'When I Retire, I'll Say I Coached Him,' Zidane Hails 'Extraordinary' Real Madrid Midfielder

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has termed Toni Kroos "extraordinary" saying he has been honored to coach the German midfielder.

Kroos, who was all set to leave Bayern Munich in 2014 after spending seven years at the Bundesliga side, initially had agreed to a deal with Manchester United that was then managed by David Moyes. But Moyes was fired and the new manager, Louis van Gaal, was against the signing of Kroos. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, then-Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti contacted Kroos, who eventually moved to Santiago Bernabeu on a six-year deal.

Over the last six seasons, Kroos has helped Real Madrid clinch many victories, including two La Liga trophies and three back-to-back Champions League titles.

Zidane has managed Kroos since 2016, across two different spells, and the French manager is certain Kroos will go down as one of the greatest players in soccer.

In a conversation with Real Madrid's French publication Real France, Zidane has praised Kroos.

"He will be remembered as a spectacular player, one of the best in the world in his position. When I arrived, well, you can imagine, I was really happy to be his coach. It's true when I retire I will be able to say that I trained Cristiano [Ronaldo], [Gareth] Bale, [Luka] Modric, [Sergio] Ramos. But I will also say I coached Toni Kroos. It is impressive to see him train every day. How professional [he is]. Talking about him is talking about someone extraordinary," added Zidane in the interview.

Pointing out Kroos’ qualities that make him stand out among other players, Zidane praised the player for being patient and composed.

"He is so good that he could play as a six or even as a 10. You put him in and he adapts. His main virtue is his serenity, he's calm. He's not nervous and loves reaching out to shoot from distance as much as making a back pass. The ease with which he plays with both feet is fascinating to me. You could come to think that he's a naturally left-footed player," Zidane said further in the same interview.

Zidane, who played professional soccer for nearly two decades, represented Los Blancos before calling it quits in 2006. He played for the La Liga side for five years, where he scored 49 goals and won several trophies.

Adding further about Kroos, Zidane said that the 30-year-old is very quiet and reserved but he can speak to anyone: his coach, manager and teammates. "He does not stop. I have seen many discussions in which his participation has ended up being key," added Zidane.