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Ranking the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees

By Carter Mulvihill

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid answer media questions during the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid answer media questions during the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) /
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6. Toni Kroos

SEVILLE, SPAIN – OCTOBER 15: Toni Kroos of Real Madrid CF in action during the match between Real Betis Balompie and Real Madrid CF as part of La Liga at Benito Villamrin stadium October 15, 2016 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
SEVILLE, SPAIN – OCTOBER 15: Toni Kroos of Real Madrid CF in action during the match between Real Betis Balompie and Real Madrid CF as part of La Liga at Benito Villamrin stadium October 15, 2016 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images) /

When players achieve a certain level of stardom, pundits will look awfully hard to find holes in their game. Good luck doing that with Toni Kroos.

Between individual honors and team silverware, no player has won more in the past three seasons than Kroos.

In 2014, all Kroos did was win the Champions League and World Cup in the span of about six weeks. He was arguably the best player on this year’s Real Madrid Champions League-winning squad as well. In three years as a Real player, Kroos has been named to the Champions League best XI every season.

While he didn’t win the ultimate prize at this summer’s Euros, Kroos was the best player on a German side that occasionally underwhelmed. No player completed more passes at Euro 2016 and not surprisingly, Kroos was one of three Germans named to the team of the tournament.

If there’s a final feather in Kroos’ cap, it’s his penalty against Italy. Usually reliable from the spot, Muller, Mesut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger all missed in the shootout against Italy. But Kroos? He was money, and his kick helped ensure Germany through to the semis.

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