Toni Kroos takes first step toward becoming a coach with Real Madrid on alert

Toni Kroos has taken a firm step toward returning to professional football, but this time away from the pitch. The former Real Madrid midfielder, who retired just two years ago after winning the Champions League with the Spanish club, has informed the RFEF of his intention to enrol in the professional football coaching course next season.

The move puts the German on track for a new career in management and reopens a scenario that already gathered momentum at the Bernabéu: a potential return to Real Madrid, this time as a coach.

• Toni Kroos plans to start the coaching course next season.
• He would earn the ‘A’ Coaching Licence, valid for any team and any category.
• Real Madrid are closely monitoring the German’s next steps.
• Florentino Pérez already considered bringing him back last season.
• Since retiring, Kroos has focused on his youth football academy.

Kroos applies for the RFEF coaching course

The former Germany international has officially told the Spanish Football Federation that he wants to take the coaching course next season. Once completed, he would obtain the ‘A’ Coaching Licence, a qualification that would allow him to manage any team in any category of Spanish football.

It is his first formal step as a coach, a path many elite former players follow to speed up their return to the dugout. Kroos, now 35, left football at the very top: European champion with Real Madrid at Wembley in 2024.

Real Madrid keep tabs on Kroos’ coaching future

Last season, when the team went through an inconsistent spell, talk of a possible Kroos return grew louder. Florentino Pérez saw the midfielder as a key piece to lift the squad, although that move never materialised.

Now the landscape is different. With Kroos starting his coaching education, Real Madrid are said to be following every move the German makes. The prospect of Pérez calling him again, this time to take over the bench, is becoming a serious medium-term option.

From Champions League glory to the academy: Kroos’ life after retiring

Since hanging up his boots, Kroos has devoted himself exclusively to his football academy, a project designed to pass on his understanding of the game to young players. For two years he has been away from the daily demands of professional football, but not from coaching or player development.

That teaching experience with children and teenagers is the starting point for a more ambitious project. His goal is to take all that knowledge to another level as a qualified coach, and the first step is the ‘A’ Licence he could earn next season.

What the ‘A’ Licence means for a former player like Kroos

The ‘A’ Coaching Licence carries significant weight in Spanish football. It allows coaches to manage teams across all categories, from grassroots to professional sides, and is essential for sitting on the bench in the top flight.

For Kroos, used to reading games from midfield, this formal step brings him closer to a future in which his figure could be decisive from the touchline. His record at Real Madrid, with five Champions League titles and an impeccable career, makes him a natural candidate for the club when he decides to make the leap.

Pérez’s plan and the open door at the Bernabéu

The bond between Kroos and Real Madrid was always special. His farewell in 2024, after winning the club’s fifteenth European Cup, left a void in midfield that was hard to fill. Now, with the German starting his coaching career, the club is paying close attention.

Florentino Pérez already showed his interest last season, and there is every indication he could resume contact in the future. A Kroos return to the Bernabéu, this time as a manager, is a story gaining strength with every move the German makes.