Luis Enrique introduced a series of tactical tweaks in Paris Saint-Germain's recent clash with Nice that left many observers impressed. He shifted left‑back Nuno Mendes onto the left wing, placed centre‑back Lucas Beraldo in a midfield role, and moved left winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia into a more advanced central position. These adjustments helped PSG secure a comfortable 4‑0 victory, with Mendes delivering an outstanding performance in his unfamiliar spot while Nice struggled to cope with the fluidity of their opponent's ever‑shifting shape. "We allowed them to play too freely," Nice manager Claude Puel admitted after the match.
When asked whether he would continue to experiment with "unexpected solutions" in the upcoming game against Toulouse, Enrique gave a candid glimpse into his philosophy and, more broadly, into a trend that is reshaping elite football. "Absolutely," he replied.
"It's my dream to have a squad of twenty players who can fill any outfield position. Nuno Mendes as a full‑back, as a winger, as a No 9, as a midfielder – everyone except the goalkeeper. Imagine the opposition coach looking at the lineup and thinking, 'He plays everywhere!' It's a lofty ambition, but I will strive for it." In the Champions League quarter‑finals that followed, PSG reverted to a more conventional arrangement as Mendes and Kvaratskhelia returned to their natural positions. Nevertheless, the team's performances still radiated the same positional elasticity.
Defenders dropped into midfield, midfielders swapped flanks, and the front three rotated constantly. Ousmane Dembélé, nominally the No 9 in the second leg, appeared all over the pitch, creating space for himself and dragging Liverpool's defenders out of position, which opened lanes for his teammates. The graphical line‑up displayed Kvaratskhelia on his left and Desire Doué on his right, yet all three could operate across the entire attacking line.
Their touch‑maps this season underline the unpredictability that makes PSG a nightmare to mark. A similar brand of fluid football is evident in the side they now face in the semi‑finals – Vincent Kompany's Bayern Munich. Like Enrique's side, Bayern draw inspiration from Total Football, allowing players to interchange roles rather than adhering to rigid positions. The first leg was a showcase of this philosophy and the second promises more of the same.
As Bayern sporting director Max Eberl explained in February, "Harry Kane doesn't just wait in the box. Michael Olise and Luis Diaz aren't confined to one‑on‑one wing battles.
Joshua Kimmich alternates between right‑back and defensive midfield. Football today is about creativity, reacting to the opponent, and exploiting space – not about the classic static 4‑2‑3‑1 or 4‑4‑2 formations." Eberl added that the on‑screen formations at kickoff often look dramatically different once the match unfolds because defensive midfielders and number‑10s drift wide, while centre‑backs and full‑backs make central runs.
He believes that pure specialists who can perform only a single function will become rarer as the game grows more dynamic and variable. Konrad Laimer exemplifies Bayern's adaptable approach.
Signed from RB Leipzig as a midfielder, he has since thrived at both right‑ and left‑back. His ability to switch positions from one match to the next – and even within a single game – makes him indispensable. Eberl praised him, noting that Laimer began as a No 10 at Red Bull Salzburg, became a No 8 at Leipzig, and now fulfills Vinícius Júnior's vision of a modern full‑back.
Although Laimer does not command the highest wages, his versatility is priceless to the Bavarians. Versatility is not limited to Bayern.
At Liverpool, Dominik Szoboszlai can operate anywhere in midfield, slot in at right‑back, or even join the attack. Manchester City, despite losing Bernardo Silva, have added Nico O'Reilly, a player comfortable as a midfielder and a full‑back. Arsenal boast Declan Rice, who can play as a defensive midfielder, a box‑to‑box No 8, or cover at centre‑back, while Kai Havertz has been deployed as a left‑back by Germany's Julian Nagelsmann. Real Madrid's Federico Valverde perhaps epitomises the modern utility player, capable of filling any midfield role or patrolling the right flank with equal competence.
His teammate Trent Alexander‑Arnold once called him "the most underrated player on the planet" after a hat‑trick against Manchester City, and manager Álvaro Arbeloa remarked, "There is no flaw in him; it doesn't matter where you place him." Luis Enrique himself is a living testament to this ideal. During his playing career he featured in every outfield position except centre‑back for clubs such as Sporting Gijón, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and the Spanish national team.
Javier Zanetti offers another iconic example. Primarily a right‑back, Zanetti also excelled at left‑back, as a holding midfielder, and even as a centre‑back, covering all four roles during Inter's 2009/10 Champions League triumph under José Mourinho. Now Inter's vice‑president, Zanetti told Sky Sports, "Being able to play wherever the team needs you most builds trust with teammates and managers. Players today should possess that flexibility." The push for multi‑positional ability is driven by both stylistic evolution and practical considerations.
As the fixture calendar becomes increasingly congested and injuries more common, clubs value players who can fill multiple roles, reducing the need for a large, specialised squad. Financial incentives are clear: former Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez explained in 2024 that a single player capable of covering three positions saves a club from signing three separate specialists, thereby trimming the wage bill. Adapting to new positions is easier for some than others, but Zanetti insists versatility is not purely innate. "I worked hard," he said.
"Whenever I was asked to play a different role, I focused, absorbed the coach's instructions, and applied them. Tactical intelligence is essential, but I built it over my career. My physical attributes allowed managers to trust me in varied roles." Not everyone views this fluidity as progress.
Some critics argue that the modern emphasis on direct play and set‑pieces signals a regression rather than evolution. Nevertheless, many clubs are investing in developing home‑grown talent capable of operating in several positions. Dan Micciche, a youth development specialist who has worked with Everton, Arsenal, Spurs and England and now heads the academy at Al‑Ahli in Saudi Arabia, explains that exposing youngsters to different roles is about the outcomes they achieve. He recounts a Spurs training session where a midfielder was placed at centre‑back to improve his aerial ability against a physically imposing opponent.
Micciche believes versatility can be taught through carefully designed sessions that force players into alternative positions, adopting a Total‑Football‑inspired shape rather than rigid roles. He likens the approach to volleyball, where players constantly rotate and adapt during a match, especially when substitutions occur. The benefits are substantial for both individuals and clubs, though the method requires a long‑term perspective. Many coaches shy away from it because it may jeopardise immediate results, but the payoff includes increased squad depth, reduced transfer spending, and extended player careers.
Veteran stars illustrate this point: Harry Kane has gradually taken on a deeper, play‑making function, often dropping into midfield before arriving late in the box, while Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, reinvented himself from a wide attacker to a pure striker, maintaining his goal‑scoring prowess. Zanetti offers yet another illustration.
As his pace waned in the latter stages of a three‑decade career, he transitioned to a deeper midfield role at Inter, allowing him to continue contributing at the highest level until the age of 41. "That longevity was vital," he reflected, crediting his adaptability and fitness.
Luis Enrique's quest for a squad of twenty players who can operate anywhere remains ambitious, but PSG and Bayern Munich already demonstrate the competitive edge that such flexibility provides. As the sport continues to evolve, the ability to shift seamlessly across positions may become a defining characteristic of successful teams and a crucial factor in football's future.