The Ballon d’Or shortlist was divisive, to say the least. After the announcement, debates raged on about almost every aspect. The winner of course was a topic that was highly contested. Another one is Chelsea midfielder Jorginho finishing ahead of the likes of Karim Benzema, Mohamed Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo to name a few.
The chief point against Jorginho’s credentials was simply his lack of goalscoring prowess and flair as compared to these other nominees. While opinion on the Italian international continues to split even his own club’s fanbase, he did receive some praise from a fellow midfielder.
Speaking on his podcast, Real Madrid Midfielder Toni Kroos revealed just how highly he rates Jorginho, the German stated, “You can only see the value of someone like Jorginho when you play against him or with him, he was one of the best midfielders in the world last year.”
An appraisal from a player with the calibre of Toni Kroos is no small feat and the German international’s statement is certainly credible.
Toni Kroos saying how good Jorginho is but kids on Twitter will say he is overrated. Know who I’d rather listen to.
Jorginho is a metronome figure in Chelsea’s ‘double six’ system, his sheer understanding of the game and calmness under opposition press makes the side tick.
While his critics continue to lament upon the Italian’s constant sideways passes they fail to realize just how important this patient approach is to Chelsea’s buildup.
Chelsea’s recent fixture against Watford exemplifies this point as the Blues were without Jorginho’s presence in midfield.
Chelsea had a hapless first half as the Hornets press suffocated them and the midfield, in particular, looked meagre. This especially highlights the 29-year-old’s importance to the side, Jorginho is excellent at winning fouls and is always an assuring figure at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield.
This isn’t the only dimension to the Italian’s game, he was instrumental in Chelsea’s Champions League-winning campaign and also in Italy’s Euros triumph.
His importance is fittingly represented by his inclusion in the team of the tournament for both competitions. Additionally, these stats go on to show just effective Jorginho was for club and country.
