After retiring, German star Kroos co-founded the Icon League, similar to Pique’s Kings League. At the launch event for this league, Kroos was asked how to select the best player in a single match.
Kroos stated: “Fans and players will jointly vote for the best player in the game. We believe it’s good to combine both.” The event host then replied: “Of course, this is unlike the Ballon d’Or.” Kroos added, “No, here, only the most deserving player will be awarded Man of the Match.”
Following this, multiple Spanish media outlets interpreted Kroos’ comments as being directed at Messi, suggesting that according to Kroos and others, Messi did not deserve his last Ballon d’Or award.
