{{Short description|German footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Felix Kroos | image = Felix Kroos Champions for Charity 2022 (cropped).jpg | caption = Kroos in 2022 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|3|12}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Germany – F. Kroos – Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/felix-kroos/68180/ |website=uk.soccerway.com |access-date=21 December 2019}}</ref> | birth_place = Greifswald, Germany | height = 1.84 m | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Union Berlin (U-19 assistant) | youthyears1 = 1997–2002 | youthclubs1 = Greifswalder SV | youthyears2 = 2002–2008 | youthclubs2 = Hansa Rostock | years1 = 2008–2010 | clubs1 = Hansa Rostock II | caps1 = 25 | goals1 = 4 | years2 = 2009–2010 | clubs2 = Hansa Rostock | caps2 = 27 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2010–2013 | clubs3 = Werder Bremen II | caps3 = 66 | goals3 = 11 | years4 = 2010–2016 | clubs4 = Werder Bremen | caps4 = 65 | goals4 = 1 | years5 = 2016 | clubs5 = → Union Berlin (loan) | caps5 = 12 | goals5 = 2 | years6 = 2016–2020 | clubs6 = Union Berlin | caps6 = 98 | goals6 = 5 | years7 = 2020–2021 | clubs7 = Eintracht Braunschweig | caps7 = 32 | goals7 = 2 | totalcaps = 325 | totalgoals = 25 | nationalyears1 = 2006–2007 | nationalteam1 = Germany U16 | nationalcaps1 = 8 | nationalgoals1 = 6 | nationalyears2 = 2007–2008 | nationalteam2 = Germany U17 | nationalcaps2 = 10 | nationalgoals2 = 6 | nationalyears3 = 2008–2009 | nationalteam3 = Germany U18 | nationalcaps3 = 10 | nationalgoals3 = 6 | nationalyears4 = 2009 | nationalteam4 = Germany U19 | nationalcaps4 = 6 | nationalgoals4 = 2 | nationalyears5 = 2011 | nationalteam5 = Germany U21 | nationalcaps5 = 1 | nationalgoals5 = 0 | manageryears1 = 2021– | managerclubs1 = Union Berlin (U-19 assistant) }}
'''Felix Kroos''' (born 12 March 1991) is a German former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He played for Hansa Rostock, Werder Bremen, Union Berlin, and Eintracht Braunschweig and represented Germany at international levels U16 through U21.
==Early and personal life== Kroos was born in Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; he was born five months after German reunification in what was once East Germany. His mother Britta was the East German champion in badminton, and his father Roland was a former footballer. His older brother Toni Kroos was also a footballer and midfielder, spending most of his career with FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid and winning honours including the 2014 FIFA World Cup.<ref>{{cite news |title=The beast from East Germany |url=https://www.marca.com/2014/07/17/en/football/real_madrid/1405616176.html |access-date=15 July 2024 |work=Marca |date=17 July 2014}}</ref>
==Club career==
===Early career=== Kroos began his career in 1997 at Greifswalder SC and was in summer 2002 scouted by Hansa Rostock.<ref name="werder">{{cite web|title=New acquisition: Felix Kroos transfers to Werder|url=http://www.werder.de/en/aktuell/news/09950.php|publisher=Werder Bremen|access-date=13 September 2015|date=15 June 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810163127/http://www.werder.de/en/aktuell/news/09950.php|archive-date=10 August 2014}}</ref> Kroos played for Hansa Rostock II for two seasons.<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches">{{cite web|title=Felix Kroos » Club matches|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe111528/felix-kroos/club-matches/|publisher=World Football|access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref> Kroos made his professional debut in a third round German Cup match for Hansa Rostock against VfL Wolfsburg on 28 January 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kicker.de/wolfsburg-gegen-rostock-2009-dfb-pokal-865829/analyse|title="Wölfe" zeigen erst spät Biss|work=Kicker|date=28 January 2009|access-date=29 September 2017}}</ref> He was substituted on in the 69th minute for Sebastian Svärd. Two days prior to the relegation of Hansa Rostock, Kroos announced his departure from the club.
