, exhausted but triumphant. The commentator's voice echoed through the stadium, announcing the team's first Champions League win in 2 years. The player's names were chanted by thousands of fans, but Jude's  eyes searched the stands until they found us. He gave a little wave, and I blew him a kiss, mouthing the words, "I'm so proud of you."

After a few minutes of celebration on the pitch, Jude was called for a short post-match interview. He stood there, still catching his breath, as the interviewer began.

"Jude, congratulations on your incredible win! How are you feeling right now?"

"Thank you so much. Honestly, it's hard to put into words. This victory means the world to me. The adrenaline is still pumping, and I'm just overwhelmed with joy and gratitude."

"You've mentioned before that your family's support means everything to you. Can you tell us more about that?"

"Absolutely. My wife and our son, Louis, they're my rock. They've been with me every step of the way, cheering me on through the highs and lows. I couldn't have achieved this without them."

"And how does it feel to have them here with you tonight?"

"It's everything. Knowing they're in the stands, supporting me, it gives me that extra boost of motivation. Louis's face lights up when he sees me on the pitch, and my wife, she's my anchor. I'm just so grateful to have them by my side."

"You've certainly made a lot of people proud tonight. Any final words?"

"I just want to thank everyone who's supported me along this journey, especially my family. This win is as much theirs as it is mine. And to Y/n , I love you more than words can express. Thank you for being my rock, my everything."

"Any plans for the rest of the evening?"

"Just soaking it all in, really. I'm just happy. Now, I have to go and find my wife and son. They're waiting for me, and I can't wait to celebrate with them."

With that, Jude's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he bid the interviewer farewell before quickly making his way to the stands, where Louis and I were eagerly waiting for him.

"You did it, Daddy!" Louis squealed, wrapping his arms around Jude's neck.

Jude laughed, pulling him close. "We did it, little man. We did it."

Then he turned to me, his eyes glistening with tears of joy. He reached out and pulled me into a tight embrace. "I couldn't have done it without you," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

I stroked his back, feeling his body tremble with relief and happiness. "I'm so proud of you, Jude. You've worked so hard for this."

He hugged me tighter, burying his face in my shoulder. "Don't let go," he murmured. "I just want to take this moment in."

We stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, as the world celebrated around us. As he pulled back slightly, I noticed the goosebumps on his arms. "Aren't you cold?" I asked, concerned. "You can take my jacket."

He shook his head, a wide smile on his face. "No, it's fine. The adrenaline is keeping me warm. I'm okay."

We laughed, and I kissed him softly, feeling the warmth of his lips. He took my hand, and together we walked onto the field, Louis perched happily on Jude's shoulders. The stadium was a whirlwind of celebration, with fans cheering, confetti falling, and cameras flashing. We joined Jude's teammates and their families, sharing hugs and congratulations. Louis quickly found some of the other children and started playing, their laughter ringing out across the field.

"Can you believe this?" Jude asked, his voice filled with wonder as he watched Louis and the other kids running around, pretending to be their football heroes.

I smiled, squeezing his hand. "It's surreal. I'm so happy for you, Jude. You've achieved your dream."

He leaned in and kissed my forehead. "And I couldn't have done it without you. Your support, your love—it means everything to me."

We continued our tour, mingling with the other players and their wives. When Toni came over with his wife, and their three children.

"Congratulations, Jude!" Toni said, clapping Jude on the back. "You were incredible out there."

"Thanks, mate," Jude replied, smiling broadly. "We all were. It was a team effort, just sad to see you go man.

"I know, but my time has come it's time for me to make room for the next Generation, I need to make room for people like you"

Jude smiled at Toni and they embraced eachother when all of a sudden

Toni's  hugged me, her eyes shining. "How are you holding up? That was an intense match!"

I laughed, still feeling the adrenaline coursing through me. "I'm just so relieved it's over and that they won! It's like a dream come true."

Our conversation was interrupted by Louis running over, his cheeks flushed with excitement. "Mommy, Daddy, look! I'm playing with the big kids!"

Jude laughed, lifting him up. "You're doing great, buddy. One day, you might be out here playing for real."

Louis's eyes sparkled. "Really, Daddy? You think I can?"

"Of course, I do," Jude said, ruffling his hair. "With hard work and determination, you can do anything."

As we walked around the pitch, we took photos and videos to capture every precious moment. Jude and I posed with the trophy, Louis standing proudly between us, his tiny hands resting on the gleaming cup.

"This is for the memories," Jude said, his voice soft and full of emotion as he snapped a selfie of us.

"For the memories," I echoed, my heart swelling with love and pride.

Later, we joined the other families in a group photo, everyone beaming with joy. The children were all gathered in front, their smiles bright and infectious. It was a beautiful scene, one that embodied the spirit of teamwork, dedication, and love.

As the celebrations slowly wound down, we found a quiet moment to sit together on the grass, watching Louis play nearby with the other kids.

"Can you believe this?" Jude asked, his voice filled with wonder. "We did it."

I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling his warmth and strength. "Yes, we did. And I couldn't be happier."

Jude wrapped his arm around me, holding me close. "This is just the beginning," he said. "With you and Louis by my side, I feel like I can achieve anything."

I smiled, feeling a deep sense of contentment. "We'll always be here for you, Jude. No matter what."

As we sat there, surrounded by the remnants of celebration and the echoes of cheers, I knew that this moment would be etched in our hearts forever. It was the culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, and unwavering support. And it was a testament to the power of love and family.

Jude glanced down at his phone, which had been buzzing with messages of congratulations. He smiled and took a quick selfie of us, capturing our joy and love in that perfect moment. "For the memories," he said, showing me the photo.

I nodded, my heart swelling with love. "For the memories," I echoed.

