There is no question that Kylian Mbappe's start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu has been a total disappointment. Even though Mbappe has won the Pichichi Trophy in both of his first two seasons at Real Madrid, the individual honors mean less than zero to the fans when Real have gone from winning the double in 2023/24 to winning absolutely nothing in consecutive seasons for the first time in nearly two decades.
Mbappe has a lot to improve upon, and it cannot be written off as mere coincidence that Real Madrid went from winning La Liga and the Champions League to nothing with the Frenchman, while PSG have won back to back Champions League titles without Mbappe when Luis Enrique predicted that would happen exactly as it did.
But while Mbappe has been part of the problem, Real Madrid are realizing that he hasn't been the biggest problem, and it seems like fans and even players, judging by how many teammates are posting about Toni Kroos and missing him on social media, are coming to that same realization, too.
Toni Kroos is the biggest miss of them all
Real Madrid didn't just add Kylian Mbappe in 2024. They lost an even bigger legend in football in five time Champions League winner and 2014 World Cup hero Toni Kroos, who was a Ballon d'Or candidate from the midfield - and just as brilliant as winner Rodri that season - before retiring at the very top of his game.
Since Kroos left, Real Madrid have been in shambles in midfield. They have no control over games, and aside from Jude Bellingham, not a single player is at a world class level Fede Valverde and Arda Guler have been very good, sure, but not world class. And Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga have been way below the Madrid standard, and not enough Madridistas are taking Mbappe's French national teammate for his lack of control over matches from the 6 position.
That is a huge reason why a lot of executives and even players at Real Madrid have been putting pressure on Florentino Perez to finally accept Rodri as a transfer target, and after the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner and European Champion added the 2026 Golden Ball and World Cup trophy, Real Madrid are finally forging full steam ahead for the soon to be out of contract Manchester City star.
Real Madrid need an elite midfielder who can keep possession, progress the ball, score from range, pull the strings in the middle of the park, be a coach on the field, and shield the defense effectively. They need a world class anchor, and while Rodri is no Kroos, he is the best Real are going to get at these skills. Losing Kroos and not replacing even 5 percent of what he brought to the table is an even bigger reason why Real are no longer hanging with the big boys in Europe- or even just Barcelona in Spain.
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