Football is always about great feelings, like the happiness of a win, the sadness of a loss, and the way it can inspire, motivate, and bring people together.
Boss Bottled United’s new Man of Today campaign is based on the same feelings, and the team has signed five world-class players: Toni Kroos, Harry Kane from England, Raphael Varane from France, Sergi Roberto from Spain, and Radamel Falcao from Colombia. (Click here: These three perfumes are made in an environmentally friendly way, and they also smell great).
We talked to Toni Kroos about the “Boss Bottled United” scent, which was inspired by football. It has fresh notes like spearmint, citrusy notes like blood orange, and a warm, woody base of vetiver and patchouli. A scent that not only smells great with an elegant suit but also makes a great everyday friend. We also asked Toni Kroos, who revealed today that he was leaving the German national team, how it feels to (finally) play football in front of fans again and what success and team spirit mean to him.
GQ: At Boss Bottled United, the focus is on emotions. What emotions does football represent for you?
Toni Kroos: For me, the most important thing is to have fun. That’s also why I started playing football at some point, and I’m trying to keep doing it now that I’m a pro.
And what emotions should a perfume evoke?
No matter what, you should say to yourself, “That smells good.” (Laughs) Those are good things to have in place first. This is absolutely true of this scent, and I can totally relate to it.
Does success have a special smell?
Success always smells like sweat because it takes a lot of work to get there. No one is successful out of the blue. A lot of people only see the game when it comes to football, but there is a lot more going on behind the scenes, even off the field.
Do you see yourself more as a team player or a lone wolf?
I’d have to say that I’m both. On the one hand, I’m a team player because I like being with good guys, especially on the field. Because: In football, individual players can sometimes decide games, but in the long run, the best team is usually the one that works together, attacks together, and protects together. On the other hand, I’m a guy who sometimes likes to be by himself.
How was it to play football without spectators?
At first, it seemed very strange. But I have to say that you’ve gotten used to it a bit over time. Also, because no one had watched for almost a year. When a few people came back into the stadium at the European Championships, it was strange that it got louder again all of a sudden. But I like it. And makes sense. We hope that it will soon get bigger.
What did you miss most about it? Is it perhaps the drive or the strength that you can draw from it?
Getting direct response is nicer, of course. It doesn’t matter if your actions or goals are praised or if bad things make people cheer or boo. Every sound makes you feel something, moves you, or pushes you. These responses didn’t happen at all. So you had to first learn to live without this outside impact and to put even more faith in your own inner drive.