Kroos: If a player has never been booed at Bernabéu, he isn’t truly the top-tier

Toni Kroos addressed Real Madrid's recent ups and downs in his personal podcast, drawing on his own experiences during his time at the club to respond to the phenomenon of booing at the Bernabéu, and emphasized that results, attitude, and unity are essential to overcoming difficult periods.

Regarding Real Madrid's current situation, Toni Kroos offered commentary on the podcast \"Einfach mal Luppen,\" which he co-hosts with his brother Felix Kroos. As a significant figure in the club’s history, Kroos reflected on his time wearing the white jersey, noting that even during what is regarded as the team’s “golden era,” the squad went through tough moments, and he compared those experiences to the current season’s challenges.

During last Saturday’s match, audible boos echoed through the Bernabéu, with some fans directing their frustration toward players like Vinícius and Bellingham. In response, Kroos stated plainly: “If a player has never been booed at the Bernabéu, he isn’t truly a top-level player.” Citing his own experience, he recalled the 1–4 home loss to Ajax in 2019, saying, “I also felt the boos directed at myself.”

However, Kroos also stressed that being booed before the match even begins doesn’t make things any easier: “That doesn’t help you achieve what the club and everyone wants—to win and play well. The current atmosphere isn’t good, but it can only be changed through results, attitude, and performance on the pitch. Everyone has gone through this.”

When asked whether this culture is positive or negative, Kroos replied: “You could say this is just Real Madrid—perhaps not its best side, but it precisely shows what it means to play here and sign for this club. Whether it’s the media or the fans, the pressure always falls hardest on the biggest stars. Those with the biggest names are always the ones chosen to bear everything, whether positive or negative.”

Additionally, Kroos cautioned against overly idealizing the past: “I was also eliminated from the Copa del Rey by a third-division team. We’re still far from everything going smoothly, but even that so-called golden generation went through low points.”