Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry are two of the most influential footballers of all time, and now they could be inspirations for an AC Milan star.
This season, Rafael Leao’s position has changed. He is no longer seen as the winger that previous coaches have stuck to, but rather a striker. Of course, Massimiliano Allegri’s hand has been pushed slightly, with a lack of other options.
However, alongside Christian Pulisic, he has been one of the best attackers in the division. In fact, Fabio Capello has even suggested that he is the best option for Milan this season.
Leao can join the greats
He has been put to the test, as Gazzetta dello Sport writes, and this can be a second chance to become one of the greats. Of course, he was world-class on the wing, but he can go a step forward centrally.
One only needs to look towards the past for examples. Albeit from the right, Ronaldo initially was moved into a central area and then onto the left and back again for Real Madrid. In fact, in Serie A, he was perhaps the most prevalent example of a striker, and who coached that version of him?
He is not the only one, of course. Paolo Rossi, Thierry Henry and John Charles have all taken similar routes from their natural habitats out wide, and all were better for doing so.
It boils down to one thing: life is short, so why limit yourself to one idea? Allegri has tried this, and it is paying off significantly, as the report states and the future looks even brighter now.
Wasn’t John Charles initially a center-half before becoming a center forward ?
Both Henry and Ronaldo were deadly finishers and great poachers for opportunities and have shown that even before being transitionned more centrally.
Leão has never shown to be great at hunting for goals and doesn’t seem comfortable when has to receive the ball centrally and too close to the defense.
But who knows, he might finally change a bit.
It’s so strange that people still talk about Leao like he is a young player. He is not. He’s going to be 27. How many players get better after the age of 27?
To compare him to Ronaldo or Henry is absurd. By the time they were Leao’s age they were already legends, the best in the game.
There is no leap forward to be made for Leao. He is what he is. A very dangerous offensive player, but nothing close to these two.
Leao needs to be what he is best at – a winger. Get a da*n competent 9 into the team and Leao back where he belongs – on the Left Flank. No reason to teach a chicken how to fly.
The problem in that scenario is who are you moving to the bench? Pulisic who has been the best player in Serie A? That won’t go over well and he surely would not renew his contract. And Leao won’t take a benching well. I don’t see Allegri changing formations.