Perez, 77, is in his second term as president of the La Liga side, having previously served from 2000 to 2006. ..Continue Reading
During his time at the club, he has brought in numerous world-class players, including Ronaldo (40) and Luka Modric (39).
But who does he consider the best of all his recruits?
You might assume it would be Ronaldo, Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer with 451 goals in 438 appearances.
However, Perez, according to Toni Kroos’s agent, has identified Kroos as the club’s ‘transfer of the century’.
“Shortly before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Florentino [Perez] invited me to lunch,” Volker Struth told Philipp Westermeyer’s OMR podcast in 2022.
“He is an incredibly nice person with a great life story. He seems entrepreneurial, but he is still human.
“He explained to me why Toni is Real Madrid’s signing of the century for him. Kroos is unbeatable in terms of value for money.”
Perez’s high regard for the former Germany midfielder is understandable, given that Kroos contributed to 21 trophy wins for Madrid, including four La Liga titles and five Champions League victories during his tenure.
In May 2024, Kroos declared his intention to retire after Euro 2024, with his final club appearance being Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley.
In a club statement after Kroos announced he would be hanging up his boots, Perez said: “Toni Kroos is one of the greatest players in the history of Real Madrid, and this club is and always will be his home.”
According to Telegrafi, the 77-year-old tried to change the midfielder’s mind.
“We offered him a contract renewal, but it’s clear he wanted to retire at his peak,” said the Madrid president.
“He did what he wanted to do, he leaves as a legend and we will always remember him as one of the greatest in the world.”