As the night drew to a close, we gathered our things and made our way off the pitch. Louis was half-asleep in Jude's arms, worn out from all the excitement. We walked hand-in-hand, leaving the stadium behind but carrying the night's magic with us.

In the car, Jude looked back at the stadium one last time, a look of fulfillment and determination on his face. "This is just the beginning," he repeated, more to himself than to me.

I squeezed his hand, feeling the strength of our bond and the promise of our future. "And we'll be with you every step of the way."

As we drove home, the city lights shining brightly around us, I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together. Jude had achieved his dream, and in doing so, he had shown us all the true power of perseverance, love, and family.

When we arrived home, Louis was sound asleep in Jude's arms. Jude carried him upstairs and gently placed him in his bed, tucking him in with a kiss on his forehead. I stood in the doorway, watching this tender moment, my heart swelling with love.

"You really are an amazing father," I whispered as Jude joined me, closing Louis's door softly.

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. "And you're an amazing mother and wife. I couldn't have done any of this without you."

We walked to our bedroom, the excitement of the day slowly giving way to a peaceful calm. As we got ready for bed, Jude turned to me, his eyes filled with a deep, abiding love.

Jude and I lie in bed, still buzzing from the excitement of the day's events. I open my phone and scroll through social media, reading the countless messages of congratulations and admiration for Jude and our family. People are buzzing about how Jude celebrated his first Champions League victory with his family, highlighting his heartfelt words about us in the interview.

I read some of the headlines aloud to Jude:

“Jude Bellingham’s Heartwarming Tribute to His Family After Champions League Win”

“Jude Bellingham Celebrates Victory with Wife and Son – Fans Are Melting!”

“Champions League Hero: Jude Bellingham’s Emotional Speech on Family and Success”

“Jude Bellingham’s Adorable Celebration with His Wife and Son Captivates Fans”

“Jude Bellingham Dedicates Champions League Win to His Loving Family”

Switching to Instagram, I see a flood of comments under the photos and videos we posted:

jobebellingham: You guys are such an amazing family! So happy for you! 🥰

toby: What a beautiful moment! You and Jude are an inspiration. ❤️

noah: This is what football is all about. Much love to you and your family! 💪🏽👏🏽

vinijr: Seeing the love between you guys is incredible. Congrats! 🙌🏽✨

camavinga: Your support for Jude is everything. Proud of you all! 💖🙌🏽

lukamodric10: Family goals right here. Enjoy this moment! 🏆💫

toni.kr8s: Such a beautiful family. Well deserved win! 😊🙌🏽

rodrygogoes: So much love in these photos. Congratulations! ❤️🔥

toniruediger: Amazing to see you guys so happy. Well done! 👏🏽👏🏽

dani.carvajal2: What a night! Beautiful family moments. Congrats! 🎉💪🏽

ferland_mendy: So happy for you guys! Enjoy the victory! ⚽❤️

nachofi1990: Family and football, the perfect combination. Congrats! 👏🏽😊

alaba_david: Beautiful to see you all so happy. Big congrats! 🌟🙌🏽

davidluiz_4: This is what dreams are made of! Congrats to you all! 🌟❤️

sergioramos: Family first, always. Proud of you, brother! 💪🏼👨‍👩‍👦‍👦

karimbenzema: Seeing you celebrate with your family warms my heart. Congrats, Jude! 🙌🏽💯

raphaelvarane: Beautiful family moments. Congratulations on the win, Jude! 🎉🏆

edenhazard: You're an inspiration, Jude. Congratulations to you and your lovely family! 🌟💖

thibautcourtois: Enjoy these special moments with your loved ones, Jude. You deserve it! 🥂👏🏼

nachofernandez: Family is everything. Congrats on the win, mate! 🙌🏼👨‍👩‍👦

scoalarcon: Seeing you celebrate with your family is priceless. Well done, Jude! 🎉👨‍👩‍👦

federicovalverde: Family time is the best time. Congrats, Jude! 🥳👨‍👩‍👦

eder_militao: Cherish these moments forever, Jude. Congrats 🏆💖

vasquez91: You guys are the definition of #FamilyGoals. Congrats, Jude! 🎉💑

I turn to Jude, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Can you believe this?" I say, my voice filled with wonder.

Jude wraps his arms around me, pulling me close. "I can't believe any of this," he says, his voice soft with awe. "But I know one thing for sure—I couldn't have asked for a better team to share it with."

I snuggle closer to him, feeling his warmth enveloping me and he kisses my forehead. In this moment, surrounded by love and joy, I know that no matter what the future holds, we'll always have each other.

[thommi-tomate]

Thomas in the match against Freiburg won his 710th game and also became the player with the most games for FC Bayern, beating the record of Sepp Maier (709) who held the record for 45 years.

He also surpassed Maier in terms of Bundesliga games played as Sepp had 473 and Thomas has played 475 so far, making him the player with the most league games played for FCB and entering the top 5 of players with the most league games overall behind only Klaus Fichtel (477 for Schalke 04), Michael Lameck (518 with VfL Bochum), Manfred Kaltz (581 with Hamburger SV) and Charly Korbel (602 with Eintracht Frankfurt).

With 341 Bundesliga victories, he is the Bundesliga's winningest player

Thomas also scored his 150th Bundesliga goal in the match against Freiburg and 245 in his career, Thomas is on the podium of most goals for FCB behind only Robert Lewandowski (344) and Gerd Müller (566).

With 217 assists to date (in the Bundesliga alone) and around 300 in his career, Thomas is the player with the most assists in the history of FCB and the Bundesliga (he also holds the record for most assists in a single league season with 21). No one compares to him in the Bundesliga, the next on the podium are Franck Ribery and Marco Reus with 124 each, and globally only Lionel Messi is above him.

Thomas is also the German player with the most UCL appearances, he is also the player with the most goals in the top competition and in terms of wins he is only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (115).

