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Toni Kroos has hung up his boots, and the football world now grapples with a pressing question: Where does he stand in the pantheon of midfield greats? As Real Madrid fans, we’re naturally inclined to crown him as the best ever in his position. But what do impartial scouts say?
How would an all-seeing football deity, privy to every match ever played, judge Kroos’s legacy?
In our latest podcast episode, we tackle this monumental task head-on. We’re joined by scout and technical football methodologist Kannan A. who brings a unique, expert perspective to dissect the careers of three midfield maestros: Toni Kroos, Xavi Hernández, and Andrea Pirlo.
This isn’t your typical surface-level, armchair analysis. We dive deep into the tactical and technical aspects of their games, employing rigorous methodology to evaluate their contributions. Our goal is to differentiate between their innate talents and their tangible impact on the pitch. We meticulously compare their peaks, overall careers, and ultimately, their places in football history.
For our YouTube viewers, we’ve included a live spreadsheet that meticulously annotates and summarizes our comparisons, providing a visual companion to our in-depth discussion. Join us as we attempt to settle one of football’s most intriguing debates: Which controller is the GOAT?
The episode includes the following:
- Detailed analysis of each player’s role, offensive and defensive contributions
Who was the most impactful on the game? Who controlled games the best? What was their role, which can’t even be described with positions? For example, Kannan has Kroos marked down as an “Outside the block ‘stretcher’” of the game. And then there’s defense… individual defense is one thing. Team defense is another. Who was the best at dueling? Who needed to be handheld the most out of possession? Were any of them actually positive impact defenders?
- Pass volume and its context within their respective eras and teams
It’s easy to take Xavi or Kroos’ completion numbers and compare them to Pirlo without looking at the differences between eras. Which teams optimized for their stars more? Which teams worked in spite of going against their stars’ preferences? Xavi was part of a team that introduced a style that hadn’t been seen in such a manner before, how much did that contribute to his ability to influence the game?
- Scoring and creation threats
Who was the most dangerous in front of goal? Did their goal-scoring abilities change over time? In terms of chance creation, who was the most prolific and consistent? How did their creation methods differ – through long balls, through-passes, or intricate short combinations? Did their creation abilities decline in different roles, or did they adapt their game to maintain their influence?
- How their coaches and tactical systems optimized their unique talents
Which managers got the best out of each player? How did tactical setups change to accommodate their strengths? Were there any notable clashes between a player’s natural style and a coach’s system? How did these players adapt when moving between clubs or national teams with different tactical approaches?
- Case studies examining their zones of influence and variety of actions
What areas of the pitch did each player dominate? How much range did they have from their position? For example Pirlo could create with insane long balls. How did their heat maps compare? Which player had the most diverse skill set? Who was the most positionally versatile? Were there specific matches or tournaments where their influence was particularly notable?
- A fascinating exploration of emergent vs. intrinsic properties in their playing styles
Which skills would these players retain if placed in any team or era? What aspects of their game were products of their specific environments? How much of Xavi’s style was inherent to him versus being shaped by La Masia and Barcelona’s system? Would Pirlo’s deep-lying playmaker role have emerged in a different tactical era?Rankings of their career peaks, longevity, and overall impact
- Rankings of their career peaks, longevity, and overall impact
Who had the highest peak performance? Which player maintained their top level for the longest? Considering both club and international careers, who had the biggest overall impact on the game? How do their trophy hauls compare when considering the strength of their teams?
Our goal is to provide fans with an inside look at how scouts and analysts break down the game, offering a more nuanced understanding of these players beyond highlight reels and ‘sports journalism’ statistics which are just propaganda for fans who engage online.
TIMESTAMPS:
The first 50 odd minutes contain our initial analysis and methodology.
53:35 – Review and Summary
VIDEO:
Attached is the comparison sheet seen on YouTube:
Kroos Xavi Pirlo Scouting Comparison Sheet.pdf
The Real Deal is a small Managing Madrid spinoff show that hosts podcasts that go up on our Spotify feed. Find them on X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok at @realdealpods for more takes and banter between episodes!
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Hosts this week:
Siddharth Ramsundar (@TacticalFouling)
Kannan A. (@thewittyjack)
