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It’s not easy claiming a place in the starting XI when you have an equally able or superior competitor – which is why when second choice players get chances to impress, they take their chances with both hands. Many of today’s and yesterday’s stars have taken advantage of a competitor’s injury/form to stake their claims as the undisputed first pick in their respective teams; let’s take a look at some of those players.
Michael Ballack > Sami Khedira
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Michael Ballack, in 2010, was the captain of Germany, and a key cog in Chelsea’s midfield machine. He was expected to lead underachievers Germany to a World Cup trophy that summer. However, after suffering an ankle injury due to a tackle from Kevin Prince Boateng in the FA Cup Final, Ballack was ruled out for the entire tournament. Philipp Lahm was made captain, and up stepped 23 year old, Sami Khedira, who played for Stuttgart at the time, and only had 5 caps to his name before the 2010 World Cup. He proved to be a revelation, forming a key partnership with Bastian Schweinsteiger, and leading Germany to a 3rd place finish, and hasn’t lost his place in the side since. His influence and performances ultimately led to Michael Ballack’s retirement from international football, as well as a move to Real Madrid for himself.
Sylvinho > Ashley Cole
Sylvinho: quickly displaced by Ashley Cole
Sylvinho was Arsenal‘s first choice, attacking left-back in 2000 – the Brazilian was exciting, pacy, and had a knack for scoring some great goals. His understudy, Ashley Cole didn’t get many chances to grab his spot, and moved to Crystal Palace on loan in 1999/2000 where he made 14 appearances. His first team experience, along with an injury to Sylvinho in the 2000/2001 season, was the turning point in Cole’s career. The England international didn’t lose his place since the incident, putting in some inspirational performances for the Gunners, and went on to win 3 FA Cups, 3 Community Shields, and 2 Premier Leagues with Arsenal while establishing himself as the best left back in the world, in the process. The left back later to moved to Chelsea where he went on to win more honours including the Champions League.
Lukasz Fabianski > Wojciech Szczesny
Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski
There is pure irony when we look at how Szczesny secured his first team spot for Arsenal because his Polish compatriot, Fabianski, had just done the same a few weeks earlier. At the start of the 2010/2011 season, Fabianski and Szczesny were Arsenal’s 2nd and 3rd choice goalkeepers respectively, behind the faltering Manuel Almunia. After a horror show against West Bromwich Albion, Almunia was dropped for Fabianski, another keeper who had been slightly error prone, however, still more experienced than the younger Szczesny. Fabianski soon started to prove his critics wrong, putting in some consistent, and match winning performances until a shoulder injury – ironically caused by a Szczesny shot in training – ruled him out for the rest of the season. Up stepped Szczesny who, after making his debut for Arsenal, became Arsenal’s undisputed number one goalkeeper in a few weeks, and is now a regular for the Polish national team.
Rene Adler > Manuel Neuer
Rene Adler and Manuel Neuer
Like Khedira, Manuel Neuer established his place in the German national team after an injury to a senior player. In 2009, Neuer, who played at Schalke at the time, was 3rd choice keeper for Die Mannschaft. However, after Robert Enke’s death, Neuer rose up the pecking order to being 2nd choice keeper behind Rene Adler. 24-year-old Neuer was soon to be first choice keeper for Germany heading into the 2010 World Cup, after Adler suffered a rib injury which ruled him out of the tournament. Neuer, as you would expect, seized his opportunity, only conceding 2 goals in 6 World Cup games as Germany finished 3rd. The Schalke keeper then moved to German giants, Bayern Munich a year later, and has since been a regular for both club and country.
Gilberto Silva > Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini
Vice captain Gilberto Silva had a remarkable 2006-2007 season, being a key cog in the Arsenal midfield machine along with Cesc Fabregas. Mathieu Flamini on the other hand, was a squad player at the time, and was soon to be offloaded in the summer of 2007, as Birmingham City were interested. However, after an injury to Gilberto, Flamini got his chance, and started the first game of the 2007/2008 season alongside Fabregas. The two young midfielders had great chemistry, and went on to form a key partnership as Arsenal lost just 3 league games all season. Gilberto never got into the first eleven even after coming back from injury, and left the club the following summer. Flamini though, also left, securing a move to his childhood club, AC Milan.
Notable mentions: Lucas Barrios and Robert Lewandowski, Cesar Sanchez and Iker Casillas, Paul Parker and Gary Neville.
