Toni Kroos replies to being named one of the worst players at the World Cup, over a year after international retirement

Toni Kroos has replied after being named as one of the World Cup's most disappointing players, even though he hasn't played international football since Euro 2020.

Last time Germany played a knockout game in a World Cup, Philipp Lahm played, as they defeated Argentina in the final of the 2014 tournament, and retired soon after.

The former Bayern Munich star hasn't missed a single knockout game since, with Germany only competing in six group games across the following two tournaments.

In 2018 they succumbed to the curse of the champions when they were knocked out, and last month in Qatar they had no one to blame but themselves.

They were knocked out because of their shock defeat to Japan in the opening game and then a draw with Spain, victory over Costa Rica in the final group game couldn't save them.

That was because Japan also beat Spain, with some help with a rather contentious decision about the ball going over the line.

One person that definitely wasn't to blame was Kroos, with the Real Madrid midfielder deciding to call it a day on international football in July 2021, after England had knocked Germany out of the last 16 of that summers Euros.

However, on El Chiringuito TV, journalist Cristina Cubero named Kroos as one of the most disappointing players at the World Cup.

Fortunately, he saw the funny side, replying, "I knew someone was going to blame."

In fairness, it's not like the Real star did much in Qatar, you'd have barely been able to pick him out of the Germany team during the games.

He wasn't the only player from Los Blancos that Cubero turned her attention to, with Vinicius Junior the other player who she felt disappointed.

Brazil in general were one of the biggest disappointments at the tournament, being knocked out in the quarter-finals despite being the favourites to win the whole thing.

Vinicius did end the tournament with two assists for his teammates but the most noteworthy thing that happened to him was at a press conference.

Indeed it was him who was at the table answering questions when Brazil's press officer decided to get rid of a cat that had sat itself down.

His brutal treatment of the feline, throwing it off the stage, did not go down too well at all.

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