Former Nigerian international John Obi Mikel recently sparked a strong reaction from Toni Kroos after making unflattering comments about the former Real Madrid midfielder.
Known for his bluntness, Obi Mikel didn’t hold back in criticizing some Real Madrid players, claiming they have won more titles than they actually deserve. These statements quickly drew a response from Toni Kroos, who is also known for speaking his mind.
It all started with criticisms from the Nigerian, questioning the worth of several key players at Real Madrid. “Toni Kroos was a mediocre player. To be honest, I was better than him. The only difference is that I didn’t play for Real Madrid. We need to stop this mentality that players from Real are necessarily superior to others,” he stated.
He also added, “Seeing players like Kroos, Nacho, Carvajal, or Modric win five Champions Leagues is a bit unfair. They are far from being the best in their positions. It shows that trophies can be misleading. I can name ten players better than them at every position.”
Although these statements date back to 2014, they resurfaced this week on social media as Toni Kroos announced his retirement from professional football. The German, a six-time Champions League winner, wasted no time in responding.
On Instagram, he replied sarcastically, “And why didn’t you play for Real Madrid?”
For the record, Kroos has won six Champions Leagues in his career, while John Obi Mikel has one, which he won with Chelsea in 2012.
