The athlete to watch | From the controversial thong with Guardiola to being Europe's most effective defender

Roles in football have changed to an extent unthinkable just a few years ago. Not only is the versatile player capable of performing different roles on the field increasingly valued , but also the player who, while performing his job perfectly, is capable of providing extra elements . A center-back who can finish, a midfielder who can execute free kicks, or a full-back who is a goal-scoring machine are all part of the new football.

And it's precisely within this category that those full-backs who have become fashionable again in football are increasingly being taken into account. Some of the most powerful teams in the world have once again counted on full-backs capable of reaching the byline and contributing goals, either by scoring them or through their assists. The best example is probably Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen , where Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong were key pieces in his system.

Those arriving full-backs, like the two previous examples, or like Trent Alexander-Arnold , Denzel Dumfries, Federico di Marco, Achraf Hakimi , and Rayan Aït-Nouri are invaluable to coaches. That's why these types of players are starting to command significant market value. However, there's one veteran, but not particularly well-known, player who has become the defender with the most goal involvements in the major leagues.

This is Mitchell Weiser , right-back for Werder Bremen, a true globetrotter of German football who became known for a social media scandal . Not only has he played for some of the most powerful teams in the Bundesliga, but he is also a footballer capable of playing numerous positions, having played in up to nine different positions throughout his career, establishing himself as one of the best-performing right-backs in Europe.

Weiser was trained in the Cologne youth system, where he made his Bundesliga debut at the age of 20 in the 2011-12 season. Bayern Munich must have noticed when they decided to sign him just one season later, although he would go on loan to Kaiserslauten . It was then, in 2013-14, with the arrival of Pep Guardiola to the Bavarian team , when he decided that the full-back was a footballer who could be part of the team to be used in different positions.

It was a nearly unbeatable team, where he played at right back, right midfield, right winger, and even left back . But his biggest controversy came in 2014-15, when he posted a photo of himself in a thong with David Alaba on social media. The image caused quite a stir, and he had to delete it: "I'm young. I make mistakes . I'll learn from them. Now, let's focus on the important things," he wrote in excuse. Shortly after, he left Bayern.

He played for Hertha Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen before joining Wolfsburg in 2022-23. During that time, in addition to his familiar positions, he also played as a left midfielder, defensive midfielder, central midfielder, and even as a striker . His fine touch on the ball, powerful stride, intelligence in reading the play, and eye for goal have served him well in numerous positions, but his most successful has undoubtedly been at right back, where he has broken all records this year.

At 31, Weiser has the honor of being the defender who has provided the most goals for his team in the five major leagues . He has scored five goals and provided nine assists in his 32 Bundesliga appearances. A player who failed to make it big as a youngster, where that controversial photo left its mark on him, has found success over the years. Now , no one laughs at Mitchell Weiser : Guardiola's pupil is now the defender with the most goal involvements in Europe.