Toni Kroos News and Analysis

Five Real Madrid stars make The Best FIFA Men’s XI for 2024

18Dec

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Five Real Madrid stars make The Best FIFA Men’s XI for 2024

Real Madrid were the best team in the world during the 2023/24 season, dominating LaLiga and conquering the Champions League for the second time in the last three seasons. Naturally, Real Madrid dominated the XI of the season at "The Best" awards presented by FIFA, with Vinicius Junior, the best player in the world at their award ceremony, headlining the lineup. Rivals Manchester City, who won the Premier League and took Real to their limits in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, had three stars make the XI, but no team had as many players in the lineup as Real Madrid. Here were the picks: GK Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa LB (CB) William Saliba, Arsenal CB Ruben Dias, Manchester City CB Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid RB Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid CM Toni Kr...

Real Madrid legend takes first step towards coaching career

12Oct

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

LaLiga

Real Madrid legend takes first step towards coaching career

So many Real Madrid greats have gone on to become managers - and highly successful ones, at that. The most famous example has to be Zinedine Zidane, who was one of the faces of the Galacticos era and inspired a generation of Real Madrid superstars, like Jude Bellingham. He went on to become the best manager in the world, accomplishing the unprecedented feat of winning three straight Champions League titles. Another great of the Galacticos era, Raul, is currently a manager for Real Madrid at the youth level and has generated significant coaching interest from the Bundesliga, where he spent two seasons with Schalke. Raul was highly respected in Germany, scoring 28 goals in two seasons after he had already turned 33. Schalke, to this day, are aggressively pursuing the Spanish icon to he...

Even after Toni Kroos’ exit, Real Madrid still have the best No. 8 in LaLiga

22Sep

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Even after Toni Kroos’ exit, Real Madrid still have the best No. 8 in LaLiga

Toni Kroos was a legitimate Ballon d'Or candidate after an incredible 2023/24 season for Real Madrid in LaLiga and the Champions League, as he was the best No. 8 in European football in what ended up being his final season as a professional. But even after Kroos' retirement and the inevitability of being unable to replace the German international directly, Real Madrid still have the best No. 8 in Spanish football right now. That honor belongs to Fede Valverde, who, on a star-studded Real Madrid side, has actually been the Merengue club's standout player through the first six league matches of the 2024/25 campaign. Valverde produced another fine, if not underrated, display in the 4-1 win over Espanyol, registering five combined tackles and interceptions while completing 92.4 percen...

11Aug

By Javier MartinezNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Real Madrid’s Best XI Since 2000

Real Madrid, regarded as the most successful football club in history, has had the privilege of seeing numerous legendary players wear its iconic white kit. Over the past two decades, the club has enjoyed a golden era, winning multiple La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles. With so many great players contributing to the club's success, it leads to an interesting question: Who are the best eleven players to have represented Real Madrid since the 2000/2001 season? Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois If no one has ever dared to say it, then I'll be the first to do so: Thibaut Courtois is not only better but he's also surpassed Iker Casillas as Real Madrid’s greatest-ever keeper. Along with being a more complete keeper than Casillas (excelling in aerial play, ball distribution, and reflexes),...

Ranking the 10 best center midfielders of the 2010s

10Jul

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Ranking the 10 best center midfielders of the 2010s

Throughout the 2010s, Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi was the most heated debate on the lips of world football fans, but as time has passed and the discussions have become more retrospective, much of the discussion has moved towards the midfield. It isn't just Real Madrid and Barcelona fans getting into it about their elite midfields that dominated the 2010s, as Premier League supporters, Serie A fans, and, of course, the Bayern Munich faithful are wondering where their midfield stars stack up. When looking back at the best center midfielders of the 2010s, it is no surprise to see that the teams that dominated the Champions League that decade - Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich - also dominate this list. It's fair to say that this observation is yet another endorsement ...

Ranking the 10 best midfielders at Euro 2024

17Jun

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Features

Ranking the 10 best midfielders at Euro 2024

As Jorginho showed the world in the last European Championships, in addition to Luka Modric and Enzo Fernandez at previous World Cups, great midfielders can make a world of difference at the international stage. Here are the 10 best midfielders you need to know at Euro 2024, ranked in order. 10. Dominik Szoboszlai, Hungary Dominik Szoboszlai's match-winning performance against Montenegro will forever live in the lore of Hungarian football. The Liverpool star is the modern day hope of the country in football, carrying a legacy that includes some of the greatest players in history, most namely Ferenc Puskas A playmaker who has become a more robust midfielder by working on his physical strength, Szoboszlai can play virtually any position for Hungary but is currently being utilized as ...

2023/24 LaLiga Team of the Season dominated by Real Madrid after 32 Matchdays

22Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

2023/24 LaLiga Team of the Season dominated by Real Madrid after 32 Matchdays

After 32 Matchdays, Real Madrid sit first in LaLiga by a margin of 11 points over historic rivals Barcelona and 13 points over upstarts Girona, who were once neck-and-neck with the Merengues at the start of the season. But Real Madrid blew Girona out in both of their head-to-head meetings. Now, they are fresh off a last-gasp Clasico triumph over Barcelona, courtesy of yet another heroic performance from Jude Bellingham to lift Real to victory. Bellingham, the club's blockbuster 100 million euro signing, is unsurprisingly a member of the 2023/24 LaLiga Team of the Season. But which other Real Madrid standouts join him? Which underrated stars crack the list? Here is an updated 2023/24 LaLiga Team of the Season after 32 Matchdays. GK Andriy Lunin, Real Madrid No goalkeeper in LaLig...

Ranking the 10 best transfers in Real Madrid history

10Nov

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Ranking the 10 best transfers in Real Madrid history

Nobody makes blockbuster signings quite like Real Madrid. From David Beckham and Zinédine Zidane to Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, Los Blancos have made some of world football's most iconic transfer splashes over the decades, using these superstar signings to mark different eras of the club. But while the Galácticos are known for the glitz and glamor, the most impressive thing about Real Madrid is how sustainably the club has been run over the last decade after president Florentino Pérez learned from his mistakes in his first run. Real Madrid have become a club capable of making huge signings like Jude Bellingham, but they are also able to unearth gems outside of the top five leagues or invest in top talents for less than 10 million euros. All the while, they generate plenty of reve...