10 footballers who improved their game after changing position | OneFootball

Kai Havertz has not had the best time of late. Indeed, eyebrows were raised when Arsenal handed Chelsea £65m for the German in the summer, immediately drawing scrutiny before he'd even kicked a ball. While it had been hoped that a fresh start with the Gunners could help bring out the best in the 24-year-old, it's really been more of the same in north London.

Of course, there are flashes of quality from time to time, but any notable improvements have been coming in baby steps at best. He was brought in to help replace Granit Xhaka, but when comparing stats, you half wonder if Mikel Arteta may be regretting the decision to let the Swiss international leave in the summer.

However, Havertz is still young and learning how to fit in at Arsenal where he has been asked to play a slightly deeper role. At Germany, he has often been used in attack but to the shock of many, Julian Nagelsmann named him at left-back for the game against Turkey on 18th November 2023. Of course, in possession, the former Bayer Leverkusen man was afforded the freedom to get forward and operate more as a left midfielder, but off the ball, and even at times in build-up, he genuinely was holding his position as the deepest player on the left side of Germany's backline.

He even scored a goal just five minutes into the match, and even though Turkey would win the game 3-2, Havertz certainly caught the eye, with highlights of his performance being circulated on social media – which you can watch below.

And while it is too early to know if Havertz will develop into a left-back – or even play this role ever again – it got us thinking about which other players have mixed it up over the years in terms of where they've been asked to play. With that in mind, here are 10 footballers who improved their game drastically after changing positions.

Lionel Messi

In his earlier days, the 'Little Magician' was mainly deployed from the right flank. With changes in personnel and the evolution of Barcelona at the time, he was moved into a 'false 9' position in which he thrived.

He has even reinvented himself further to play as a deeper playmaker, while still not easing up on his relentless goalscoring. The central move was a genius move by Pep Guardiola and Messi has never looked back since, having not played as a traditional winger in years.

Thierry Henry

When Henry signed for Arsenal, he was a winger who had struggled to find his feet at Juventus. His move to play as a central striker for the Gunners allowed him to reach his full potential.

Carlo Ancelotti once told Football Italia: "My mistakes? I did not want Baggio at Parma and then at Juventus I did not notice that Henry was not a winger.”Coming from one of the greatest managers of all time, it speaks volumes to how beneficial the change was. 174 league goals during his time in London is a good indicator if you're still not convinced.

Cristiano Ronaldo

A skilful winger with bags of potential in 2003 went on to become one of the greatest goalscoring strikers the game has ever seen, if not the best. He has, after all, scored more international goals than any other player since 2000.

Pace can leave a player as they age, but Ronaldo had such intelligence and hunger to his game that the move from the left wing to the middle was as seamless as possible. League titles, international titles and European titles all came after the switch with Ronaldo being the main man at all times – just as he likes.

Philipp Lahm

The Bayern Munich legend spent the majority of his career as a right-sided full-back before evolving towards the twilight of his career. Winning the 2014 World Cup with Germany, he controlled the game from the hub of the midfield.

He may not have been as quick as he previously was but the key to the change in role was his composure and ability to keep the ball no matter what. That he never got a red card over the course of his career tells you all you need to know about his quality.

Ryan Giggs

A 24-year spell at the same club was probably always going to result in change eventually. The Welshman burst onto the scene with blistering displays on the wing for Man Utd and won every major honour he could.

The move was made in his later years, as with Lahm, due to the vision and intelligence he possessed. That once rapid, hungry winger became a composed dictator of play in the centre of the park in the 2010s. In Sir Alex Ferguson's final season in charge, Giggs often started as a central midfielder, playing 22 times as they won the Premier League.

Roberto Firmino

Signed in 2015 by Brendan Rodgers as an attacking midfield player, there were early teething issues at the club. Being utilised on the flanks at times did not suit him and his Liverpool career didn't look like it would be a long one.

Fast-forward eight years and Firmino left as a legend of the club with Klopp referring to him as a 'really special' player on multiple occasions. The difference maker in the Brazilian's career was the move to play as a 'false 9' and he made the position his own. He even brought the role back into fashion in the English game.

Gareth Bale

Everyone remembers the night Bale destroyed iconic Brazilian defender Maicon. A left midfield position allowed the young Welsh international to unleash his pace and power without the previous defensive shackles being loosened.

A struggling left-back who was signed from Southampton went on to become the hottest property in world football as he made a move to Real Madrid. Bale recently retired after a hugely successful career in Spain, where he only operated in attack.

Another player who has made a couple of positional adjustments in his career, the German showed versatility throughout his time in the game. Spending his first few years in Germany as a wide midfield player due to the talent Bayern Munich possessed in the engine room, he didn't move more centrally until he got older.

An impressive showing in the middle of the park in the World Cup final was enough to prove himself as of of the modern greats in that position. Later in his career, when over in America, he even played as a central defender too.

After completing a £100m move to Arsenal in the summer, Rice has slotted seamlessly into Arteta's midfield and is one of the best in the world at playing as either the deep-lying midfielder or even as a number eight. With that in mind, it's easy to forget he started out as a defender.

His early days at West Ham were spent in the heart of defence as he steadily began to prove himself at Premier League level. He was then tested further forward and took to it like a duck to water. He suits the role brilliantly and it'll be a surprise if he ever reverts back to this former role.

Yaya Touré

Touré is a rare case of Guardiola getting something wrong in football. The Spanish manager used him as a defender and a backup option at Barcelona. He was seen as indispensable enough to sell to Man City in 2010, in a move that Guardiola might regret to this day.

The big Ivorian went on to become a powerhouse at the heart of the City midfield as he helped them to their first Premier League title in 2012, with some unreal attacking midfield cameos thrown in too. Don't forget, this is a guy who scored 20 league goals in a single campaign in 2013/14.