European Super League formation backed by Real Madrid star
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has thrown his support behind the formation of a European Super League and says that clubs don't need UEFA.
The idea of a European Super League was first floated in 2021, with the biggest and best sides on the continent revealing plans to breakaway from UEFA competition to form a closed-off rival product.
But after significant protests from fans, particularly from those in England, the clubs involved in the competition withdrew their support - though Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have remained committed to the project as they believe European football is in dire need of financial reform.
Bernd Reichart, the chief executive of A22 Sports - the company behind the European Super League - recently revealed a new ten principle plan aimed at reviving the concept, with as many as 80 teams potentially involved in a merit-based competition.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has already stated he's not opposed to the idea of a European Super League, and Kroos has gone on record to say breaking away from UEFA-led competition may not be such a bad thing after all.
“I think we will see the Super League. And I believe so for several reasons," Kroos said on the Einfach mal Luppen podcast.
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"The idea of the Super League has changed and deserves to be heard. If you look carefully from both angles, you will see that UEFA is by no means a great Samaritan for football fans and that the Super League has no plans, at least in the second attempt, to exclude any team, because there will be no permanent founding members.
"It is a sports competition, an open tournament, but managed by the clubs and not by UEFA, because these clubs believe that they do not need UEFA for that. I think this deserves at least one chance."
Kroos then cited the example of tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal continually going toe-to-toe in Grand Slam finals as evidence of fans enjoying seeing the best compete with one another over and over again.
"Although we have already talked about the loss of passion for football, I believe that the Super League has the opportunity to reverse that situation. Let there be more enthusiasm and emotion for the games that we will be able to see.
"Because in the end, let’s not fool ourselves, many people always say: ‘Who wants to see Real Madrid against Manchester City every week?’ But have you gotten tired of watching Federer against Nadal over and over again? I don’t. That’s my opinion."
Kroos speaks from experience of playing at the highest level for a number of years. He has won the Champions League five times - once with Bayern Munich and four times with Real Madrid - and is one of the most decorated footballers of the modern era.