Thomas has won everything at club level and at national team level he won the most important competition, collecting 33 team titles and 4 individual titles including a golden boot(2010) and silver boot(2014) of the world cup, silver ball of the world cup(2014), best young player of the world cup(2010) and 2 times top scorer of the Pokal (2009/10 and 2013/14), only Toni Kroos (34) has more titles than Thomas.

With 17 seasons playing professionally for Bayern, Thomas enters the top 4 of players with the most seasons for a single team, only Manfred Kaltz, Charly Korbel and Klaus Fichtel have played more seasons for a single team (19 seasons each).

With his goal against Freiburg, he also reached the record that few have achieved, which is to score at least one goal in 16 consecutive seasons but the only one to do so for FCB.

With 12 league titles, Thomas is the top winner, to put it in perspective, he has more than twice as many as Borussia Dortmund, three times as many as Werder Bremen, four times as many as Stuttgart, six times as many as Kaiserslautern and 12 times as many as Leverkusen.

Thanks for everything Legend, Icon, Thomas, Ois Guade 🙂‍↕️💕

[rubyroses222]

“My children are a bit 50/50 about this. Leon wants me to keep playing, he’s a true Madridista and doesn’t want me to go. Amy however can’t wait to see me riding a horse this summer. I’ve always said to her ‘this is to dangerous, what if I injure myself then I can’t do the preseason.’”

“With Fynn however, I think I managed to retire just in time, so he won’t beat me up about it. This season he was old enough to really understand football and has gone after Leon - true Madridistas both of them. I genuinely think if I would’ve retired next year, Fynn would beat me up.”

[…]

“This season went the way I imagined it to be. I stayed healthy without injuries the whole time, let’s hope this continues until after the euros.” (he laughs)

“I’ve had a lot of fun during the games this season, I relished in the atmosphere of the stadium and enjoyed every single moment. I managed to keep my level; we as a team managed to be successful. That’s always the big goal when you think about retirement: you always want to retire successfully.”

“I think that I can say – even before the Champions League final – that we played a successful season as a team, amazing evenings, amazing games.”

“I always want to retire on a successful level. I never wanted to feel like people from the club or fans had to tell me “time to go now”. A future of spending time on the bench or not playing, always felt like a dent to my career.”

“I’m proud that I can say I’ve made that decision by myself with my family - that’s a beautiful feeling. This decision wasn’t taken for me or without me but BY ME.”

[…]

“Everyone I’ve talked to however says: ‘why now? you could retire next year just as successfully, you still have it in you.’”

“But I don’t want to challenge it. Yes, it could be true that next year is gonna be as great as this one. Plus I’ve already considered retiring last year and I have built a lot of projects next to playing. Now I can actually imagine a life without football - not that I won’t miss football. But a life without all the travelling, without the constant stays in hotels; a life with more time for my family sounds nice.”

“I enjoy the prospect of having time for myself and my family.”

“With Real Madrid I never in all those years had the feeling that you have to deliver on the pitch first in order to be loved. They loved and accepted me at 24 with open arms, which gave me the confidence to play like I do on the pitch. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.” 🤍

- Toni Kroos, Einfach mal Luppen

[leonsliga]

Keeping On

–> It's been a long road back from injury for Manuel Neuer, but at 38 he is once again integral to Bayern München's success. After breaking the Champions League clean sheet record against Arsenal in the quarter-finals, he reflects on a career that still has plenty of road ahead.

Manuel Neuer is in a reflective mood. Now 38, the Bayern München goalkeeper became a father for the first time in March - something which can add a fresh layer of perspective to anybody's outlook. Yet right now, as he sits speaking to Champions Journal, his focus is on another event which prompted much introspection on his part - the career-threatening lower-leg break he suffered in a skiing accident in December 2022.

"If we were to ask the medical staff and the rehab team, they would scarcely believe that we are where we are today because I think out of every ten people only one or two manage to come back from that," he says. "Particularly after the injuries and with the games I played, it couldn't have gone any better than it did, for me to be standing in goal and performing well again. It was a big strain for me, which is normal for a serious injury. I think everything takes time and ultimately nature decided if it would work out or if I would never be able to play again.”

That he was back playing for Bayern ten months after the fracture to the tibia and fibula in his right leg was down to "thinking positively and the desire to play football and play professional sport again". That determination should surprise none of us given the admirable longevity of a player who, among the goalkeeping fraternity, is second only to lker Casillas for most appearances in the Champions League, with 138 (prior to this month's semi-finals) to the Spaniard’s 177.

Moreover, with his clean sheet in the quarter-final home victory over Arsenal, he did not just help his team into another semi-final but surpassed Casillas's record of 57 shutouts in the competition. "It's not the most important thing there is but it's nice for my team-mates - and all the colleagues I've played with in the past - if we think about our defensive work. I started with Schalke and then continued at Bayern, right up to the present day, and it's great that it's not over yet."

Those clean sheets are part of a bigger picture in which he has made over 500 appearances for Bayern and worn the captain's armband since 2017 - earning a special place in the club's pantheon as one of only three goalkeepers to have held aloft the European Cup along with Sepp Maier and Oliver Kahn.

As an interviewee, Neuer speaks with the clarity and maturity of a man on the verge of 500 Bundesliga games and - ahead of this summer's EURO - 117 senior caps for Germany. He is polite to the point of shaking the hand of every member of the film crew present as he introduces himself.

Since his early days at Schalke, his first club, he has been considered a pioneer of the sweeper-keeper role though in his eyes, defensive security still represents the most important thing a goalkeeper can give his colleagues. "I think being able to give the rest of the team the feeling that they've got someone at the back that they can rely on to provide assurance, that's the decisive factor.”

