Toni Kroos breaks off the ZDF interview annoyed

Germany’s Toni Kroos beat Liverpool 1-0 with Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday night. It is the fifth triumph for Kroos. And he catches up with record holder Cristiano Ronaldo. Accordingly, Kroos is in a good mood after the game. But that doesn’t stay that way for long.

After the win, Kroos answered questions from ZDF reporter Nils Kaben. The interview usually begins. “Congratulations,” says Kaben. And Kroos raves about how special this title is because all his children have been in the stadium for the first time. Then the mood changes.

Kaben asks if the win was so special because it wasn’t so obvious as far as the course of the game was concerned. Kroos reacts annoyed: “What does not mean, of course? We won. Finished.” Kaben digs deeper: “Was it surprising for you that Real Madrid got into a lot of trouble?” It’s one negative question too many for Kroos.

“You’ve had 90 minutes to think, and then you ask me two shitty questions like that? That’s crazy, »he says and then answers the question: «We’re not playing in the group stage, that’s the Champions League final – of course you’ll get into trouble against Liverpool.» But before Kaben can finish the next question about the knockout round, Kroos breaks off the interview.

The ZDF camera pans away, but Kroos can still be heard from the off: “You first ask three negative questions, then you already know that you come from Germany.” And further: “Really, really bad – really.”

It’s not the first time Kroos has openly criticized the media. Last September, for example, he complained in an interview with the “t-online.de” portal about the “great sensationalism” in sports reporting.

Reporter Kaben has been working for ZDF since 1991. But he has probably never received as much attention as for this interview before. The 54-year-old remains calm on Saturday evening and comments on Kroos’ reaction with the words: “Now he eats away.”