10. Robin Van Persie
Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin Van Persie is widely regarded as one of the finest players of his generation. The Dutch left Feynoord for Arsenal in 2004 for a £2.75 million fee. Prior to joining the Gunners, Robin Van Persie had played as a left winger. Arsene Wenger had other players for the young lad- he planned to employ Van Persie as a centre forward. It proved to be a shrewd move, as the Dutch became one of the greatest strikers in the Premier League.
9. Bastian Schweinsteiger
World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger has come to be known as one of the best midfielders around, but after he changed his position. Schweini started out as a winger, taking advantage of his speed and agility. After Frank Ribery joined Bayern Munich in 2007, Bastian
Schweinsteiger decided to tinker with another position, that of a defensive midfielder. And boy, it worked like a charm! Schweinsteiger went on to become an exceptional midfielder.
8. Thierry Henry
This is the story of Thierry Henry, the men who went from being a talented but unknown lad to becoming one of the best strikers the game has ever seen. Henry spent five years at Monaco and in January 1999 moved to Juventus. The French was deplyoed on the wings, but his finishing was poor. Later that year Arsene Wenger convinced Henry to join Arsenal and the rest is history. Changing positions proved to be vital for the Arsenal legend.
7. Vincent Kompany
You may think that being a defensive midfielder is not that different from being a centre-back, and you might be right. Belgian international Vincent Kompany thought the same, until he joined Manchester City in 2008. Prior to joining the Citizens, Kompany played as a defensive midfielder at Anderlecht. He was good at it, but he later realized that he belonged at the very heart of the defense. In hindsight, it was a smart move.
6. Gareth Bale
Welsh wizard Gareth Bale is widely regarded as one of the best wingers in the game, but he didn’t start his football career in that position. At Southampton, his first club as a professional, Bale played at left-back and earned a reputation as a free-kick specialist. It was only at Tottenham Hotspur that the Welsh star started to play as a winger. Harry Redknapp, Spurs’ gaffer at the time, was in a sense Gareth Bale’s mentor.
5. Kolo Toure
Kolo Toure, Ivory Cost second most-capped player, changed one or two positions before rooting for the heart of the defense. The Ivorian joined Arsenal in 2002 for a fee of just £150,000. At first, Arsene Wenger deployed him on the right-back and later as a right midfielder. It wasn’t until Wenger put him at the heart of the defense that Toure became an established player in his own respect. The Ivorian was part of the famed ‘Invincible’ side.
4. Philipp Lahm
If there was a prize for the most humble player, Philipp Lahm would have won in a heartbeat. The Bayern Munich ace is one of those players you simply can’t hate, no matter what team you support. Lahm has played as a left-back and a full-back for most of his career, but under Pep Guardiola he was given the duty of operating as a defensive midfielder. Lahm didn’t complain or anything. He has been as diligent as ever.
3. Paul Scholes
Just like evolution, football is also the ability to adapt to changing conditions. Paul Scholes is regarded as one of the best English midfielder of all time. He is also England’s most decorated footballer, having won 25 trophies in his long career. Paul Scholes played his entire career for Manchester United. Early in his career, Paul Scholes was a target man, helping former striker Andy Cole. Sir Alex later deplyoed Scholes as a defensive midfielder and the rest is history.
2. Andrea Pirlo
Strange as it may sound, Italy legend Andrea Pirlo once played as a striker. Carlo Mazzone, former Brescia manager, decided to deploy Pirlo as a deep-lying midfielder. The Italian maestro excelled at that position and when he joined AC Milan in 2001, Carlo Ancelotti kept deploying him in that same position. Andrea Pirlo is renowned for his uncanny vision for the game, perceptiveness and other world class qualities.
1. Lionel Messi
Argentine star Lionel Messi signed his professional contract with Barcelona on 24 June, 2005. He was only 18 at the time. Messi was first deployed as a right winger, supporting Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldinho. The Argentina talisman learned a lot from the Brazilian legend, but it was clear from the beginning that he had the cloth of a world class player. Pep Guardiola later deployed Messi as a ‘false 9 ’ and the rest is now history.
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