Home/Articles/FC
FC·May 9, 2026 04:37 PM ET

Kroos praises Dembele's bench reaction after Luis Enrique substitution in UCL semi

Kroos says modern dressing rooms have an ego problem.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated May 91 min read
Post on X
FC
Photo

What happened: Toni Kroos told Marca that Luis Enrique substituted Ousmane Dembele, his best player, in the 65th minute of a Champions League semi-final and nobody complained. Kroos noted Dembele exited, shook his coach's hand and sat on the bench cheering his teammates. The retired Real Madrid midfielder framed the moment as a counter-example to modern dressing room ego.

Why it matters: Kroos's comments land as PSG ride momentum into another European final under Luis Enrique, with the manager's man-management drawing fresh praise. The remarks also feed into broader debate about superstar buy-in at elite clubs, a theme Kroos has revisited since retirement. They arrive amid reported Real Madrid chaos including a Tchouameni-Valverde fallout, sharpening the contrast Kroos is drawing.

What to watch: Watch whether Luis Enrique addresses the praise ahead of PSG's next fixture and how Dembele responds publicly. Kroos's wider Marca interview may surface further commentary on dressing-room culture in the coming days.

Sources

More on Real Madrid

CONVERSATION
Loading comments…
SoccerAnalysisParis Saint-GermainReal MadridToni KroosOusmane Dembele
WR Pro
The day's sports, briefed to your inbox at 7am ET. Every claim sourced.
$9/monthFree weekly newsletter →
RELATED STORIES
← Back to Wire Report