BLOOD is thicker than water – until it comes to the Champions League.
Toni Kroos and Real Madrid have begun their quest to become the kings of Europe again and are currently taking on Union Berlin in their opening group match.
Toni Kroos will be looking to down his brother’s team in the Champions LeagueRex
AlamyFelix Kroos, pictured at the Bernabeu, won’t be cheering on his sibling tonight[/caption]
The German midfielder, 33, is only amongst the substitutes for Carlo Ancelotti’s side – despite them being held by the visitors in the first half.
But he has a familiar face on the opposition bench at the Bernabeu – his lesser-known brother.
Felix Kroos, 32, was a footballer himself and played for Union Berlin between 2016 and 2020.
He is now retired after a stint playing for Eintracht Braunschweig and has since returned to Union to start his coaching journey and predominantly works with their U19s.
Felix has been his older brother’s biggest fan throughout his sibling’s legendary career.
And he was even snapped wearing a Madrid shirt while posing alongside Toni with the trophy following Madrid’s 2022 Champions League win.
But there were no doubts about where his loyalties lie going into this clash as he told Union Berlin’s media channels: “I have said a lot of results, but here I’m going for 2-2.
“My family always comes first, but I have a problem because Union is my football family.
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Felix, who retired aged 30 through injury, and Toni both started out at Greifswalder SC and FC Hansa Rostock as youngsters before the former went to Hansa and the latter signed for Bayern Munich.
Toni has since gone on to win the Champions League five times, firstly with Bayern in 2013, before adding another four to his collection since his arrival at Madrid in 2014.
And he played a key role for Germany as they tasted World Cup glory in the same summer he moved to the Bernabeu.