As one of the classiest midfielders of his generation, Toni Kroos knows a thing or two about footballing talent. Having called it a day and hung up his boots in the summer of 2024, the one-time World Cup winner with Germany began his career with FC Hansa Rostock – but more notable stints came for Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Sprinkled in between stints at those clubs was an 18-month loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen.

Kroos played with all manner of talent before calling it a day in 2024 as a six-time Champions League winner. The timing of his silverware-laden career also means he locked horns with some of the best players of the last 20 years or so – and he’s fully aware of what it takes to be an elite footballer.

So, who makes the German metronome’s all-time footballing XI? Not exclusive to players that have experienced Greifswald-born Kroos as a teammate or opponent, there is an inveitably hefty list of generational names to have been snubbed. Whether you agree or not, that includes the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff – but which 11 players did make the cut?

GK: Manuel Neuer

Keeping things tight at the back would be Bayern Munich royalty Manuel Neuer, who has stood between the sticks for the Bundesliga giants since 2011. Born and raised in Gelsenkirchen, the veteran shot stopper is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in football history – but his fellow countryman and former clubmate Kroos believes he’s the creme de la creme.

And… who are we to argue? Neuer may now be 39 years of age but his position in Bayern’s net remains safe after just shy of 600 matches of service. Seldom putting a glove wrong, the German has won plenty of silverware (including two Champions League crowns and the solitary World Cup in 2014) throughout his impressive career.

RB: Philipp Lahm

Keeping on the theme of legends in Bavaria, Kroos opted for Philipp Lahm, the perfect professional who retired in 2017 as one of Germany’s most decorated footballers of all time. A Swiss Army Knife by virtue of the fact that he could operate at right-back and at the fulcrum of the engine room at a world-class level, Lahm played the majority of his career on the right-hand side of the back line.

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For Germany on the international scene and Bayern at club level, Munich-born Lahm played alongside Kroos an eye-catching 218 times – and the two were often celebratory in victory. The eight-time Bundesliga champion played football at his own pace, always aware of when to push high and wide but also knowing it was the time to be more reserved and pounce on the opposition.

CB: Paolo Maldini

Famously, Paolo Maldini once said: “If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake.” Performing to an utterly freakish level year after year, that was the Italian maestro’s mantra: he didn’t want to allow opposition forwards the chance to score, and he did everything in his power to ensure the goalkeeper behind him was called into action as few times as humanly possible.

Italians, over the years, have become renowned for their ability to defend, but Maldini is up there with the best. You could argue that Franco Baresi was the trailblazing figure in the art form of catenaccio – but Maldini took things into his own hands. A legendary figure for AC Milan, the defensive titan, who could also play at left-back, won five Champions Leagues and a whopping seven Serie A titles.

CB: Sergio Ramos

A devastating presence in both boxes, Sergio Ramos earned quite the reputation for being one of world football’s greatest goal-getting defenders. Willing to put his head on the line for a goal, the Spaniard may be looking ahead to his 40th birthday in March 2026, but he is still plying his trade for CF Monterrey in Mexico. His 671-match stint for Los Blancos, though, is the stuff of legend.

Albeit in his swansong, Ramos was unstoppable at his peak. Defensively resolute thanks to timing his tackles (most of the time) to perfection, the 180-cap Spain international won four Champions League titles during his stint with Real Madrid before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. Ramos, a daring centre-half, played behind Kroos on 223 occasions in the Spanish capital.

LB: Marcelo

Strutting his stuff at left-back for Kroos would be his former Los Blancos teammate in Marcelo, who racked up 58 appearances for Brazil between his debut in 2006 and his final international outing 12 years later in 2018. A footballing great by virtue of the fact that he combined pace and power with being technically sound, the five-time Champions League winner was so naturally talented.

Trusted with being Cristiano Ronaldo’s right-hand man for years and years for the Spanish heavyweights, Rio de Janeiro-born Marcelo became a six-time La Liga champion during his time in the white of Madrid – and you’d be pressed to find a full-back as well-rounded as the Brazilian, who could defend with ease but also join plentiful attacks on the left-hand side.