That assurance was there again in Bayern's semi-final first leg against Real Madrid as he flung himself to his left to keep out a deflected shot from Toni Kroos, then stood tall to foil Vinícius Júnior in a one-v-one. Arguably, it has always been there - at least to some degree. His first clean sheet in the Champions League was on 3 October 2007 in a 2-0 Schalke win at Rosenborg. Then he was a fresh-faced 21-year-old playing for his home-town team. Looking back on his younger self, and how he has changed, he says: "I would just be more relaxed [nowadays] and also not try and decide everything on the pitch - that is kind of the difference from Manuel at the beginning, at Schalke, who wanted to take a lot into his own hands, to do a lot himself. I also know that I cannot influence everything. I'd say I was a bit wilder - I didn't have this sense of calm and maybe the charisma as well. I was, of course, always an attacking goalkeeper who tried to join in the build-up play.”

"It's obviously been a long time since then when you look back on it. It's also very normal, given that I'm now 38, that I've developed a fair bit since then. But it's nice to cast your mind back to those days, and how things were at that time."

Now we are back in those days, let's stay there a little longer. With Schalke, he reached the Champions League quarterfinals in his debut season of 2007/08. In 2011 he helped the Gelsenkirchen club into the semi-finals where they lost to Manchester United. That summer he headed south to Bayern. Remembering the move, he says: "It certainly wasn't easy. There was a lot of media scrutiny about my character in making the switch from Schalke to Bayern. There were lots of fans who weren't thrilled about it.

"I think that the support of the club, of the team, was very important. I already knew lots of the German players from the national team - they were definitely very excited that I was coming to Bayern. That was something that I realised from the first day when we started training at Säbener Strässe [Bayern's training ground in the south of the city] and then at the training camp. And so, I felt very comfortable from the beginning."

His first campaign in Munich ended with a Champions League final defeat at Bayern's home stadium against Chelsea. He had shone in the preceding semi-final victory over Real Madrid, saving from Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká in the concluding shoot-out. These were not his first spot-kick heroics, mind: two saves against Porto had taken Schalke to the last eight in that debut season.

"You have to radiate confidence and try to show your opponent that you are stronger than they are," he says of the mano a mano challenge that penalties bring. Yet he tasted the downside of those duels in the final against Chelsea, with Bayern beaten despite his stop from Juan Mata. "Fundamentally, we were satisfied with how we performed on the pitch, but in the end we didn't get over the line," he recalls of a year in which they also finished runners-up in the Bundesliga and German Cup. "It meant that we were extra motivated when we went into the next season and that made a difference. I think that the coaching staff around Jupp Heynckes were also very motivated. From the first day, it was clear that we all wanted to achieve something that season, and you could see that from then on."

Cue a treble-winning campaign, with successes in the German league and cup allied to a 2-1 Champions League final success over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley. Back-to-back clean sheets against Barcelona in the semi-final had underlined, in Neuer's own words, that he was "someone that can be relied upon". It meant he ended his first two campaigns in the competition with Bayern with a total of ten clean sheets. And his development continued the following year with Germany’s World Cup triumph in Brazil, where he racked up four more shutouts.

He relates: “I gained a lot of experience from 2012 to 2013, from the success, and also the next stages because we had coaches who taught us a lot. I think the team developed too, which we also benefited from, and then the German national players became world champions. We had a lot of self-confidence. I was able to learn a lot from the good coaches and from my good team-mates and no one can take that experience away from you. That is why I can always play to the best of my ability, even in big games."

If that was one golden chapter, another came in 2020 when he lifted the Champions League trophy again, with the Bayern team who defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the final in Lisbon. That was the competition that concluded in empty stadiums in Portugal owing to the pandemic. "It meant a lot to me; he remembers. "I think it was the best team performance that we put together for the club. It was a bit harder given the conditions that we had to play under during the coronavirus period. How we prepared, and the spirit and fitness we went into these games with... put simply, we earned that success. It wasn't always clear that we would beat Paris in the end. We worked really hard to stay in the game and then Kingsley [Coman] made it 1-0.

"That was a team success and, unfortunately, you could not celebrate with the fans. That was the downside, that we won the Champions League in Lisbon, which of course meant just as much to us, but it would have been even better if the spectators had been there."

Neuer, for the record, registered clean sheets in both the one-off semi-final against Lyon and then that final versus Paris. His enduring excellence has been on display this season too, since his return from injury - with four shutouts in seven outings up to the semi-final stage.

It would be no surprise if the first of those, clean sheet no55 of his Champions League career at home to Copenhagen on 29 November, had felt especially sweet, coming 421 days after the previous one against Viktoria Plzen on 4 October the previous year. If this takes us back to the difficulties - physical and mental - of his injury, he cites a silver lining.

"I think every break and every injury also has some good in it. Nothing comes at the right time. The injury was supposed to be simple but you have to look deep into your eyes and say, 'Hey, I will take this challenge on and will try to come out of it stronger.’ That took a little while of course but I couldn't expect anything else."

Once again, Neuer has experienced enough of football's ups and downs to see the bigger picture. And right now, it holds more than one reason for optimism, including the prospect of playing in Germany's home EURO this summer - home town Gelsenkirchen and adopted home town Munich are among the ten venues. He has not forgotten the feeling of the last major tournament his nation staged, the 2006 FIFA World Cup. "In 2006, I was watching in public viewing areas and soaking up the atmosphere - it was just sensational how Germany hosted the world," he says.

Back then he was 18 and had just completed his first full season with Schalke's second team. We go back to the question of his evolution as a player over the years. "I would say that maybe I am a bit calmer, and also more disciplined in my actions, though it always depends on the team-mates we have, who is playing, how do I have to adjust as the goalkeeper, what game plan we have, what does the coach want, how high is the line, how are we defending, how do we want to play out from the back? There are always little things that change and that is the case whether I play for the national team or for Bayern, and it is the same from coach to coach in the seasons when we have competed in the Champions League - there are always nuances that are different, but fundamentally I have always stayed true to the way I play." And while that involves Neuer's work with the ball at his feet, he has not lost sight of the one thing that matters above all for a goalkeeper: "The clean sheets." 

