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#3 Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos was arguably Real Madrid's best midfielder in the 2020-21 season. He was involved in 15 goals (three goals, 12 assists) in 42 appearances across all competitions.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup winner displayed his imperious passing range this season, picking out teammates in dangerous positions. The German also showcased exceptional passing accuracy during the campaign. He registered an almost 90% pass completion rate in the 2020-21 La Liga, 95.7% in short passes and over 76% in long passes.
Kroos also tallied an impressive xA (expected assists) of 8.6 across all competitions in 2020-21.
The German’s xA per 90 minutes of 0.28 was the second-highest in the 2020-21 La Liga, while Kroos was third in terms of key passes (66). The 31-year-old midfield general will now look to continue his excellent form in the upcoming Euros when he dons the whites of Germany.
#2 Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in recent times, registering 21 clean sheets in all competitions during the season.
With Real Madrid plagued by injuries, especially in the defensive third, their Belgian custodian rose to the fore, pulling off vital stops as the team's last line of defence.
Courtois recorded a staggering 81.1% save success rate in the 2020-21 La Liga, conceding only 28 goals off 111 shots on target. The Belgian ended his league campaign with 17 clean sheets, just one behind Golden Glove winner Jan Oblak. Courtois recorded a clean sheet ratio of 44.7% in the league, playing all 38 games for Real Madrid.
In 51 appearances across all competitions this season, the La Liga and Premier League winner conceded only 44 goals, doing so at an average of 0.86 goals conceded per 90 minutes.
#1 Karim Benzema
'The Benz' was Real Madrid’s best player this season by a proverbial country mile. The departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, along with persistent injuries to Eden Hazard, left a massive void in Real Madrid’s forward line.
But Karim Benzema shouldered the responsibility, notching up 30 goals and nine assists for Los Merengues, including a goal and assist in his team's last league game of the season.
The Frenchman was Real Madrid’s highest goalscorer across all competitions in 2020-21, while he ranked second in terms of assists. Benzema lodged an xG of 22.8 this season, one of the highest in Europe’s top five leagues, coupled with an xA of 8.1.
Karim Benzema (23) finished behind Lionel Messi in the 2020-21 La Liga scoring charts, recording 1.0 goals+assists per 90 minutes, the third-highest in the Spanish top-flight. Along with his goals in La Liga, Benzema notched up six strikes in the Champions League, playing a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s run to the semi-finals.
One of Real Madrid’s longest-serving players, Karim Benzema looks good to lead his team's attack for a few more years after successfully emerging out of Cristiano Ronaldo's shadow.
