German hero hits out at critics

Sochi, June 24: Germany’s match-winner Toni Kroos has criticised former internationals and pundits for putting the boot into the defending champions after their shaky World Cup start. The Real Madrid midfielder told broadcaster ARD after the Sweden game that the team deserved criticism after their disjointed performance in their tournament opener, adding: “Many people would have been happy if we had gone out.”

“Anyone who speaks up, those experts, and anyone who writes about it can feel they have addressed things, but it gives me the feeling that it’s more fun to analyse or talk or write badly of us,” he added.

“I’m not talking about the fans who go to the fan miles (fan zones in Germany),” he said.

By his own admission, Kroos was at fault when he gave the ball away, which led Sweden’s first goal.

Kroos blamed the media for not giving the team enough support in Russia. “We don’t get any help. No one is going to write the title our way, we have to do it ourselves, it has to come from us,” he said.

“We know we have a lot of fans, but we won’t get any more help other than that,” he said.

Reus, who was named man-of-the-match, echoed Kroos’s comments. “I agree with Toni that many in Germany wanted us to go out in the first round. But the game showed that we always believed in ourselves,” said Reus. — AFP

Many people would have been happy if we had gone out. Anyone who speaks up, those experts, can feel they have addressed things, but it gives me the feeling that it’s more fun to analyse or talk or write badly of us. We don’t get any help. No one is going to write the title our way, we have to do it ourselves, it has to come from us.

TONI KROOS