Toni Kroos: Ballon d'Or is "exaggerated and overrated"

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has criticized the Ballon d'Or award, calling it "exaggerated and overrated".

"I think the Ballon d'Or is a bit overrated. It's a very subjective award, and it's often given to the player who has the most media attention, rather than the player who has had the best season," Kroos said in an interview with German magazine Kicker.

Kroos also said that he doesn't think the Ballon d'Or is a good measure of a player's ability.

"I think there are many other players who are just as good as the players who have won the Ballon d'Or. It's not always the best player who wins it, and that's why I think it's a bit overrated," he said.

Kroos's comments come after Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema won the Ballon d'Or award for 2022. Benzema had a phenomenal season, scoring 44 goals in all competitions and leading Real Madrid to the Champions League title.

However, Kroos believes that there were other players who deserved to win the award more than Benzema.

"I think there are many other players who had a better season than Benzema. I think (Robert) Lewandowski deserved to win it, and I think (Sadio) Mane deserved to win it," he said.

Kroos's comments are sure to spark debate among football fans. The Ballon d'Or is one of the most prestigious awards in football, and it is often seen as the definitive measure of a player's ability. However, Kroos's comments suggest that the award is not always given to the most deserving player.