Soccer notes: Christoph Kramer’s World Cup final concussion raises concerns

The World Cup final referee says Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer was disoriented and confused after taking a heavy blow to the head early in Sunday’s match.

Nicola Rizzoli told the Gazzetta dello Sport, “Shortly after the blow, Kramer came to me asking ‘Ref, is this the final?’ I thought he was joking and made him repeat the question and then he said, ‘I need to know if this is really the final.’ When I said, ‘Yes,’ he concluded, ‘Thanks, it was important to know that.”’

Rizzoli says he told Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger about the exchange but Kramer continued playing for 14 minutes following a collision with Argentina’s Ezequiel Garay.

He was eventually replaced in the 31st minute after slumping to the ground with a suspected concussion.

Kramer’s continuation in the game after suffering an apparent concussion revived concerns about the way football deals with the issue, as there were worrying head injuries for several other players earlier in the tournament.

Argentina players Javier Mascherano and Pablo Zabaleta also played on in their team’s semifinal against the Netherlands after hard knocks to the head.

The incidents have led to debate over whether FIFA should allow a temporary substitution so a player can get a head injury properly checked.

Real Madrid gets Kroos

Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has joined Real Madrid from Bayern Munich on a six-year contract.

Madrid said the 24-year-old Kroos, a key member of Germany’s World Cup-winning team, would be presented at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium later Thursday. Neither Madrid nor Bayern disclosed the transfer fee.

Tiki taka

UEFA has decided to keep Ukrainian and Russian clubs from playing each other “until further notice” because of the continuing unrest between the neighboring countries. … Premier League champion Manchester City signed Nissan Motor Co. as the first global sponsor of its portfolio of clubs. … Germany climbed to No. 1 in the FIFA rankings after winning the World Cup, and the United States fell two places to 15th despite reaching the round of 16.