Among them a Barcelona duo: Kroos ranks the five best midfielders in history

The German star chose to retire at the peak of his form

Toni Kroos has named the five best midfielders in football history, and the former Real Madrid star has put his old Bernabeu teammate Luka Modric, now of Milan, top of the pile.

The German revealed his ranking on Wednesday via the podcast "Einfach mal Luppen". Modric took first place, with Spain's Andres Iniesta second and his compatriot Xavi Hernandez third. England's Steven Gerrard came fourth, while Germany's Michael Ballack rounded out the list in fifth.

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Putting Modric at the summit speaks to the huge regard Kroos holds for the Croatian, a man alongside whom he built one of the most celebrated midfields of the modern game.

The pair shared a Real Madrid dressing room for 10 seasons, from Kroos's arrival from Bayern Munich in 2014 until his retirement in 2024.

Together with Brazil's Casemiro, they formed the engine room of a side that dominated for years. Five Champions League titles came during their time together.

Kroos made 465 appearances in a Real Madrid shirt. Modric, whose spell at the club ran from 2012 to 2025, racked up 597.