Kroos celebrated by fans for freaking out after Champions League victory: ZDF reacts

Real Madrid were crowned Champions League winners on Saturday night. But the 1-0 triumph over Liverpool FC wasn’t the only memorable event of the evening: The TV interview between midfield star Toni Kroos and ZDF reporter Nils Kaben will also be remembered by many fans.

The five-time Champions League winner apparently found some of the journalist’s questions so inappropriate that he taunted them with a tirade and withdrew in frustration.

Toni Kroos breaks off the title interview

The winner’s interview on the pitch began quite harmlessly at first: Toni Kroos celebrated his newly won title and was happy that his whole family was there live in the stadium to celebrate his success. “I can’t describe how beautiful it is,” enthused the 32-year-old.

The mood changed when Nils Kaben noticed that the victory was not so self-evident given the course of the game – after all, Liverpool appeared to have the upper hand early in the final. “Pff, what does not mean, of course? We won, that’s it!” Commented Kroos.

Football star rages: “So shitty questions”

But the ZDF reporter continued: “Was it surprising for you that Real Madrid got into a lot of trouble?” This question completely broke the camel’s back: “You had 90 minutes to think of sensible questions, honestly. And then you ask me two shitty questions”the football star raged before he broke off the interview and hissed cursingly.

“Really bad. Really bad, really,” said Kroos in the direction of the confused reporter as he passed the ZDF camera again. “You first ask three negative questions. Then you already know that you come from Germany.”

The ZDF reporter Nils Kaben himself said in an interview with the magazine “Bild” that he regretted how the interview went and that he was very sorry. He insisted it was a stupid situation for him and Kroos – it should not have been his intention to provoke the soccer star.

Toni Kroos also said, according to the dpa: “I don’t demand more respect. After winning the Champions League final, I only expected more positive questions.”

Encouragement from the fans

The football star is celebrated online for his abusive behavior. “Sad but true, our society of envy and resentment is reflected in this interview…Thank you Toni for your reaction”a fan expressed solidarity with the midfielder on Twitter.

“You win the Champions League final and in the interview you are told that the opposing team was obviously better. Why do you say something like that? Kroos is rightly angry,” wrote one Twitter user.

ZDF sports director: “No reason to cancel the interview”

From other quarters, however, Kroos was also sharply criticized for his freak out. “Criticism undesirable because it’s a nice moment. I can still understand that he doesn’t feel like it, but the two questions were just normal questions,” a Twitter user defended the field reporter. “Not even overly critical. Just normal.”

There was also encouragement from ZDF sports director Thomas Fuhrmann: “These situations right after the final whistle are always special. Perhaps the colleague should have stayed with the emotions a little longer and got to the core of the game a little later“He told “Bild”. “Basically, the questions were legitimate and no reason to break off the interview.”

(fw)