Yeah well he is at the very center of that squad. He has also proven in the Champions League why he is still a relevant player. Much like Xavi, he is the kind of player that doesn’t really stand out for most watchers until you look at the stats. Not having a Kroos or Xavi on the field means your Reus or Musiala or David Villa just does not shine.

Look at the Netherlands. Had they had a Frenkie de Jong, we might see more of players like Xavi Simons or even more of in-form Gakpo. It also makes buildup a lot easier for Van Dijk and his defensive line. Schouten and Veerman try their hardest but especially Veerman has just been struggling so much. Reijnders should be able to get to this level as he plays for Milan, but against Austria he was just powerless because he did not get proper defensive midfield support.

Correct but you’d expect Rodri to at least be in the lower regions, like having two thirds of Kroos’s numbers