Petr Cech has revealed that he started out in football playing as a winger, until he broke his leg at the age of 10 and donned the goalkeeping gloves instead.
The former Chelsea shot-stopper won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and a Champions League winners medal before making an £11m move to Arsenal earlier this summer.
The goalkeeper is widely regarded as one of the best in his position in the last decade, but the 33-year-old's career might have been different if it wasn't for his injury when he was a youngster.
"I never thought of being a goalkeeper. I was an ice hockey goalkeeper and when I started playing football, I was a midfielder or a left winger," Cech told Arsenal magazine.
"My coach saw me a few times and one day, our goalkeeper didn't come for a game. We had no 'keeper and somebody had to play there, but nobody really wanted to. He pointed to me and said 'I've seen you a few times in goal and you've been doing quite well. You should try it.
"For about a year, I was playing outfield or in goal depending on the opponents. Then when I was about 10 I broke my leg quite badly and the recovery took time. I couldn't run and I had pain for quite a long time. Being in goal means you can sit, you can lie, you can catch balls and you can still work and train. That made the biggest difference in my life because that moment defined that I stayed in goal."
The Czech Republic international made over 300 appearances for the Blues during the 11 years that he spent at Stamford Bridge.
Sam McEvoy
