Following Philipp Lahm and Gerald Asamoah, Toni Kroos is now also to be awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. The focus is on his social commitment.
Toni Kroos is to receive a great honor: the former FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid player is to be awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. During a three-day state visit to Spain, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier plans to personally present the award to the 35-year-old. This can be seen in Steinmeier’s schedule. However, the former midfielder is not receiving the Federal Republic of Germany’s only general award for merit for his sporting achievements. Rather, the focus is on the social commitment of the Greifswald native. Ten years ago, Kroos established a foundation named after him that offers support to seriously ill children.
“We finance therapies and treatments, help with the purchase of aids and fulfill the small dreams of children, which are sometimes, unfortunately, their last wishes,” the foundation defines its mission on its website. This makes Kroos the third former German national player to be awarded the Federal Cross of Merit since the beginning of October.
Lahm and Asamoah also honored for their services
Philipp Lahm had already received the award from the Federal President as “one of the defining personalities of German soccer” and for his commitment off the field. Among other things, a foundation established by Lahm supports disadvantaged children and young people in Germany and South Africa. “It was never my goal to receive the Federal Cross of Merit. It is a great honor to be in the company of so many wonderful, committed people. It’s something special to be honored by the German president,” said the 42-year-old, who was recently inducted into the German Sports Hall of Fame, at the award ceremony. In addition to the two 2024 World Cup winners, Gerald Asamoah was also honored in the Ghanaian capital Accra at the beginning of November. The 47-year-old is a “bridge builder between Ghana and Germany,” said Steinmeier, praising the 43-time German international. Diagnosed with a heart defect himself, the former Bundesliga striker founded the Gerald Asamoah Foundation for children with heart disease, which focuses on his country of birth. He is also an ambassador for the “School without Racism” project.
