People often let players who are on the less flamboyant side of the game slip their mind once their career is over. One such star is the revolutionary Claude Makelele!
The holding midfield position, whether you call it a No. 6 or central defensive midfielder (CDM), has become a staple in the modern game, with most managers seemingly needing a player capable of playing that position well.
Read: Africa's star of the weekend: Nigerian eminence!
Football has evolved in such a way that when teams want to play out from the back, they need a player capable of receiving the ball on the half-turn and then progressing the play by either dribbling the ball up the field or distributing it to more advanced teammates, whether they are central or in the wider areas of the pitch. And if that player is absent, it becomes evident very quickly!
So, such a player needs to be good on the ball, and be able to receive it from centre-backs while being pressured by opposition players. Whether he turns and dribbles or turns and passes, that player is required to have the ability to get the ball forward.
He must also be excellent when it comes to the defensive side of the game. He should be able to break up play in midfield by either intercepting passes or putting in tackles to win the ball back for his side, defend the back four (or three... or five) when his team are on the back foot, and also track midfield runners during transitions.
It is a lot of ask of one player, because he needs to be good at all of the above! One player who was good at everything, though, and is considered by many to be the pioneer of the No. 6 position is former France enforcer Makelele.
With the coming of players such as Patrick Vieira, Michael Essien, Casemiro, Rodri, Sergio Busquets and others, it is easy to forget the man who paved the way for them.
Makelele possessed all of the abilities each of the aforementioned midfield players are renowned for. Busquets, for instance, is so cool under pressure because of the way he scans the play and develops an understanding of what is around him. It is nearly impossible to recall the last time you saw the Spaniard lose possession.
The ex-Real Madrid star was also remarkably good under pressure. You would think that his role consisted of him just flying into tackles and using his strength and athleticism to win the ball back before giving it to one of the more ball-savvy players in more advanced positions.
The Frenchman was, however, more than capable of taking matters into his own hands. Even with players like Zinedine Zidane or David Beckham in front of him at Los Blancos, he was able to get himself out of a tight spot with intelligent body feints and quick feet, helping him break away from opposition players to launch an attack.
On top of that, he was more than capable of picking a pass that broke defensive lines. The former Les Bleus midfielder also had a thunderous shot in his locker. Really, he was the complete midfielder!
Because of his abilities as a player, he was able to represent some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Makelele would start his 21-year career in France, where he represented Sporting Melun, Brest B, FC Nantes, and Olympique Marseille between 1990 and 1998.
He then made the move to Spain and played for Celta Vigo, where he would spend two years before making the big move to Real in July 2000. It was then that his career really took off. During his three-year spell at Los Blancos, the former France international was able to add five trophies to his cabinet, namely the UEFA Champions League, two LALIGA titles, one UEFA Super Cup and an Intercontinental Cup.
When he made the move to Chelsea in 2003, the success only continued. He won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups with the London side.
In 2008, he returned to France a much more accomplished player, joining Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain before hanging up his boots in 2011.
Read: 'Messi Ronaldo cannot be examples for young people'
Makelele built a career for himself that he can look back on with true fondness. More importantly, however, the mark he left on the game will forever be cherished.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH: