'I'm not going to make it' - Ex-Bayern Munich star was blown away by Toni Kroos in youth academy and admits he was 'a brat' on the field

After guiding Augsburg to a 3-1 win over Freiburg in their Bundesliga opener, coach Sandro Wagner has been in the spotlight. In an interview with Bild, the former striker singled out Kroos as the most talented team-mate of his career. Wagner, who came through the youth ranks at Bayern Munich and later played for clubs across Germany, said the former Real Madrid midfielder stood head and shoulders above the rest.

Kroos rose from Bayern’s youth system to become one of the best midfielders of his generation. After a loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen, he returned to Bayern Munich in 2010 and won his first Champions League with the club in 2013. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, Bayern’s then-CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge rejected Kroos’ demand for a lucrative contract extension, as he did not yet consider the German to be a world-class player.

The midfielder was then sold to Real Madrid, where he built a legendary career, winning 23 major trophies, including five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey, four Supercopa de Espana, five Club World Cups, and four UEFA Super Cups. The 2014 World Cup winner retired last summer, and his absence is still felt in Madrid. 

Meanwhile, Wagner’s career took a different route. The striker played for several Bundesliga clubs, including Hoffenheim and Bayern, before moving to China. He hung up his boots in 2020 and then moved into TV punditry before switching to coaching, eventually being appointed Augsburg’s head coach in May this year.

Speaking to Bild, Wagner heaped high praise on Kroos and revealed that he knew immediately Kroos was on another level when he first saw him at Bayern. 

“When I first saw him at Bayern’s youth team, I thought to myself: that’s it for me, he’s about 800,000 levels better,” the former striker said.

The 37-year-old also reflected on his own career, admitting he often felt more comfortable as a TV expert than as a player. 

“As a pundit I could show myself better than as a player," he said. "When I saw myself on the pitch, I thought: 'What kind of brat is that? Has he lost it? What an arrogant kid!'”

Augsburg now prepare for a tough test as they face Bayern this weekend. Wagner knows his side will need to be at their very best if they want to get anything from the game, but he will hope to keep the momentum going after a strong start to the season.

Additional reporting by David Heermann.