CM: Luka Modric

Kroos’ midfield partner on an eye-catching 334 occasions, the connection between the German and Luka Modric is what you’d call telepathic. On the same wavelength for the majority of their time together in the Spanish capital, the Croatian midfielder could thread balls through the eye of a needle the onrushing forwards – and if anyone knows what he was truly capable of at his peak, it’s his partner in crime.

A timeless engine room patroller, the former Tottenham Hotspur ace (alongside Dani Carvajal) has won a record-setting six Champions League titles during a career envied by many and is now spending the twilight period of his career in Italy for AC Milan. Once he hangs up his boots, people will begin to realise they have borne witness to one of the greatest midfielders of all time. What a superb talent.

CM: Zinedine Zidane

Akin to a ballerina, the elegance of Zinedine Zidane – widely regarded as one of the best footballers of all time – was an unbelievable watch. One glance at his stocky frame, and you’d assume he’d be a hard-hitting midfielder (which he was to an extent), but watching him dazzle in the middle, gliding past opposition without breaking a sweat, was exactly what the stylish Frenchman was about.

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Zidane, born in Marseille in 1972, was a leading figure for Real Madrid and Juventus during his heyday and his international career, too, was simply incredible, as in 1998, he lifted the World Cup with France. Equally impressive on the other side of the white line, he has set football alight ever since becoming a household name. A one-of-a-kind talent, many would claim, they just don’t make them like Zidane anymore.

CAM: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi was always going to be involved but Kroos decided to place him behind the striker – in the No.10 spot – rather than in his usual position of right wing. More than capable of floating along the front line and producing moments of magic as if they’re going out of style, the record Ballon d’Or winner will forever be enshrined in football mythology for being one of the very best to ever do it.

After leaving Barcelona in the summer of 2021, many predicted that Messi would no longer score at an alarming rate, but the goals have continued to flow for the Rosario-born icon. Whatever the weather, you could always rely on the dainty playmaker to take a match by the scruff of the neck for a once-in-a-generation piece of genius. The day he retires will be a very, very sad day.

RW: Ronaldinho

With Messi functioning in the central hub, Kroos would hand all right-wing responsibilities to Barcelona’s former trickster-in-chief Ronaldinho. A player who captivated audiences with his ability to weave in and out of players with a deft flick or a cute bit of trickery, the Brazilian encapsulated everything joyous about the beautiful game. And, for that, can you really blame Kroos for picking the Gremio academy graduate?

Glitz and glamour aside, Ronaldinho was a brilliant goalscorer too. That goal against Chelsea is, to this day, regarded as one of the best of all time. An entertainer of the highest order, Ronaldinho was eventually phased out of Barcelona to make way for a certain Argentine – but he is still remembered as one of the best players of the 2000s and that’s largely thanks to his infectious swagger.

ST: Ronaldo Nazario

Ronaldo Nazario‘s career, to this day, remains curious. A natural superstar, the do-it-all centre-forward is commonly admired as being one of the best of all time, of course, but how much better could he have become if he didn’t find himself ravaged by injury problems? From humble Brazilian roots, R9 became a world-beating talent at PSV Eindhoven before dotting about Europe.

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He played for the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and for both clubs either side of the Milan rivalry during his career – and every club he played for witnessed a footballing great doing what he did best: bruising past defenders and slotting the ball into the back of the net. Most impressively, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner played with such ease. Using his blend of pace and power, he danced past the opposition.

LW: Cristiano Ronaldo

Joining his namesake to complete the front three of dreams is a man who needs no introduction: Cristiano Ronaldo. Ever since a young and inexperienced Sporting CP winger caught the attention of the footballing world in a pre-season friendly against Manchester United, the goalscoring sensation has gone from strength to strength for the likes of the aforementioned Red Devils, Real Madrid and Juventus.

Having battled at the top with Messi, Ronaldo managed to get his hands on five Ballon d’Or – in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 – while in his pomp. Still eyeing the 1,000-goal mark as he trickles closer to his 41st birthday, international football’s all-time appearance holder has won a plethora of awards over the years. And it’s difficult to say that it’s not been deserved. Kroos will be well aware of what he’s capable of doing.