~ Written by Simon Hart for Issue 19 of the Champions Journal

[diemannschaftblr]

@/iMiaSanMia: Thomas Müller on training in front of 15,000 fans yesterday: We trained in front of a full house. Some teams don't even get that in league games. That was a successful start to the training camp.

- Müller on whether he has a 'score to settle' at the Euros having not scored at the tournament so far in his career: I don't have any scores to settle with any tournament. I would love to score a goal at a European Championship. But in the end, it's the result that matters. You have to contribute to the team's success with your performance in all facets. That includes me as well.

- on whether he's considering retirement like Toni Kroos: With the national team? I'm not thinking about retirement yet. I'm only thinking about the task at hand. We'll see about everything else later. On Bayern: I have one year left on my contract. I can't let my employer down. They're relying on me - in a certain way.

- Müller says he doesn't see himself as an 'entertainer' in the team: People know how I act as a person and how I go through life. I get positive feedback for that. It's not artificial. I want to have fun for myself and also remind the team that it's about success, being relaxed and having fun playing. Because you only go the extra mile if you feel it yourself. That's what I try to set an example for. I don't do anything different. My job is not to entertain anyone. Because entertainment doesn't get you far.

- on the possibility of having success with the national team despite the disappointing season with Bayern: It's not about the Bayern block here, but about having players in the squad who arrive with the confidence to win games. The automatisms that are working well at Stuttgart, Leverkusen, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund will then be brought to the national team by these players.

- on the importance of the Euros opener against Scotland: The opening game is the initial spark for the team and then you already have three points. You work towards this one game the whole time. If it works out, it loosens the mental shackles and gives you a boost.

- on Brajan Gruda and Rocco Reitz: They are both talented players with special qualities. They can run and suffer. When you watch Brajan, you can see that he's a good football player. In the end, it's all about consistency for him. That's why I got his shirt after our game against him. They're both doing very well for us. I didn't expect anything else.

- on the injured/sick Bayern players: Manu is joining us soon. We don't have to worry about him. Jamal and Leroy are suffering. If you're always in pain, I can imagine it's not easy. But they've always fought hard. They're doing everything they can to get fit quickly and put in an extra shift or two.

[realmadridnews]

Official announcement

Toni Kroos will end his career after the EURO 2024.

Toni joined Real Madrid in 2014 from Bayern Munchen. He played in 463 matches, scored 28 goals and assisted 98 goals by now (will most likely play against Real Betis in La Liga and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final). By now he won 5 Champions League tiles (4 with Real Madrid and 1 with Bayern Munchen), 6 Club World Cups (5 with Real Madrid and 1 with Bayern Munchen), 5 UEFA Supercups (4 with Real Madrid and 1 with Bayern Munchen), 4 La Liga titles, 1 Copa del Rey, 4 Supercopas de Espana, 3 Bundesliga titles, 3 German Cups, 1 German Supercup (all German cups with Bayern Munchen) and the World Cup with Germany (another Champions League title with Real Madrid and EURO title with Germany possible).

Thank you Toni for all 10 years with us. You were always a key player in most likely, the best Real Madrid and team, in history.

Good luck for the future! We will miss you.

[motleyistheonlywear]

Real Madrid International Break Recap

Ws: 2 assists for Luka Modrić and he finally lifted a 1st place trophy with Croatia! (ACUD Egypt Capital Cup > Nations League & World Cup), 2 assists and a cunty return to die Mannschaft for Toni Kroos, 2 goals for baby Endrick, a goal for Rodrygo, Vini MOTM against England, a goal for Bellingham, and Lunin and Ukraine qualify for the Euros

Ls: France injuring Camavinga (yes, I am blaming the French), Dani Carvajal idiotically flapping his mouth about Spain not being a racist country while Vini simultaneously breaks down about the racist abuse he suffers every week

[armchairfootballer]

It’s been a rollercoaster 10 years since James Rodríguez wowed the world

It's been 10 years since James Rodríguez scored *that* goal. Yes, that one. You remember it well, surely.

The setting: Brazil's historic Maracanã stadium. In the 28th minute of their Round of 16 contest against Uruguay, Colombia's Abel Aguilar lobbed a header to James, who played it off his chest and volley-kicked it into the top of his opponents' net, near the corner, well beyond a diving Fernando Muslera. In a post-match summary of the goal, the poetic British commentator Peter Drury declared, "First touch, sumptuous. Second touch, magical. That's not a left foot. That is a wand." Uruguayan defender José María Giménez could do nothing more than stand with his hands on his hips, staring at the net in disbelief.

"My word, this boy's a star!" Drury proclaimed in the moment. James did not disappoint. He added another goal that game, taking his tally to five in the tournament after just four games. He'd add another in a quarterfinal loss to Brazil. Though Colombia would bow out at that point, James would go on to win the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer and, later, the Puskas Award for the year's most beautiful goal.

But it hasn't been a bed of roses for James in the ten years since Rio. Today, on his 33rd birthday, we take a look at the rise, fall, and revival of the Colombian midfielder.

The rising star

James had been building a strong career for himself in advance of the 2014 World Cup with productive seasons at Porto (32 goals in 107 appearances; 6 trophies) followed by a high-profile move to Monaco — a 5-year contract with a €45 million transfer fee. But in a post-World Cup interview, James said the magic words: that it would be his "life's dream" to play for Real Madrid. Ten days later, and with 4 years still left on his contract, James had signed with Carlo Ancelotti's band of superstars, a roster that included the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Kareem Benzema, and Sergio Ramos to name just a few. (Casillas, Pepe, Bale, Marcelo, Navas to name just a few more.)