===Werder Bremen=== Kroos signed a three-year contract for Werder Bremen on 15 June 2010.<ref name="werder"/> On 24 November 2010, he made his first-team debut during an away UEFA Champions League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur during which he gave away a penalty for a foul on Luka Modrić in a 3–0 loss.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/9219545.stm | work=BBC News | title=Tottenham 3–0 Werder Bremen | date=24 November 2010 | access-date = 12 September 2011 | first = Phil | last = McNulty}}</ref> He finished the 2010–11 season with six matches played.<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> He played in one match during the 2011–12.<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> He made five appearances during the 2012–13 season.<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> On 9 November 2013, he scored his first Bundesliga goal against Schalke 04 in an away match, which ended as a 3–1 defeat for Bremen.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/11/09/germany/bundesliga/fc-schalke-04/sv-werder-bremen/1487124/?ICID=PL_MS_04 | title=Schalke 3–1 Werder Bremen | date=9 November 2013 | access-date = 9 November 2013 }}</ref> He finished the 2013–14 season with a goal in 20 matches played.<ref name="2013–14 season">{{cite web|title=Felix Kroos|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2013-14/41709/vereinsspieler_felix-kroos.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815195507/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2013-14/41709/vereinsspieler_felix-kroos.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 August 2013|website=Kicker|publisher=kicker|access-date=5 August 2015|language=de}}</ref> He finished the 2014–15 season with 29 matches played.<ref name="2014–15 season">{{cite web|title=Felix Kroos|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2014-15/41709/vereinsspieler_felix-kroos.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909215016/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2014-15/41709/vereinsspieler_felix-kroos.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 September 2014|website=Kicker|publisher=kicker|access-date=5 August 2015|language=de}}</ref> During the 2015–16 season, Kroos made nine appearances before moving to Union Berlin.<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/>
===Union Berlin=== Kroos was loaned out to Union Berlin on 28 January 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kroos wechselt auf Leihbasis zu Union Berlin|trans-title=Kroos changes on loan to Union Berlin|language=de|date=28 January 2016|access-date=28 January 2016|publisher=SV Werder Bremen|url=http://www.werder.de/de/profis/news/57852.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128165345/http://www.werder.de/de/profis/news/57852.php|archive-date=28 January 2016}}</ref> He joined the club permanently in June, reportedly for a transfer fee of €500,000 and a 20% share of a potential future transfer fee.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Klemm|first1=Hans-Günter|title=Werder verkauft Kroos an Union|url=https://www.kicker.de/werder-verkauft-kroos-an-union-653623/artikel|access-date=10 June 2016|work=Kicker Online|date=10 June 2016|language=de}}</ref> He finished the 2015–16 season with two goals in 12 matches played for Union Berlin.<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/>
He scored his first goal for Union Berlin on 12 February 2017 in a 3–1 win over Arminia Bielefeld in the 2. Bundesliga, with a free kick.<ref>{{cite news|title=Polter macht alles klar für Union|trans-title=Polter makes everything clear for Union|language=de|publisher=Kicker|url=https://www.kicker.de/union-gegen-bielefeld-2017-bundesliga-3317726/analyse}}</ref> He finished the 2016–17 season with two goals in 31 matches played.<ref name="2016–17 season">{{cite web |title=Felix Kroos |url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2016-17/41709/vereinsspieler_felix-kroos.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619012650/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2016-17/41709/vereinsspieler_felix-kroos.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 June 2018 |website=Kicker |publisher=kicker |access-date=18 June 2018 |language=de}}</ref>
He finished the 2017–18 season with a goal in 30 matches played.<ref name="2017–18 season">{{cite web |title=Felix Kroos |url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2017-18/41709/vereinsspieler_felix-kroos.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618230623/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/2017-18/41709/vereinsspieler_felix-kroos.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 June 2018 |website=Kicker |publisher=kicker |access-date=18 June 2018 |language=de}}</ref>
===Eintracht Braunschweig=== In September 2020, after his contract with Union Berlin expired, Kroos moved to 2. Bundesliga side Eintracht Braunschweig on a two-year contract.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kroos verlässt Union in Richtung Braunschweig |url=https://www.kicker.de/kroos_verlaesst_union_in_richtung_braunschweig-783573/artikel |website=kicker |access-date=4 September 2020 |language=de |date=4 September 2020}}</ref> He retired from playing in July 2021.<ref name="retirement">{{cite web |title="13 Jahre haben Spuren hinterlassen": Felix Kroos beendet seine Profi-Karriere |url=https://www.kicker.de/13-jahre-haben-spuren-hinterlassen-felix-kroos-beendet-seine-profi-karriere-865921/artikel |website=kicker |access-date=21 July 2021 |language=de |date=21 July 2021}}</ref>
