An Ode to Toni Kroos: The Brilliance of the Expected

Toni Kroos has an excellence that is hard to pin down, and difficult to celebrate. His quiet professionalism can occasionally mask the true genius he brings to the table at Real Madrid. Kristofer McCormack sings the praises of Toni Kroos’ expected brilliance.

There was something amusing about the manner in which Toni Kroos came off the pitch in Cardiff, fist pumping the air in celebration.

It was funny because it was so out of character for the German, known for being quiet and professional. Kroos’ performance in Cardiff, and indeed his last three seasons at Madrid, have been quite like his personality: quiet and professional. It makes him difficult to write about.

Surprising Inspiration

I want to write an ode to Toni Kroos. I want to write a beautiful, flowing tribute that is fitting for a player of his calibre. Sadly, I can’t seem to do it.

Toni Kroos isn’t Luka Modric, there aren’t any videos on the internet of him beating men at will like Luka does. He isn’t controversial like his other midfield partner, Casimero; no one is arguing the pros and cons of Toni Kroos. The German does his job perfectly and with the cold efficiency that comes from being born in Germany. Simple.

His stats awe journalist and pundits: Kroos finished the Champions League final with twice as many touches as his international teammate Sami Khedira. He finished the league season with 12 assists from an array of midfield positions and was joint second in the passing charts with 92%.

English football pundits sigh with fluttering eyelids, while many Madrid fans have grown unimpressed. Kroos’s stats don’t surprise Madridistas anymore; it would be more surprising if he didn’t feature.

It makes Kroos a hard player to praise because it seems so mundane after three seasons. It wasn’t until he was subbed off in the Champions League final that inspiration hit me.

Showing Up

Toni Kroos shows up, that is a simply fact. I don’t mean in terms of performance, but merely on the lineups. He is rarely injured, barely rested and ever-present in the Madrid roster.

In his first season at Madrid, Kroos played 64 games for club and country; he played the full 90 minutes in 54 of those games. In the 38 game La Liga season, Kroos started 36 matches, being replaced just eight times.

Stepping back, Real Madrid played 114 La Liga games over the last 3 years. Toni Kroos played in 96 of those games with a game completion rate of 80%.

The German’s arrival in Madrid has seen the club end its seven year La Liga drought, with Kroos as a mainstay in midfield. It’s no coincidence that Real Madrid have won two European Cups since his arrival; Kroos missed just two of the 38 games played in the Champions League since 2014.

There are those who claim that Toni Kroos is a cyborg. The numbers make me wonder if they aren’t right.

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Final Thoughts

I recently read an article on ESPN about Toni Kroos role at Real Madrid. One paragraph I find describes him perfectly:

"” The fact that the Germany international has rarely occupied column inches this season is a compliment: it is easier to become inured to consistent brilliance”."

The line rings truer for few players in today’s game than Toni Kroos.

The inspiration for this article wasn’t a mesmeric dribble, an incredible goal or even the 92% pass accuracy.

The inspiration was an out of character reaction while being subbed that made me realize just how rare a sight it was. It speaks volumes of the type of player that Kroos has become at Real Madrid.

The exemplary performances of Toni Kroos are no longer a spectacle at Bernabeu, They are an every-match occurrence.