5 Footballers surprisingly not nominated for Ballon d'Or 2018

#4 Toni Kroos - Real Madrid

Kroos' name not being in the list was probably the biggest surprise

Real Madrid has given 8 players in the nominations this year, but it was more than just surprising for one of the best midfielders in the world to be missing out in the Ballon d'Or list, as his performance with Real Madrid last season was extremely exceptional.

His passes and playmaking abilities combined with the likes of Casemiro and Luka Modric took his team to a 3rd straight title of the UEFA Champions League. The fact that he featured in almost every single game of Los Blancos last season is something to take note of.

However, it looks like the core reason for Kroos missing out from the list is surely his performance at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where Germany was eliminated in the group stages. Many were surprised to see him excluded, but the stats are more than just valid.