Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has apologised for setting a bad example after he unleashed a furious tirade at the referee against Elche in the Copa del Rey.
Kroos, 32, was left reeling after he picked up a yellow card for what he believed was a 'ghost tackle' on Elche's Tete Morente
Replays confirmed that Kroos was nowhere near Morente when the Elche player went to ground but as he vehemently protested his innocence with the official, he was shown a yellow card for dissent.
Having had time to reflect on the incident, Kroos, who still doesn't agree with the booking, accepts that he is performing poorly as a 'role model' to the next generation of footballers.
'In times of high emotion it's hard to stay calm sometimes,' Kroos said in a video released on his Toni Kroos Academy app.
'You may have seen this situation at the weekend where I received a yellow card that I didn't fully agree with.
'I think it's okay to argue with referees or other players if you don't agree with a decision, but I strongly believe it's important to act respectfully on the pitch, especially to be a good role model for our children, we have to remember who is watching us.'
It strikes a different tone to what Kroos posted on Twitter on January 20 when he wrote, 'yellow card. Of course.'
Kroos is determined to help young and aspiring players and it is telling that he has offered up his thoughts on the incident on his new app.
The German midfielder provides lessons on football to those signed up to the app.
In the Elche cup game where red mist descended on the German, before he was substituted on the stroke of extra-time, it didn't prove too costly.
While Carlo Ancelotti's men were held to a 0-0 draw, forcing an additional 30-minute period, they struck twice to win it.
Real Madrid fell behind just before half-time in the extra-time period as substitute Gonzalo Verdu put Elche into a shock-lead, just moments after Real defender Marcelo was sent off for a red card.
But Ancelotti's men were able to turn the tide in the second 15-minute period as Isco fired in an equaliser, before Eden Hazard netted a breakaway goal seven minutes later to complete the comeback.
Real are now through to the quarter-final stage of Spanish football's most prestigious domestic up, with Ancelotti's side now heavy favourites to claim the trophy.