Toni Kroos' last moment as a professional was one he's spent a lifetime preparing for. A deep freekick, a tournament on the line, a nation holding its breath. But it wasn't to end in glory, as so many had before. Instead Spain cleared the ball, Kroos bowed his head and knew he would finish a highly-decorated career without a European Championship win.

The German midfielder announced his retirement from all football shortly ahead of the tournament, before winning the Champions League again with Real Madrid. His departure signals the end of a footballing career marked by timing, precision, decisiveness and trophies.

"At the end of the season this chapter comes to an end," the 34-year-old wrote on his Instagram page in May in reference to his decade at Real. "This decision means that my career as an active footballer will end this summer after the Euro championship."

From the moment he became Bayern Munich's then-youngest debutant in 2007 at age 17, immediately laying on two goals for Miroslav Klose, it was clear that Kroos had the potential to make it to the top.

Ultimately, he went on to secure his status as a German great despite spending most of his career in Spain. His three Bundesliga titles and one Champions League triumph with Bayern were followed by four La Liga........

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