Former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has responded to recent remarks made by ex-Chelsea star John Obi Mikel, following comments that sparked a heated exchange between the two former players.
The disagreement began after the Nigerian delivered sharp criticism of Kroos during his podcast, questioning the German’s standing as an elite midfielder.
Speaking on his podcast, Obi Mikel did not hold back in his assessment of Kroos.
“Toni was an average midfielder. I was better than him. The big difference is that I didn’t play for Real Madrid,” he said.
The comments drew widespread attention given Kroos’ decorated career at the Santiago Bernabéu, where he established himself as one of the club’s most influential midfielders.
During his time with Real Madrid, Kroos lifted five UEFA Champions League titles, in addition to the European crown he won earlier with Bayern Munich.
Obi Mikel, who never featured for Real Madrid, spent the majority of his career in the English Premier League, enjoying an 11-year spell with Chelsea. With the London club, he won two Premier League titles, one Champions League, one Europa League and four FA Cup trophies.
Kroos chose to respond succinctly through his Instagram account, posting a photo of Obi Mikel alongside the quote in which the former Chelsea midfielder described him as average.
The German accompanied the post with a simple but pointed question: “And why didn’t you play for Real Madrid?”
🚨🚨🎙️| John Obi Mikel: “Toni Kroos has been a mediocre midfielder. I was a better player than him. The big difference was that I didn’t play for Real Madrid.”
Toni Kroos’ reply on IG: “So why didn’t you play for Real Madrid?” pic.twitter.com/DrohuV0lrV
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) February 10, 2026
The response quickly gained traction online, with many fans viewing Kroos’ remark as a measured yet sharp rebuttal to the criticism.
