Toni Kroos responds to Davide Ancelotti’s praise with a simple Instagram gesture

Toni Kroos has responded to Davide Ancelotti’s glowing assessment of his influence at Real Madrid by sharing the comments on Instagram and adding a heart emoji.

Although Kroos has stepped away from football and the spotlight since retiring, the former Germany midfielder remains a significant figure in Real Madrid’s history after an outstanding spell with the club.

His impact was highlighted by Davide Ancelotti, the son of Real Madrid’s former manager Carlo Ancelotti, who described Kroos as one of the most influential players in his experience at the Spanish club.

Speaking to Spanish newspaper AS, Davide Ancelotti said: “He was the master of the game. What a wonderful description!”

He went on to explain the qualities that made Kroos so important to the team.

“He controlled the rhythm of the match and played in the way he wanted,” he said. “He was a pivotal player, and then he would move forward. Toni covered around 11 kilometres in each match and also carried out his defensive duties.”

Davide Ancelotti added that he particularly liked seeing Kroos operate as a defensive midfielder, even though the German preferred to take on more advanced responsibilities in midfield.

“I loved him when he played as a defensive midfielder,” he said. “It is true that he preferred to play as an attacking midfielder, but he left the difficult tasks to the defensive midfielder, whoever that player was, whether it was Eduardo Camavinga or Casemiro.”

Kroos evidently appreciated the comments. After the interview attracted his attention, he shared the extract through his official Instagram account and responded only with a heart symbol.

The brief reaction conveyed his appreciation of Davide Ancelotti’s words and his approval of the description of his role on the pitch.

Davide Ancelotti also spoke about the difficulty Real Madrid faced when Kroos left the club, saying the midfielder’s absence had a clear effect on the team’s dynamics.

“For Real Madrid’s dynamics, his departure was extremely difficult,” he said.

Kroos was one of the outstanding midfielders in Real Madrid’s history and played a central role in the successes achieved during Carlo Ancelotti’s time in charge. He ended his playing career having left a legacy the club will find difficult to replace.

Davide Ancelotti, who has turned 37, is now beginning a new stage in coaching with French club Lille. He gained extensive experience while working alongside his father at Real Madrid and is now attempting to establish his own identity and career away from the shadow of Carlo Ancelotti’s achievements.