Toni Kroos names current Liverpool player in top 5 21st-century ranking

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For those of us who attend Liverpool fixtures week in, week out and watching on TV watching Virgil van Dijk operate in the flesh has been an absolute privilege a key pillar behind Liverpool lifting two Premier League titles and a European Cup.So when Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos sat down on his podcast, Einfach mal Luppen (Luppen TV), with his brother Felix to rank the top five central defenders of the 21st century, it was no real surprise to see Liverpool’s captain prominently placed among football royalty.Whenever Liverpool and Real Madrid have crossed paths in Europe over the last decade, Virgil van Dijk and Toni Kroos were central to the drama. Kroos dictated play from the heart of Real Madrid's midfield as Gareth Bale's spectacular overhead kick and Karim Benzema's opener sealed a 3–1 victory for the Spanish side in Ukraine.The 2020–21 Champions League Quarter-FinalsThe two sides met again behind closed doors during the 2020–21 season, though Van Dijk missed both legs due to his ACL injury, leaving Kroos to pulling the strings in a 3–1 Madrid win in Spain before a 0–0 draw at Anfield saw Real advance.The 2022 UEFA Champions League Final: Liverpool 0–1 Real Madrid (May 28, 2022)Four years after Kyiv, Van Dijk and Kroos lined up opposite each other once more in the 2022 final at the Stade de France in Paris.

Those grueling European nights gave Kroos an up-close look at Van Dijk's aerial power, defensive organization, and distribution leaving an impression that led the German maestro to place Liverpool's captain firmly on his 21st-century pedestal.Before Van Dijk's arrival at Anfield in January 2018 for £75 million, Liverpool were an exciting but fragile side, plagued by defensive vulnerability and a three-decade wait for a league title. He was also named in the FIFA FIFPro World 11 three times, cementing his status as the undisputed benchmark for central defenders.How Kroos views Van Dijk's gameThis was Kroos’ top five list: Sergio RamosPaolo MaldiniThiago SilvaVirgil van DijkAlessandro NestaExplaining why Van Dijk secured a spot ahead of World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta, Kroos lauded the Dutchman's durability, aerial dominance, and extraordinary composure on the ball:"At number four, I’ve had Van Dijk there for many, many years now," Kroos said on Luppen TV."I’d put it like this: I think he’s gone from being truly outstanding to being more of a very assured, composed defender.

You see it again and again."Kroos added: "He’s also had one or two difficult years with Liverpool recently, and he hasn’t always looked completely assured. Kroos admitted he was captivated from afar by the legendary defensive record Van Dijk established during Liverpool’s run to European and domestic glory:"I think there was a statistic a few years ago in England that over the course of the entire season, you could count on one hand the number of times he was dribbled past," Kroos noted.