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Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde shed light on the moment when the retiring Toni Kroos handed him his No. 8 shirt. The legendary German called time on his club career with the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday (June 1).
Los Blancos made it an occasion to remember by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 t the Wembley to win a record-extending 15th title in the competition. Kroos got the ball rolling by setting up Dani Carvajal's 74th-minute opener with an inch-perfect cross. Jude Bellingham's assist to Vinicius Junior nine minutes later essentially sealed the win.
The win marked Kroos' sixth UEFA Champions League win, fifth with Madrid, making him one of four players to win six titles in the competition. The others are his Los Blancos teammates Carvajal, Nacho Fernandez and Luka Modric.
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Valverde - who didn't have a goal contribution in the big game - spoke about the moment when Kroos handed him his No. 8. The Uruguayan said (as per Madrid Xtra):
"My legs were trembling (when Kroos said I will get the 8). I'm grateful for the time spent with Toni. It's been amazing."
Kroos and Valverde also helped Los Blancos to two other titles - Supercopa Espana and La Liga - during the season.
How Toni Kroos and Fede Valverde fared for Real Madrid in the 2023-24 season?
Fede Valverde and Toni Kroos were key performers in a solid season for Real Madrid. The two midfielders helped Los Blancos to three titles, including their second La Liga-UEFA Champions League double in three years.
In 54 games across competitions, Valverde, 25, contributed three goals and eight assists. Nine of those goal contributions - two goals and seven assists in 37 games - came in Real Madrid's victorious La Liga campaign.
Meanwhile, in his final season in club football, the 34-year-old Kroos bagged a goal and 10 assists in 48 games across competitions. Like Valverde, he also had nine goal contributions - one goal and eight assists - in La Liga.
Both his remaining assists came in the UEFA Champions League - with one of them - as mentioned above - coming in Carlo Ancelotti's side's win over BvB in the final.
