Toni Kroos is one of the most underrated players in football history.

The Real Madrid man is a name rarely brought up during discussions focused on selecting the greatest midfielders to have graced the beautiful game.

But there's no doubt about it, Kroos is more than worthy of a place alongside the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.

He's been the hallmark of consistency throughout his professional career, starring with Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and the German national team.

The 31-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down either, as the metronomic midfielder proved against Valencia on Sunday afternoon.

Kroos dropped a masterclass in the Spanish capital, scoring and assisting in Los Blancos' 2-0 victory.

Kroos celebrates

But goal contributions are just an added bonus, because what the deep-lying playmaker brings to the team is far more important.

He's the conductor, the man who controls the tempo of proceedings from the middle of park and never loses the ball.

The final point there is key. No player active in the game retains possession quite like Kroos and one of the reasons why is because he's perfected a skill known as the 'The Kroos Shuffle'.

Never heard of it? Don't worry, not many will have. That's because it's a move that often goes unnoticed, but it's way more effective than a rainbow-flick, step-over or any other garish skill.

'The Kroos Shuffle'

Did someone say 'Kroos Control'? When a pass is fired towards the feet of the World Cup-winning midfielder, players should think twice about attempting to press him.

"Looks like the easiest trick, but its not," one fan said in response to the video. "His touch timing is impeccable. Waits and waits till the opponent is sure he's going one way, then touches the ball."

Another added: "I am dumbfounded by how he sends people the wrong way with the slowest skill on the planet. If This isn't perfection of a skill then I don't know what is."

A third quipped: "The most impressive thing to me about this move, looking at it objectively, is that it's extremely simple, especially for a player of his technical ability. It's devastating effectiveness relies on his impeccable ability to anticipate the movements of his opponents and his perfect timing."

"Playing football is very simple. But playing simple football is the hardest thing there is," the legendary Johan Cruyff once said and Kroos embodies those words perfectly.