Things started well at Madrid. Even amidst a team rich in talent, and despite being out for two months with injury, James contributed 17 goals in his first season. But later injuries and diminishing returns in successive seasons meant that James could no longer keep a regular place on the squad. New Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane also didn't seem to favor James' playing style, leading the Colombian to request a loan to Bayern Munich, where we would be reunited with Ancelotti.

Internationally, James was still making waves. At 25, he was named Colombia team captain for the 2016 Copa América, leading them to third place, losing only to eventual winners, Chile.

Fading away

Injuries plagued James for quite some time, keeping him from action for both club and country. After such a dazzling display in 2014, James sat on the bench at the 2018 World Cup and watched as his team went out to England in penalties in the Round of 16.

Despite scoring some key goals to help Bayern Munich win two league titles and a Pokal, James had netted only 15 goals in his 67 appearances with the club, and the owners opted not to pick up the option to purchase him. With no home in Munich or Madrid, he moved to Merseyside for a short stint with Everton (again, reuniting him with Ancelotti).

But failing to impress in England, and with no other clubs willing to take him on, James found himself playing for Qatar's Al Rayyan and didn't contribute much to their mediocre season. The Qatari team let him go just one game into his second season. He moved to Greece where he again lasted only one season after poor results with Olympiacos.

And James wouldn't get to return to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup as Colombia failed to qualify, finishing three points behind Ecuador for the last guaranteed spot. How did the World Cup star fade so fast for James?

Fast forward to summer 2023: James once again finds himself in South America. He now plays for São Paolo in Brazil, 13 years after he had left Argentina's Banfield, where he began built the reputation that catapulted him to European football. A name that had once dominated discussions among pundits — that had been proclaimed as "the next great thing" — had now faded into near oblivion. People weren't talking about James Rodríguez anymore.

Renaissance

After their failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, James expressed uncertainty as to whether he would ever again play for his country. That may have lit a fire under the team and perhaps even under him. Something started to happen...

Colombia started to pile up the wins, or at least had avoided losing. They had racked up victories against Mexico, Germany, and Brazil, among other countries. And before you knew it, they entered Copa América 2024 on a 23-game unbeaten run.

Enter James.

The attacking midfield has been a stalwart for Colombia all tournament and has been one of the keys to their success. In Colombia's five games so far, he has netted one goal and contributed six assists, surpassing Messi's tournament assist record. He's been man of the match for four of Colombia's five games of the tournament so far.

And when Colombia face off against Messi's Argentina in Sunday's final, James will need to play a pivotal role. Will his remarkable revival culminate in extending Colombia's historic unbeaten run and winning their first Copa América since 2001?

In addition to reinvigorating this Colombia team and resurrecting his career, James may also be accomplishing something even more outlandish — he may have some neutrals paying closer attention to him and Colombia than to Messi and Argentina. Colombia has arguably been the Copa's best team. Argentina has yet to come up against substantial competition and have had two victories over Canada.

Meanwhile, Colombia have had already had to battle both Brazil and Uruguay, defeating the latter while down a player for an entire half. The talented superstars of La Albiceleste, the world's #1 ranked team for the last 18 months now, can always dazzle and can outplay any team on their best day. But we've yet to see their best at this tournament, and it's feasible Colombia's passionate, fiery play could be a game-changer.

The bookies may have already made their prediction, but Sunday's eventual outcome is anything but clear. What is clear is that James Rodríguez will have a key role to play in whatever the result.

He's hoping it's a role for the better.

[bookaholic58]

I don't even know what to say, not only did he score 3 goals in 2 matches but he also scored a last-minute winning goal for rma.

[footballfanficwriter]

International Friendly, not so Friendly

Summary:where Kylian is pissed about the game against Germany

"Maman?"

"Oui?"

"Where is papa?"

"Getting ready for his match love, that's why we need to get ready and head to the Stadium to watch him play"

Today is the first International break of the year  that means Kylian is gonna be back to Captaining the team again

"I can't find my shoe Maman"

"Here it is Babe"

"Thank you"

"You're welcome"

"Ok let's go"

Claire and I make our way out of the house and to the Garage where the car is parked

I buckle her up in her seat and we start making our way to the Stadium

When we arrive it's noisy, the sound of French people dominates the stadium, cheering and chanting the player's names as they do their warm ups

As we arrive I spot Kylian and he only notices us after 10 minutes and sends us a wave and a kiss

Claire gigles and kicks her legs that barley touch the ground  in her seat as she watches her father do what he loves

Kylian occasionally sends waves our way and the only thing they are doing is making claire more excited

The game starts a small Volkswagen car comes onto the pitch and Kai Haverts picks it up

The refs blows the whistle and Kai kicks the ball to Tony Kroos who send it to Florian Wirtz who shoots the ball and sends it hitting the back of the net

The German players Celebrate the goal

And the once dominating sound of the French has now stopped the only cheers coming from the German Supporters that only take up a small portion of the Stadium compared to the French that take up most of it

I watch Kylian's reaction and he doesn't look pleased to say the least, turning my head and looking next to me I see the once excited and giddy girl with her mouth open and eyes big, just like her father's in that very moment

"Maman what happened?"

"They scored ma cheri"

"Merde" she says

I turn with my head and looks at her with a shocked expression

"Claire who taught you that word?

"Uncle Ethan"

"I'm gonna kill him"

The game goes on and by the time it's full time Germany have won

Again the Sound of the French has now died down

Partly because some had already left in the 65th Minute when they saw how the game was going to end

The score is 0-2 and understandably all the French players want to get off the pitch as soon as possible

"Maman"

"Oui?"

