Off the Crossbar: Former Bayern Munich star Toni Kroos to blame for Germany’s woes in Qatar

Germany’s woes at the 2022 World Cup have been well documented from the get go. Now as we reflect back on the tournament, Spanish media has pointed out a new scapegoat for fans of the German national team — former Bayern Munich and current Real Madrid star, Toni Kroos.

In the Spanish television program El Chingiuto, guest reporter Cristina Cubero was asked to name the players at the World Cup who had disappointing performances and let their teams down. Among the players named was Toni Kroos. However, Kroos was not at the World Cup, having retired from national team duty last season after the European Championships.

Some could argue that Kroos could have been helpful for Hansi Flick’s side in Qatar, but to say that he had a disappointing performance from his sofa back home is a bit comical. Kroos responded on Twitter, “I knew that someone would put the blame on me.”

Perhaps the Spanish journalist just has a vendetta against Real Madrid players, as Vinicius Junior also made Cubero’s list of disappointments. This choice is also a bit odd, as Vinicius Junior scored a goal and assited two as he helped Brazil reach the quarterfinals — not to mention the fact that he was actually in Qatar.