According to a report by Madrid Universal on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos has heaped praise on Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal following his outstanding display in their recent La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona claimed a 2-1 victory over Diego Simeone’s team, preventing Atletico from climbing to the top of the league table. Yamal played a crucial role in helping the Catalan side secure all three points.

Speaking on his podcast, Einfach mal Luppen, the former Germany international singled out the teenager’s remarkable influence on the game, particularly during the first 25 minutes.

“Lamine Yamal’s first 25 minutes were absolutely exceptional,” Kroos remarked, highlighting the Barcelona forward’s impressive performance.

The former Real Madrid midfielder was particularly impressed by Yamal’s ability to create attacking opportunities through his individual brilliance rather than relying solely on the contributions of his teammates.

“Every dangerous Barcelona attack seemed to come through him,” Kroos explained, stressing how consistently the youngster caused problems for Atletico’s defence.

He also praised Yamal’s ability to take on defenders, create space and produce scoring opportunities through his outstanding technical skills and confidence in possession.

“He was creating those advantages himself, beating opponents and producing chances through his own individual brilliance,” the German added.

Kroos further suggested that the teenager displayed such extraordinary self-belief that he appeared capable of taking responsibility for turning the game around in Barcelona’s favour.

“At one point, you could almost imagine him telling his teammates: ‘Just give me the ball. We’ll turn this game around,’” he explained.

The recognition is particularly significant given Kroos’ long-standing connection with Real Madrid and the intense rivalry between the Spanish giants and Barcelona. Nevertheless, the former midfielder has never been afraid to acknowledge outstanding performances, regardless of the team involved.

Although Yamal provided an assist for Fermin Lopez’s second-half goal, Kroos believes the youngster’s contribution went well beyond what his statistics showed.

The Barcelona winger continues to pose a major threat to Real Madrid whenever the two rivals face each other, and his rapid development remains one of the most interesting stories in Spanish football.