bundesliga

Felix Kroos: Who is the Union Berlin midfielder and younger brother of World Cup winner Toni Kroos?

23.06.2019

He's the kid brother of FIFA World Cup and multiple UEFA Champions League winner Toni Kroos, but what else is there to know about Union Berlin midfielder Felix Kroos?

bundesliga.com has the lowdown...

Felix Kroos

Age: 28
Club: Union Berlin
Position: Central midfielder
Country: Germany (35 youth international caps, 20 goals)

Key stats

Toni had already turned out 19 times in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich when Felix made his senior debut in the colours of Hansa Rostock in January 2009 - the same year he won the U18 Fritz Walter bronze medal as Germany's third-best footballer in his age group. Felix got his first taste of Bundesliga football with four-time champions Werder Bremen, where he spent almost six years, producing one goal and two assists in 65 top-flight appearances, before switching to Union in summer 2016.

Felix - who is a year younger than his revered sibling, but has a slight height advantage, standing at a shade over 6'0" tall - will have the opportunity to add to his top-tier tally in 2019/20, after helping Union gain a maiden promotion to the Bundesliga via the play-offs. He hit two goals and as many assists in 25 Bundesliga 2 appearances and reached a century of first-team games for the club last term.

In June 2019, the one-time Germany U21 international was rewarded with a new contract that will keep him at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei‎ until the end of 2019/20, with the option of a further extension next summer. He skippered Die Eisernen in his first two full seasons in the German capital, and was vice-captain in 2018/19.

Toni and Felix Kroos (l-r.) played for Greifswalder and Hansa Rostock, before getting their big breaks in the Bundesliga. - imago sportfotodienst

Plays a bit like: Toni Kroos

Two central midfielders who grew up together: it's only natural some of Toni's talents rubbed off on Felix. Union's No.23 has inherited his brother's trademark side-footed finish, for one; he's also netted a couple of long-range howitzers in his time, and has postage-stamp free-kicks in his locker.

Did you know?

While Toni modelled his game on the midfield magician that was Bremen's Johan Micoud, Felix was more partial to Hansa striker Steffen Baumgart, according to family friend Hartmut Schmidt. He even started out as a centre forward, before settling into a role in the centre of the park whilst playing under father, Roland, in the Rostock youth ranks.

Stroke it like Toni: Felix favours precision over power in front of goal. - imago images / Matthias Koch

What they're saying

"He had to work hard at it, but even as a kid he had the ability in the attacking third." - Roland Kroos on Felix

"Felix has shown his abilities with committed performances. He has already played in the Bundesliga, and now has the chance to do so again with Union." - Union managing director for professional football, Oliver Ruhnert, on Kroos' contract extension