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Germany ex-international, Toni Kroos has delivered a harsh verdict on his nation’s squad after their 2026 World Cup exit, saying ‘we don’t have a single world-class player’ right now.
Germany were knocked out of the tournament on penalties by Paraguay in the Round of 32 on Monday.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side had topped Group E but failed to break down Paraguay’s defence in a 1-1 draw before losing 4-3 on penalties.
Speaking on his show Kroos & Kroos: The World Cup Under the Microscope, the Real Madrid legend said, “At the moment, we don’t have a single world-class player.”
Kroos clarified the difference between potential and proven match-winners.
He said, “We have players with world-class potential, but that doesn’t mean they are world-class.
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“World-class players are the ones who decide matches at a World Cup.
“Those players are always among the top scorers and decisive performers. We simply don’t have one right now.”
Kroos added that Germany lacks the ability to “shift into a higher gear” in decisive games, citing a missing “aura” and leadership on the pitch.
His remarks add to growing criticism of Nagelsmann and the team following another early exit.
Kai Havertz scored Germany’s only goal against Paraguay in the 54th minute after Julio Enciso had opened the scoring.
