Greatest foreign XI in La Liga history

# Central Midfielder - Toni Kroos (two-time La Liga winner)

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has been a tremendous addition to La Liga.

Toni Kroos is one of the best foreign midfielders to have graced La Liga. Often playing in a deep-lying playmaking role, Kroos has been an integral player for Real Madrid over the years.

Known for his metronomic passing ability, the two-time La Liga winner has made over 200 appearances in the competition, scoring 25 times and assisting 59 goals.

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Though he doesn't score too many goals, Kroos is known for his set-piece prowess and strikes from distance. The 31-year-old has scored once and assisted twice this campaign as Real Madrid eye their second La Liga title in three years.

# Central Midfielder - Luka Modric (two-time La Liga winner)

Luka Modric is already a La Liga legend.

Luka Modric, much like Kroos, is still going strong despite being on the wrong side of 30. The former Tottenham Hotspur man, 36, has made close to 300 La Liga appearances, scoring 20 times and assisting on 38 occasions.

Modric has won two titles in the Spanish top flight, both with Real Madrid, since his arrival at the club in the summer of 2012. The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner is a key member of the Madrid midfield alongside Kroos and Casemiro.

The versatile Modric can play in a plethora of formations and across any position in the middle third.

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However, the four-time Champions League winner prefers to play deep and orchestrate play for his team.

# Central Midfielder - Zinedine Zidane (2002-03 La Liga winner)

Zinedine Zidane is widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of the game.

The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner enjoyed a successful five-season stint in the Spanish top flight in the early 2000s after arriving as a Galactico. The midfield maestro played over 150 games in the competition, racking up 37 goals and 52 assists, and won the 2002-03 La Liga title.

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Zidane later returned to Real Madrid as a manager, winning three Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles across two stints.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Anantaajith Raghuraman