==International career== Kroos played Germany's youth national teams at levels U16 through U21.<ref name="retirement"/>
==Managerial career== On 26 November 2021, Kroos was appointed assistant coach of Union Berlin's U-19 side.<ref>[https://www.fc-union-berlin.de/de/union-live/news/amateure/Felix-Kroos-wird-Co-Trainer-der-U19-16296M/ FELIX KROOS WIRD CO-TRAINER DER U19], fc-union-berlin.de, 26 November 2021</ref>
==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club!!rowspan="2"|Season!!colspan="3"|League!!colspan="2"|Cup!!colspan="2"|Continental!!colspan="2"|Other!!colspan="2"|Total!!rowspan="2"|{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="3"|Hansa Rostock II||2008–09||rowspan="2"|Regionalliga Nord||7||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||7||1||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |2009–10||18||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||18||3||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- !colspan="2"|Total!!25!!4!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!25!!4!!— |- |rowspan="3"|Hansa Rostock||2008–09||rowspan="2"|2. Bundesliga||16||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||17||0||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |2009–10||11||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0||12||0||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- !colspan="2"|Total!!27!!0!!1!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!1!!0!!29!!0!!— |- |rowspan="4"|Werder Bremen II||2010–11||rowspan="2"|3. Liga||21||6||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||21||6||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |2011–12||25||4||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||25||4||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |2012–13||Regionalliga Nord||20||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||1||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- !colspan="2"|Total!!66!!11!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!66!!11!!— |- |rowspan="7"|Werder Bremen||2010–11||rowspan="6"|Bundesliga||5||0||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||6||0||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |2011–12||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |2012–13||5||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||5||0||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |2013–14||20||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||1||<ref name="2013–14 season"/> |- |2014–15||26||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||29||0||<ref name="2014–15 season"/> |- |2015–16||8||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||9||0||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- !colspan="2"|Total!!65!!1!!4!!0!!1!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!70!!1!!— |- |Union Berlin (loan)||2015–16||2. Bundesliga||12||2||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||2||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |rowspan="5"|Union Berlin||2016–17||rowspan="3"|2. Bundesliga||29||2||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||31||2||<ref name="2016–17 season"/> |- |2017–18||29||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||30||1||<ref name="2017–18 season"/> |- |2018–19||25||2||1||1||colspan="2"|—||1||0||27||3||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- |2019–20||Bundesliga||15||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|–||16||0||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- !colspan="2"|Total!!98!!5!!5!!1!!colspan="2"|—!!1!!0!!104!!6!!— |- |Eintracht Braunschweig||2020–21||2. Bundesliga||32||2||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||33||2||<ref name="Felix Kroos » Club matches"/> |- !colspan="3"|Career total!!325!!25!!11!!1!!1!!0!!2!!0!!339!!26!!— |}
==Honours== '''Individual''' *2007: Talent of the Year in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.fchansa.de/cp/index.php?id=154&oid=5324 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120801013649/http://www.fchansa.de/cp/index.php?id=154&oid=5324 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 1 August 2012 | title = Hanseaten bei OZ-Sportlerehrung dreimal siegreich | publisher = FC Hansa Rostock | date = 18 January 2009 | access-date = 12 September 2011 | language = de }}</ref> *Fritz Walter Medal: U18 Bronze Medal 2009
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{fussballdaten|kroosfelix|Felix Kroos}} *[http://www.spox.com/de/sport/fussball/zweiteliga/0901/Artikel/portraet-felix-kroos.html Felix Kroos] at spox.com {{in lang|de}}
{{Fritz Walter Medal Under-18}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kroos, Felix}} Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Greifswald Category:German men's footballers Category:Footballers from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Germany men's youth international footballers Category:Germany men's under-21 international footballers Category:Bundesliga players Category:2. Bundesliga players Category:3. Liga players Category:Regionalliga players Category:Greifswalder SV 04 players Category:FC Hansa Rostock II players Category:FC Hansa Rostock players Category:SV Werder Bremen players Category:SV Werder Bremen II players Category:1. FC Union Berlin players Category:Eintracht Braunschweig players Category:21st-century German sportsmen Category:German association football podcasters