Toni Kroos names Barcelona’s best player as ‘not Lamine Yamal or Lewandowski’ | OneFootball

Former Real Madrid superstar Toni Kroos has name dropped his pick as Barcelona’s most important current player.

Kroos’ trophy filled time in the Spanish capital saw him win four La Liga titles and five UEFA Champions League crowns as part of a dominant decade.

His decision to retire in 2024 has left a hole in the Los Blancos engine room alongside his old partner Luka Modric.

Modric, Kroos and Casemiro were the fulcrum of Real Madrid’s success domestically and in Europe and he is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

However, ahead of the El Clasico showdown with Barcelona on May 11, the 35-year-old has singled out a former rival for huge praise.

Barcelona are currently leading La Liga by four points, with Hansi Flick beating Carlo Ancelotti three times already this season across all competitions, and Kroos’ old team need something special on the road in Catalonia.

Flick’s all-star front trio of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha have shone all season as the catalysts for their trophy treble charge in 2025.

However, despite those three leading the current Ballon d’Or odds, Kroos is clear on who the main man at Barcelona is, and unsurprisingly, it is a fellow midfielder.

“Pedri is the best in the world in his position,” he hold his Einfach mal Luppen podcast, quoted via Marca.

“For me, a player like Pedri is more important than Lamine Yamal, Raphinha or Lewandowski. They’re the ones who decide the outcome of matches.

“Pedri is a player you miss when he’s not playing, no matter who you’re playing against. He doesn’t just score goals, he doesn’t just provide assists. He offers solutions.

“I’ve watched what Pedri is doing this season, and in the Champions League alone, he’s outplaying his opponents in every single game!

“It’s not like with Messi, where you see his quickness of movement. Pedri doesn’t look that fast, but he really is. And he’s fast because of how easy it is for him!”