DBasia.news – The failure of Germany national team in the 2018 World Cup won’t stop the 28-year-old midfielder, Toni Kroos, to win the award of German Footballer of the Year in 2018. The Real Madrid player won the competition with Nils Petersen (SC Freiburg) and Naldo (Schalke 04).
VDS or Association Val de Sournia collaborating with Germany media Kicker, gave Kroos 185 from 475 total votes to win the award for the first time. The previous winner was Bayern Munchen legend, Philipp Lahm who is now retiring.
The runner-up is Petersen with 39 votes, followed by Naldo with one less vote to Petersen. Kroos considered the award as an honor because not every player can win it.
“It is and remains a great honor to win Footballer of the Year. This is a not a prize that is easy to win,” Kroos told Kicker.
Kroos won the achievement as he became part of Madrid’s success to get the Champions League title in 3 consecutive years, also UEFA Super Cup, Spain Super Cup, and Interclub World Cup. The Bayern academy alumnus is also considered as one of the world’s greatest midfielders along with his tandem in Real Madrid, Luka Modric.
Meanwhile, in the coach category, Jupp Heynckes was chosen as Germany Best Coach in 2018 with two exceeding votes from the runner-up, Domenico Tedesco from Schalke. Heynckes came last season to replace Carlo Ancelotti who was fired by Bayern. Though came as the successor, Heynckes was successfully presenting the Bundesliga title.
“I’m very pleased to have been voted coach of the year. But I also want to praise those who didn’t vote for me because there are many young coaches in the Bundesliga who deserve this honor as well,” Heynckes added.