When I started playing football properly, my first position was on the left-wing. I played as a left-winger or attacking left midfielder. When I played on the left, I was usually trying to cut inside and take on the entire opposition on my own. But as I started playing with better players, I soon realized that I couldn't do it alone. Football is a team game, after all.
Since I was right-footed, I couldn't cross effectively from the left-wing, so I switched to the right-wing. I found the transition difficult at first because the approach was completely different. Instead of cutting inside, I needed to focus on delivering crosses and working the touchline. I played on the right for a while, but then I realized that I wasn't really suited to being an attacker.
So, I moved to the right side of the defense and started playing as a right-back. I tried this position for a few games but still didn't feel comfortable. The constant running up and down the flank was exhausting, and I found myself more interested in the defensive aspects than joining the attack.
Next, I shifted to center-back. However, I quickly discovered that the center-back position was similar to the striker position in one crucial way: in both roles, you're less involved in the general flow of the game, but you suffer the consequences of mistakes the most. One defensive lapse could lead to a goal, just as one missed opportunity for a striker could cost the match.
Finally, I moved to the center defensive midfielder position, commonly known as CDM. When my team plays with two defensive midfielders, I prefer to position myself on the right side. In this role, I'm much more involved in the game, and my primary responsibility is to stop opposition attacks before they become dangerous. If the opposition is attacking from their left, I defend from the right, and if the opposition is attacking from their right, I defend from the left.
There's a famous quote by Vicente del Bosque about Sergio Busquets, one of the greatest CDMs of all time:
"If you watch the whole game, you won't see Busquets—but watch Busquets, and you will see the whole game."
This perfectly captures the essence of the position. A center defensive midfielder keeps the entire system stable, operating in the shadows while enabling the more flashy players to shine. Sometimes I wish that everybody approached life like a CDM—with patience, awareness, and a willingness to do the unglamorous work that makes everything else possible.
But I also recognize that a functioning system requires left and right-wing attackers and defenders. Without these more specialized roles, the system becomes stagnant and boring. The wingers provide width, creativity, and excitement. The full-backs offer support in both defense and attack. The center-backs provide security and organization. The strikers deliver the goals that win matches.
Yet without a CDM—without someone willing to maintain balance, to cover spaces, to connect defense and attack—the entire system crumbles. In football as in life, it's often the least visible contributions that provide the foundation for everything else.
My journey through different positions taught me something valuable: finding your natural role isn't about glamour or recognition—it's about discovering where your strengths can best serve the collective. For me, that place was in the heart of midfield, protecting my teammates and connecting the play. Where's yours?