Why the Greatest Midfielders Are Secretly Great Coaches — And Why I Hope Real Madrid Loses

The Mind Behind the Ball

I’ve always believed that the player who sees most isn’t necessarily the one with the ball — it’s the one without it. In my 15 years of professional football, from Camp Nou to MLS, I’ve learned something few notice: midfielders aren’t just connectors. They’re controllers.

They don’t score goals in bursts. They build them in silence.

And that constant chess match in their head? It’s not just instinct. It’s training.

The Coach Within

When people talk about Xabi Alonso becoming a coach, they say ‘he was always smart.’ But what they miss is that he wasn’t just smart — he was observing constantly.

Every pass wasn’t just a move; it was data collection. Every tackle wasn’t aggression; it was situational assessment.

It’s no surprise that players like Haris Medunjanin or myself — we never needed to be told ‘think ahead.’ We were already doing it.

Midfielders are wired differently. Our brains are scanners by design.

Why I Want Real Madrid to Lose (Yes, Really)

I said it during media day: ‘I hope another team wins.’ Not because I hate Real Madrid — that would be childish.

No, I said it because competition keeps us honest.

When you’re coached by someone like Alonso — who played at your level, understands pressure like you do — you know exactly what greatness looks like up close.

The irony? That same hunger drives me to root against his team now.

Not out of jealousy — out of respect for how far we’ve all come as thinkers on grass fields and tactical boards alike.

Football Isn’t Just Tactics—It’s Identity

This isn’t about politics or rivalries. It’s about legacy.

We live in an era where coaches get hired based on stats and social media presence while forgetting what real leadership feels like on pitchside during third-minute panic attacks or fourth-quarter droughts.

But players who’ve lived through those moments? They carry them in muscle memory and decision-making patterns long after retirement.

That’s why so many legends end up coaching. Not because they want power — but because they know how fragile brilliance can be when not guided by wisdom.

The Quiet Revolution Is Happening Now

You don’t need fancy titles to lead. You don’t need millions in sponsorship deals either. The best coaches often emerge quietly from roles others overlook: center-backs reading angles before opponents even enter zones; wingers tracking defensive shifts mid-dribble; midfielders dictating tempo through breath control more than ball speed.

every great player carries seeds of mentorship inside them – waiting only for permission to grow into leadership roles outside playing time, too often overlooked until disaster strikes, such as when teams lose direction after losing their emotional anchor, or when new recruits fail under pressure due to lack of psychological grounding, something only someone who’s been there can teach properly.