Real Madrid forward Joselu believes Toni Kroos should be among the most decorated Ballon d’Or recipients.
The 33-year-old German midfielder has never won France Football’s prestigious annual individual prize with his best result coming in 2014 when he finished ninth though it’s worth noting between 2008 and 2017 the award was exclusively shared by Kroos’ former Los Blancos teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
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This duopoly was broken in 2018 when Luka Modric took home the prize. Karim Benzema is the current holder but neither is favoured to win the 2023 edition as it’s expected to be a shootout between Messi, who inspired Argentina’s triumph at last winter’s World Cup, and Manchester City’s lethal Norwegian marksman Erling Haaland.
Joselu on loan from Espanyol feels Kroos deserved better when it came to handing out this accolade.
Toni Kroos has completed a 10th consecutive league season with 90% pass accuracy or above.
Kroos Control™ pic.twitter.com/uZAD6miemr
— Squawka (@Squawka) June 4, 2023
“Kroos should have five Ballon d’Ors!” he told Diario AS.
“He is an incredible player, capable of changing a game. He is one of the players who has caught my attention the most at Real Madrid. He never loses a ball and plays with a level-headedness that makes him different. It’s a pleasure to play with him.”
Entering his tenth season with Europe’s most decorated club, Kroos is no longer a guaranteed starter under head coach Carlo Ancelotti, he’s nevertheless featured in Real’s opening four La Liga matches — which they’ve won — assisting one goal in the process.