Toni Kroos has praised Jose Mourinho’s influence in Real Madrid’s 2-1 Clasico victory over Barcelona, while arguing that the 2026 Ballon d’Or race was shaped heavily by the World Cup.
Speaking on the EINFACH MAL LUPPEN podcast with his brother Felix, the former Germany and Real Madrid midfielder said Mourinho was one of the main reasons for the change in the Spanish side’s performance against their traditional rivals.
Barcelona had dominated six or seven of the previous meetings between the clubs, according to Kroos, and Real Madrid’s defensive record in those matches had increased expectations that they would struggle again at Camp Nou.
He felt, however, that Real Madrid approached the latest encounter with greater courage, both with and without the ball. Their organisation and pressing disrupted Barcelona’s rhythm and led players including Pedri and Raphinha to make mistakes that would not normally be expected of them.
Kroos also highlighted Real Madrid’s success in a number of individual battles and their ability to expose Barcelona whenever the Catalan side failed to impose its usual control on the match.
Kroos rues Vinicius absence
Kroos said Real Madrid could have caused Barcelona even more problems if Vinicius Junior had been available. He believed the space left behind Joao Cancelo would have suited the Brazilian winger, whose pace and movement make him particularly dangerous in open areas.
He described the speed of Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe as a priceless asset for Real Madrid, saying their presence was a genuine gift to the midfielders supplying them.
According to Kroos, both forwards can get three steps ahead of defenders, making passes into space an exceptional weapon. He also praised the understanding between Arda Guler and Mbappe.
Despite his support for Real Madrid, Kroos acknowledged that Barcelona remain superior in possession and in controlling matches. Their difficulty, he said, comes when their pressing fails to win the ball back and they are forced to defend.
World Cup influence on Ballon d’Or vote
Kroos also discussed Harry Kane’s success in winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or ahead of Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. He described the contest as unusually open because the leading candidates were closely matched and the World Cup carried significant weight in the voting.
Had the award been judged solely on the club season, Kroos said his preference would have been Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whom he regarded as the best player in Europe’s best team, referring to Paris Saint-Germain’s achievements.
Kvaratskhelia finished sixth after helping Paris Saint-Germain complete a historic treble, but Georgia did not qualify for the World Cup, which Kroos felt reduced his chances.
He added that Mbappe would not have finished in the top five without his World Cup involvement, while Yamal would also have struggled to reach those positions had Spain not won the tournament.
Kroos noted that Kane was the only leading contender who had not begun an advance campaign for the award. Kane scored 73 goals for club and country during the 2025-2026 season, helping Bayern Munich win the domestic treble and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