"Can we go get Papa and go home now"

"Yeah let's go"

We make our way down and wait for Kylian to take his shower

After 30 minutes he comes out and gives Claire and I Hugs

"Ca va Papa?"

"Oui ca va ma cheri, je très bien" he says putting a fake smile on his face

We make our way to the car in silence, Kylian buckles Claire up and I go to the driver's seat and start the engine

The whole car ride home is silent, the tension is thick as hell, I don't want to say anything so I'll just keep quiet and focus on the road

When we get home Kylian gets out of the car, unbuckled Claire and they make their way into the house while I get that bags we went with

I enter the house and walk to Claire's room to leave her bag in her room and as I'm about to walk in i hear Claire and Kylian talking

"Why are you upset Papa?"

"We lost Claire" he says taking out some pajamas from her wardrobe

"But we'll get them next Time right?'

"Mhm, c'mon arms up so we can get you into this shirt"

Claire lifts her arms up and Kylian helps her get into her Pajamas

"Papa?"

"Oui?"

"Did you get hurt?"

"No, my love, I just need to get some ice on my foot it will be fine, c'mon teeth"

They walk to Claire's bathroom and she brushes her teeth

"Whach abut unchle TchTch, ish he gonna be fun?"

"What?"

Claire spits her toothpaste out and says

"I said what about uncle Tchou-Tchou is he gonna be fine?, he looked really hurt during the game"

"I don't know, but I hope he is, we need him for Tuesday's game"

"Yeah"

"Ok Bug, bedtime now, c'mon"

Kylian Carries Claire to her bed and tucks her in

"Bonne nuit papa"

"Bonne nuit ma cherie"

"Je'taime"

"Je t'aime aussi"

He closes her door and finds me standing in the passage

I don't say anything to him but I come in for a hug and he lays his head on my shoulder and sights

"Merde" he says

I slightly chuckle a bit and he looks at me and asks what

"Your daughter said the exact same thing when I told her they scored"

"Where did she learn that from?"

"Ton Fére" ( your Brother)

He laughs and we walk to our room and get ready for bed

The next day I'm woken up with my Daughter barging into the room and her hair all over the place

"Claire, tu veux quoi"( what do you want)

"Je veut mon pere"( I want my father)

"Kylian,  C'est ta Fille, Elle veut toi" I say (you Daughter wants you)

He wakes up and looks at Claire who's stood at the end of the bed

"Hello Bug, what can I help you with?"

"I made something for you" she says using her shy voice

"Ok let's see it"

She hands Kylian the card  she made him filled with a whole lot of glitter

She drew a picture of Kylian kicking a ball and scoring a goal

"I saw how upset you were yesterday so I made you a card to show you that next time you can do it pasque t'es mon pére"(because you're my dad)

Kylian smiles, gives her a hug and kiss on her forehead

"Where did you find the time to make this love?" I ask

"I stayed up all night"

"What Claire?"

"C'mon"

We walk into Claire's room and see papers and glitter everywhere

"Merde alors" I say ( Holy sh*t)

"Mon deiu" Kylian says ( My God)

"Claire, how did this room get like this?"

"I was making Papa's card and I thought if I'm making a card for Papa then Maman will feel left out and she'll feel bad and think I don't love her and don't want you to...

"Breath Honey" I tell her because she was rambling without taking breaths

She takes a deep breath and continues talking

"I don't want you to feel bad or think that I don't love you so I made you a card aswell, here" she says

She walks to one of her drawers and pulls out a blue card

"I made it in your favorite color so you'll like it more"

I take the card and look at the picture that Is drawn

It's a picture of me and Claire

"Aww, amore merci, c'est tres beau" ( love thank you, it's so beautiful)

"De rein Maman" ( you're welcome Mom)

"Now we need to get you to sleep because you're gonna be cranky the whole day if not"

I help her out of her pajamas since they have glitter glue on them and need to be washed, I then give her one of my shirts to wear and the stupid child starts imitating me, making Kylian laugh as he watches Claire being funny

I chuckle and say  "Go sleep in my room Claire"

"Ok, j'taime Maman"

"Je t'aime aussi ma cherie"

She walks to my room and climbs on the bed

"Get the brooms" I tell Kylian

"What why me?"

"It's your fault she did this in the first place"

While we're cleaning the room Kylian speaks up

"You know we're actually lucky to have her as our Daughter"

"Yeah we are, she really is an Angel "

"Well most of the time"

"We've birthed a Comedian"

"That's definitely true, can you imagine how she's gonna be when she's older?"

"Oh God please, don't say that, I can already see it"

He laughs and gets back to sweeping the Glitter the floor

[thommi-tomate]

Interview with Aleks

By: Sky

Aleksandar, you celebrated your national team debut for Germany in the 0-0 draw against Ukraine. How did it feel to wear the DFB jersey?

Outstanding! Also for my family, who were in the stadium with me. The moment I was substituted was really nice. I've always dreamed of it - and now it's finally happened

You could have celebrated your DFB debut back in March, but had to cancel due to tonsillitis. How bitter was that for you?

That was very bitter. I might have to have my tonsils out because I've had tonsillitis two or three times now and it sets me back physically every time. I always have to take antibiotics, rest and then rebuild again - that's really annoying.

When would be the best time for an operation? After the European Championship is before the new season with FC Bayern.

I will probably have to sacrifice my vacation for it. That's more important now. I don't want to get sick again and miss two or three weeks. I'm concentrating on the European Championships for now. I hope to be in the final squad.

Who is your most important contact here in Herzogenaurach?

Thomas Müller. A legend and a super cool guy who always has an open ear for me, coaches me and gives me tips. It's really nice for me that he's there too and coaches me a bit

We've heard that Thomas Müller is particularly good at Mario Kart. Is he really unbeatable there?

