“Toni Kroos was outstanding,”said Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann after the midfielder returned to international action in last Saturday’s 2-0 friendly defeat of France. Kroos was playing his first game for his country in three years, having retired in the wake of Germany’s elimination at UEFA EURO 2020.

“Why am I coming back?” said Kroos before his return. “Because the coach asked me to and because I’m up for it.”

The Real Madrid midfielder is, however, far from the first FIFA World Cup™ winner to make an international comeback. Here are a few of the most high-profile precedents.

Zinedine Zidane

“I think there comes a time when you just have to say stop. It’s a hard thing to say to yourself, but it was time. It’s my time.”

France was in a state of shock when Zinedine Zidane posted this message on his website in August 2004. The country’s favourite son was retiring from the international game, having made 93 appearances for Les Bleus and won the 1998 FIFA World Cup France™ and EURO 2000.

What happened next?

A year later, Zizou changed his mind following a long chat with then national team coach Raymond Domenech, who visited him several times in Madrid, where he was playing his club football. “I’ve thought about it long and hard. The France team has given me so much and I want to help it,” said Zidane at the time.

The midfield maestro pulled the famous blue shirt back on again in 2005 and helped the French qualify for Germany 2006, where he scored in the 3-1 defeat of Spain in the last 16 and the 1-0 win over Portugal in the semi-final. Them, in the final against Italy, he put France ahead with a Panenka-style penalty before being sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi in extra time. France went on to lose 5-3 on penalties in what was Zidane’s last match for his country.

He started all 15 of the matches he played after making his international comeback, scoring five goals. France won ten of those matches, drew four (including that 2006 final) and lost one, a 2-1 defeat to Slovakia in a friendly.