Top 5 active players who successfully changed their playing position

#3 Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the best player in the world

Primarily brought in by Sir Alex Ferguson as Beckham’s direct replacement (after the Englishman’s move to Spanish Giants Real Madrid), Ronaldo was stationed on Manchester United’s right wing; Giggs occupied the left. However, as time progressed, Sir Alex saw the wisdom (as he almost always saw) in changing Ronaldo’s position.

This tactical switch benefitted Ronaldo because it enabled him to transition from being a crosser/trickster to become the second-best import in the Premier League (he takes a backseat to Thierry Henry on that one). It was on the left of a front three that Ronaldo won three league titles, one FIFA Ballon d’Or, and one UEFA Champions League title with Manchester United. Ronaldo was so magnificent that Manchester United fans couldn’t begrudge him for leaving them for Real Madrid.

Although while in Madrid, Ronaldo became a whole new beast. As if scoring hundreds of goals and winning tens of personal accolades from the left of Madrid attack wasn’t enough, Ronaldo has outdone himself by becoming Real Madrid’s Number 9.

With Benzema frequently fluffing his lines for Madrid in big (and even small) matches, Zidane had to turn to Ronaldo to help consolidate Madrid’s standing as the best team in the world. Ronaldo became Madrid’s Number 9 (his second transition in his senior career) and helped them create history in the Champions League and assisted the team to blow a Messi-led Barcelona apart to win their first La Liga title in five years.

On the whole, when a club has Ronaldo on their team sheet, they’ve got the complete weapon in the history of football.