Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos was pictured not wearing a commemorate shirt with Arabic inscription as he and his team-mates celebrated winning the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh on Sunday.
Kroos started the 4-1 win over their bitter rivals in midfield, playing 81 minutes before being substituted for Luka Modric – and was seen enjoying yet another piece of silverware after the game as he and his team-mates soaked up the glory on the pitch.
But the German player was pictured in a group shot with his fellow Real Madrid players – who were wearing a special shirt that had the words ‘campeones’ written at the top, then Arabic writing at the bottom. Kroos instead wore a regular shirt – as reported by El Desmarque.
Kroos has come under fire from Saudi fans in the last week after controversial comments suggesting high profile players prioritise money when moving to the Middle East country.
He famously labelled Gabri Veiga’s decision to join Al-Ahli ’embarrassing’ after the former Celta Vigo midfielder, 21, had previously been linked with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Napoli.
Toni Kroos was pictured not wearing a commemorate Real Madrid shirt with an Arabic inscription after their Spanish Super Cup win over Barcelona
Los Blancos were celebrating a huge 4-1 victory over their bitter rivals in Riyadh
It came after Kroos (left) was booed by Saudi fans during Real Madrid’s 5-3 Spanish Super Cup semi-final win over Atletico – after claiming players only play in the country for the money
The German also told Sports Illustrated: ‘It’s been said that they play ambitious football there, but it’s all about the money. In the end, it’s a decision for the money and against football.
‘That’s when it starts to become difficult for the football we all know and love.
‘Everyone has to make that decision for themselves, like Cristiano Ronaldo, who decided to do it towards the end of his career.
‘But it becomes very difficult when players, who are in the middle of their career and have the quality to play for the best clubs in Europe, decide to make those changes’.
Kroos then received jeers from Saudi fans when he came off the bench during Madrid’s 5-3 win over rivals Atletico Madrid in the semi-final, with the player then booed for every time he touched the ball.
The German was also jeered by fans in the final against Barcelona following his comments
The 34-year-old sarcastically wrote ‘amazing crowd’ in a social media post after the game following the jeers, which his boss Carlo Ancelotti said he didn’t understand.
Despite the reception his teammate received, Dani Carvajal praised the supporters and the atmosphere at the Al-Awwal Stadium.
‘The truth is that the fans have been excellent,’ the defender said. ‘It has been a spectacular atmosphere. A more soccer atmosphere’.
Kroos – who was reportedly also booed in the final against Barcelona, was jeered by fans because they feel he insulted the country’, the Blancos KSA fan group told Marca.
‘The Toni kroos issue is quite controversial here because people think he has insulted the country. Here they are very proud of their culture and their country… and it has been understood that he is insulting their honor.’
The Supercopa de Espana has been held in Saudi Arabia in four of the past five seasons, with only the Covid-19 pandemic forcing it to be held in Spain during the 2020-21 campaign.