Toni Kroos Points Out Real Madrid’s Problem: “They Don’t Have a Player Like Me”
Toni Kroos, the legendary German midfielder and Real Madrid icon affectionately known as “The Professor” among fans has shared his candid analysis of his former club’s current struggles.
Real Madrid experienced a disappointing 2024-2025 season, failing to secure a single trophy. The club finished second in La Liga with 84 points (26 wins, 6 draws, 6 losses), falling behind arch-rivals FC Barcelona, who claimed the league title. The pain was compounded by losses to Barcelona in both the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup finals.
Barcelona celebrated a domestic treble, toppling Real Madrid in all key domestic competitions. Under Carlo Ancelotti’s leadership, Real Madrid suffered four consecutive El Clásico defeats something that hadn’t happened in 16 years.
Once hailed as the most successful club in European history, Real Madrid’s trophyless season capped off with a humiliating 1-5 aggregate loss to Arsenal in the Champions League was a sharp fall from grace. What stung even more was that this collapse came in the very first season after Kroos’s retirement, amplifying the void he left behind.
In a recent interview, Kroos told Goal.com, “Real Madrid still lacks a player like me. They are still searching, but such players are rare. And even if they exist, acquiring them isn’t easy.”
He emphasized the club’s difficulty in controlling and orchestrating matches, stating, “Game management is the key issue. I believe coach Xabi Alonso can fix that. With such a high-caliber squad, good results should follow.”
Fans responded to Kroos’s comments with admiration and agreement. “There are hardly any players like Kroos in football history,” one said. “If there was someone like him, they’d be in the spotlight already,” another echoed.
Toni Kroos, born in 1990, is a football legend who played for Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and the German national team. He won the treble with Bayern Munich in 2012-2013, claimed five Champions League titles with Real Madrid, and lifted the 2014 World Cup with Germany. He was a regular in the FIFA FIFPro World XI (4 times), UEFA Team of the Year (3 times), and UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season (5 times).
As if to support Kroos’s optimism, Real Madrid is currently thriving in the revamped 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, having advanced to the semifinals. With just two more wins, they could reclaim their title as the best club in the world. Already the most successful club in Club World Cup history, another win would solidify their supremacy.