I don't play Mario Kart myself, but let's put it this way: he's good at it. (laughs)

What is striking about the pictures from the DFB training camp is that Müller can always be seen with his drink (RDY). Even in the photo with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, he has placed it in a clearly visible position. Have you ever tried it?

Yes, it's good advertising! The drink is probably very healthy, has lots of vitamins and proteins. That's not bad at all. It also has a lot of pox in it here in Herzogenaurach, which has to be stored in the fridge. But I think it's good. (laughs)

Like Müller, you are a Bayern native. Many fans would like you to have the same kind of career with the record champions. Can you imagine that?

Yes, definitely. I'm a big Bayern fan.

How important is Thomas Tuchel to you?

I am very grateful for everything he and his coaching team have done for me. They gave me the chance to show myself. I won't forget that.

Has Tuchel's successor Vincent Kompany called you yet?

Not yet. But I'm looking forward to what's to come. We have to win titles again, that's for sure. We can't have another title-less season.

Did the Leverkusen DFB colleagues give you and the other Bayern stars a few cheeky title slogans?

No, not at all so far. They're all really good guys and you get on well with them. We want to attack again next season and work well as a team. That's the most important thing.

Which youth coach at Bayern are you particularly grateful to?

Danny Galm, my old U19 coach. He relied on me from the very first moment and supported me. I'm very grateful to him for that. I'm still in regular contact with him today.

Is it true that you were on the verge of leaving the Bayern campus several times as a teenager?

No. I never wanted to switch, even though I had difficult times, especially in the U15s. Back then, I was the smallest member of the team - a top football player, but physically weak. I often sat on the bench. But I always wanted to make it at Bayern and not go anywhere else. My motto: give everything, fight, work hard and then everything will turn out the way it has to

Have you always wanted to play in midfield?

I played as a striker on the small pitch. I always scored a lot of goals, I was a goal scorer (laughs). After switching to the big pitch, I was then in midfield and didn't want to leave that position. That's where I feel best.

What role models did you have?

Definitely Toni Kroos. I love the way he plays. But also Bastian Schweinsteiger. In terms of his mentality, but also the way he plays.

How crazy does it feel for you to now be playing with one of your idols in the national team?

That's really amazing. Also that I can now be here with the national team, play with the FC Bayern professionals and gain experience like I did in the Champions League semi-final against Real at the Bernabeu. I'm living my dream and I'm very grateful for everything.

In November 2023, you were still playing for the Bayern amateurs in the Regionalliga Bayern. Do you sometimes still pinch yourself at how quickly it all happened?

I enjoy it and don't mind if it continues in the same way (laughs).

How do you prepare for a game?

I don't have a specific ritual. I always listen to music before the game. But it's also different. I listen to everything. I generally try to relax and just enjoy myself. Being nervous or scared - that doesn't help at all.

If you look at your development so far: Where do you still need to improve?

I definitely want to become more athletic, build up a few more muscles - and improve my play against the ball!

[rubyroses222]

My take on the Jude slander after RMA vs ManCity

8th April 2024

I have seen so many people straight up hating Jude for yesterday’s game, and I just can’t stay silent anymore, so enjoy my little rant.

Playing football, especially on the level of Real Madrid is (apart from skill and mindset) also a lot about building and keeping rhythm. This applies to any team but also to each and every player - Toni Kroos has mentioned this a couple of times already but I’m sure you can find a lot more players talking about this.

So let’s take a look at Judes appearances in 2024:

started the year strong with 5 games (Copa del Rey (1), Supercopa (2) and LaLiga (2))

missed the away game vs UD Las Palmas (27th January) due to a yellow suspension

played three games in LaLiga again

missed three more games due to his ankle injury (LaLiga (2), UCL (1))

played the away game vs Valencia and got THAT red card

missed two more LaLiga games due to the suspension

his first (and last) game before the one vs City was the game against Bilbao last week

-> all in all he played 12 (5 of which were in January) out of 19 games total (not counting international games)

Compared to that the games he missed this season in 2023:

the home game benched against UD Las Palmas (27th Sept)

one game benched vs Braga in the UCL (8th Nov)

one game due to shoulder injury against Valencia (11th Nov)

-> in 2023 he played 21 out of 24 games total (not counting international games)

Yes I expected a better performance from him (and Vini!).

Yes we are Real Madrid and no player stands above the club (if you don’t show up we will hold you accountable for your mistakes).

Yes a player like Jude should be able to compensate a missing rhythm with his talent and skill but he is still very young. Older players like Lukita can rely on 10+ years of playing in the white shirt on the highest level possible, he only needs seconds even when he spends more time on the bench than the pitch. Jude is still learning and has shouldered an unusually huge responsibility in his first season.

Normally our young transfers are give time to adjust at Real, they were/are not guaranteed starters, for example:

Camavinga was mostly used as a sub in 21/22

Rodrygo wasn’t even a regular part of the first squad in 19/20, and was still used as a super sub in 21/22

Vini rarely was part of the starting XI in 19/20

Tchouameni had his fair share of being subbed on/off last season (although less than one would expect)

Brahim was sent away on loan

Arda sadly rarly gets playtime as well etc etc

Jude however has started almost every game, he scored more goals than our two wingers and is carrying Zidanes legendary “5” on the back (while Vini only got Ronaldos Hazards “7” this season, even though Hazard never really played in these last years and Real could’ve reasonably taken the number away from him)

So to all those that are hating on him, that are saying he’s loosing form, he’s overhyped and overrated and I have even heard he apparently “partyed too much”. To the ones that were only praying for his downfall waiting for a bad game - please kindly shut up!

Criticism is good and healthy, but there is no need to slander him like this. It was ONE very bad game and unfortunately it was against ManCity, as long as he shows up next week everythings gonna be fine. Regardless of this he has saved our asses way more than he’s let them down this season. Give him a some time and he’ll come back and be the Judey starboy we all know and love.