Toni Kroos opens door to Real Madrid return as ex-midfielder says he is 'simply too close' to Champions League winners

The German hero hung up his boots earlier this year, bringing the curtain down on a glittering, trophy-laden career. Just a matter of months on from leaving Madrid, the 34-year-old has spoken about returning to Los Blancos in some capacity one day - while admitting his relationship with the club is "simply too close".

He said on his Einfach mal luppen podcast: ”The importance of Real Madrid will always be the same for me. It was a very long, great, successful and also affectionate stage. That will always remain, I will always feel close to Real Madrid, there is no doubt about that. And I will always defend Real Madrid, I will always be on their side. That will not change, the relationship is simply too close.

“Putting myself publicly in the Real environment is something that I would say is not a relevant issue for me at the moment. For now I would say: no, no matter how closely linked I am to the club. But I am not saying that I will never again in my entire life do something with Real or have anything to do with the club, I would not rule that out, of course. In what role, that will be seen; perhaps I will know better when a few years have passed since the end of my career, in what direction I could imagine something or not, and whether the club can also imagine it or not. But I do not rule out that at some point I may be seen again in some role at Real."

Kroos won practically everything a player could win in football over the course of his many years in the sport. He played for Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and Madrid - winning a hatful of trophies along the way - and lifted the 2014 World Cup with his country. After what he did at Madrid, he will likely be welcomed back with open arms.

Kroos, who admitted his wife Jessica was relieved he was retiring, did stress that he is "really busy" at present.

He added: "Anyway, right now I am really busy, completely committed to the projects I have and those I am working on, so I would not currently add anything more. But, as I already said: given my closeness to Real and my relationship with the club, I would never rule out doing something at Real at some point in the future."