Toni Kroos said on the podcast Einfach mal Luppen that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would have been his Ballon d'Or choice if you look only at the season. GOAL reported that Kroos made the comments on the show he hosts with his brother Felix.
Kroos names his season-only choice
Kroos said: "Nobody won absolutely everything. And in a World Cup year, it is even more special. The World Cup carries a lot of weight. If you look only at the season, I would have found Kvaratskhelia a very interesting choice."
On that basis, Kroos said Kvaratskhelia "would have been my pick".
Kroos also said: "In my eyes, he was the best player in the best team in Europe."
Sixth place in the Ballon d'Or
GOAL reported that Kvaratskhelia finished sixth in the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
Kroos said that was a sign "that he would have had a very good chance without the World Cup. Because everyone ahead of him had a big impact at the World Cup."
Kroos also said: "If Mbappe had not had a World Cup, he would not have been in the top five. And Lamine would also have struggled to make the top five without the World Cup title."
Kane in Kroos' view
In Kroos' eyes, Harry Kane was a deserving Ballon d'Or winner, GOAL reported.
In GOAL's account, the Ballon d'Or outcome was "more open than ever" in Kroos' eyes.
Of Kane, Kroos said: "He is the only one who did not launch a campaign beforehand."
Kvaratskhelia injury update
GOAL reported that Kvaratskhelia recently suffered a cruciate ligament tear in PSG's 4-2 Champions League win over Barcelona and will be out for months.
After the injury, Kvaratskhelia wrote on Instagram: "Why me? I never left anything to chance. I had probably prepared for this match better than ever before. I thought I was ready for anything, but not this."