Neither Saudi Arabia nor Business – Toni Kroos Has a New Job, and He’s Great at It

Last summer, Real Madrid fans watched as Toni Kroos made the decision to retire from professional football. He announced it before the end of La Liga so he could say goodbye at the Bernabéu. The Champions League final at Wembley was his last match—going out in style with yet another UCL title.

Since then, there has been much speculation about his future, including a possible return to the pitch. Saudi Arabia tried to lure him with a tempting offer to become their next star signing, but they failed to pull him away from Madrid. After hanging up his boots, he also explored some business ventures.

However, it now seems Kroos has found a new job, and he’s actually pretty good at it. He has recently been seen at the Tres Cantos Cup, where a team of 9- and 10-year-olds from his academy is competing—and they have a very special coach on the sidelines.

The former German midfielder has decided to try his hand at coaching and has become their coach. His game vision and ability to read matches are undeniable. And judging by the images we’ve seen, he also knows how to give clear instructions to his young players.

A Future on the Sidelines? Many See Kroos as a Coach

Kroos has always stood out as a player with a remarkable ability to read the game—always in the right position, anticipating opponents, and delivering perfect passes no one else could see. These are exactly the qualities he can now pass on from the dugout.

Even Carlo Ancelotti predicted three years ago that Kroos had the potential to become a future coach. It seems Toni has taken that seriously—he ended 2024 working on his UEFA B coaching license. While he’s not in a rush, it’s clear that he envisions himself as a coach eventually.

Some fans believe he could even be a perfect fit for the Santiago Bernabéu bench in the future—possibly following in the footsteps of Zidane and maybe even Xabi Alonso. He already showed signs of coaching brilliance on the pitch, and now he’s proving it with the kids in his academy.

Kroos Has No Short-Term Plans to Coach Professionally

While many would love to see Kroos back at Real Madrid, even as a coach at La Fábrica, it doesn’t seem likely in the near future—despite his current coaching efforts. For now, he’s only coaching at his academy and has no immediate plans to go further.

He confirmed this himself a few months ago when asked:

“One of the reasons I retired was because I was a bit tired of traveling and hotel life. As a coach, I’d go back to that lifestyle. You travel a lot, so that’s not my main idea—though never say never.”

So, fans will have to wait a bit longer before seeing Kroos return to Real Madrid—this time wearing a suit instead of a jersey.