Toni Kroos received an emotional tribute from his wife while his birthplace of Greifswald plans to honour its famous son after his glittering career ended with Germany's 2-1 defeat against Spain in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
"You are our hero and I thank you that you took me along on this journey and that I can be your wife," Jessica Kroos said on Instagram.
"We are really looking forward to having you spend more time with us but we will also miss you a lot on the pitch," the mother of four said.
"Unfortunately, you can't see the pride in your kids' eyes in the stands when you're on the pitch, but you can imagine they're almost bursting with pride, and so am I."
Kroos, 34, announced in May that he would end his trophy-laden career after the Euros. He played his last Real Madrid match in the successful Champions League final on June 1 before his international career ended on Friday.
"We discussed almost daily for many months when the time was right to stop. To stop the centre of our lives - football," Jessica Kroos said.
"There is no one, right time. Everyone can only find and choose the right time for themselves. And you did. Just like you almost always make the right decisions in football."
She added that he finally got the recognition he deserved in Germany at the Euros which she said was "long overdue."
Kroos was more popular in Madrid where he played for a decade after being at Bayern Munich where he arrived as a teenager from Hansa Rostock not far away from his birth town of Greifswald.
The Greifswald town hall has asked locals to come to a square on Monday in white or pink national team shirts and form the name Toni.
A statement said that Kroos "has not only won the hearts of many fans with his outstanding performances on the pitch" but that "his commitment off the pitch and his social engagement also make him a role model for many people."