Toni Kroos has named Carlo Ancelotti the best coach he’s played under, praising his trust in players’ quality and instinct. Ancelotti also commended Kroos for his humility.
According to a report from FotMob, former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos praised Carlo Ancelotti as the greatest coach of his career. Kroos, who announced his retirement in May 2024 after Germany’s Euro 2024 semi-final exit, said: “Carlo Ancelotti is the best as far as I’m concerned.”
During his ten-year spell at Madrid, Kroos played 200 of his 731 club-career games under Ancelotti, across the Italian’s two spells with the club.
Although the German midfielder also played under Pep Guardiola, Louis van Gaal, and Zinedine Zidane—making his most appearances under Zidane (209)—he singled out Ancelotti as his favourite.
Kroos said working with Ancelotti “was a truly wonderful experience. He always gave us the freedom and didn’t tell us what we should or shouldn’t do, because he trusted our quality and instinct.”
The report also notes that Ancelotti, reflecting on his time with Kroos, praised his humility during a Rest Is Football podcast: “There were fantastic players like [Luka] Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos … without ego.”
Kroos’s commendation underscores the high regard in which he holds Ancelotti’s man-management and tactical balance, especially amid a star-studded squad.