Toni Kroos returns to bring joy to Germany

With a World Cup title and multiple Bundesliga, La Liga and Champions League titles, Toni Kroos is one of the most decorated players of all time. The 34-year-old has returned to action for Germany and made a quick impact.

If you watch football regularly, you know Germany has had difficult endings in recent years: from tournaments, from coaches and from a group of players who won the 2014 World Cup. But the return of one of Toni Kroos' players is one of the signs of renewed hope for the Euro 2024 hosts.

Kroos returned to the Germany squad three years after retiring from international competition and when Germany were knocked out of England at Euro 2020 (which took place in 2021). His impact was immediately delivering a trademark long pass from the start of the game, from which Florian Wirtz scored the fastest international goal ever for Germany after seven seconds in a 2-0 win over France.

The Real Madrid midfielder said after the game: "It was planned. We can be very pleased. We have taken a nice and important step forward. It's a chance to have fun going into the European Championships."

It's been a long time since the German team has had such a euphoric feeling. Julian Nagelsmann took over as coach last September after a string of slumping results saw Hansi Flick sacked less than two years after succeeding long-term boss Joachim Lw.

The World Cup-winning coach tried to get back on his own with the players, restoring Thomas Mller and Mats Hummels ahead of Euro 2020, only to see his team perform poorly. Even in the early days, Nagelsmann's work with Kroos seems to have paid off.

Nagelsmann said after the game: "Toni Kroos is incredible. He sets the pace and works extremely hard. He gave the other players a lot of confidence."

While Kroos has seen it all before, this match also has important implications for several other German players still trying to make their mark, to varying degrees, ahead of their Euro 2024 opener against Scotland on June 14 in Munich.

Impressive debut

Maxi Mittelstdt impressed as one of only three debutants who were all 27 and all played for Stuttgart, while Wirtz and Kai Havertz, current and former Bayer Leverkusen prodigies, scored and both hit at the right time.

Kroos said of the problematic left-back newcomer: "When I saw Maxi Mittelstdt, how calmly he played in his first international game, it was really remarkable.

For Havertz, who has also scored in the last 4 Premier League live football matches for Arsenal, this match marks a change of mood after mixed results as Germany prepare for the Euros with a series of friendlies.

For a while, those roles in the German team were somewhat unclear. Nagelsmann, Flick and even Lw had to take chances with a pool of talent less than those who came before them.

The offensive trio gives a glimpse into the future

But with Bayern Munich's Wirtz, Havertz and Jamal Musiala providing a young, talented and in-form trio at the top of the pitch and Kroos adding his calm and rhythmic presence in midfield, there are early signs that things are starting to settle down.

Rudi Vller, sporting director of the German Football Association (DFB), said: "It was one of the best games we've played in recent years. This victory was well deserved. We were confident in the second half. The return of Toni Kroos is important, he's done incredible things from the start."

While this is a quick start to a fresh start in every way against France, Kroos and Nagelsmann will know that it will only make sense if maintained.

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