In modern football, players evolving to play different positions or roles as they get on in their careers has become increasingly commonplace.
For the first ten years of his career or so, Theerathon Bunmathan made his name as a barnstorming left-back -- establishing himself as one of Southeast Asia's best to the point that he not only earned a move to Japan with Vissel Kobe, where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Andrés Iniesta and Lukas Podolski, but then went on to win the J1 League with Yokohama F. Marinos.
When he returned to Buriram United at the end of 2021, and with Sasalak Haiprakhon also an option at left-back, Theerathon's versatility would make a switch for him to central midfield a straightforward decision.
He has not looked back since.
At the 2022 ASEAN Championship, now also playing in the engine room at international level for Thailand, Theerathon's masterclass displays would see him named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
And on Wednesday, at the age of 35, his renaissance as a playmaker hit another highlight on the regional stage -- as a superb display inspired Buriram to a successful defence of their ASEAN Club Championship crown.
With a visionary assist and a goal that was out of this world, he sparked his team's come-from-behind 2-1 win over Selangor in the second leg of the final -- completing a 3-1 aggregate victory in the process.
Including his assist for the only goal of the game in last week's opening encounter, his wand of a left boot quite literally won the two-legged decider for Buriram.
Where it previously used to send in arrows from out wide with unerring precision, even scoring directly from corners, Theerathon's dominant foot is arguably an even more-potent weapon now that it is being deployed in a central position.
Of course, his superb technique would not be as effective if it wasn't for the vision he possesses. He already showed that in the first leg when, receiving possession on the edge of the box, he saw a passing lane that no one else spotted -- effortlessly clipping a delivery over the Selangor defence for Suphanat Mueanta to run onto and head home.
On Wednesday, he was even more devastating.
This time, they were much further apart but even 40 yards -- and a 12-year age difference -- does not seem to affect the near-telepathic understanding Theerathon and the younger Suphanat share.
When he received possession just outside the centre circle, little appeared to be on for Theerathon. Until he saw from the corner of his eye, despite the distance, a twitch of movement from Suphanat.
With his effortless style of distribution, Theerathon has somehow made a casual killer pass his trademark. And it was with one of these nonchalant swings of his left leg that he took out the entire opposition defence -- paving the way for Suphanat to equalise on the night after Selangor had opened the scoring.
Better was to come.
Theerathon had already issued a couple of notices to the opposition in the first half, when corners were cleared to him on the edge of the box. The first attempt was off target by some margin but, having recalibrated, the next would have been on target if not for a desperate block by a defending Selangor player.
Yet, the warning signs were not heeded by the visitors. When Robert Žulj's ball into the box was cleared only as far as to just outside the area, Theerathon did not hesitate to deal the punishment.
Still, even by the ridiculously-lofty bar he has set for himself when it comes to scoring stunners, this was probably the best of the lot.
As the ball looped high into the air, Theerathon faced it front on and, right when it dropped, would put his entire foot through the ball.
Theerathon's left leg is almost a multipurpose tool. When used to deliver passes, it is as delicate as an artist's brush. But when used to shoot, it possesses the brute force of a hammer.
Selangor goalkeeper Sikh Izhan had barely moved by the time the ball nestled into the back of the net. For good measure, his effort had even clipped the underside of the bar before bouncing over the line with extra aplomb for added dramatic effect.
It was a goal not unlike the famous ones that Paul Scholes smashed home against Aston Villa, Barcelona and Bradford City. Given it was in a final, this might even have been Theerathon's Zinedine Zidane-vs.-Bayer-Leverkusen-in-the-2002-UEFA-Champions-League-final moment.
Again, with uncanny similarity, his performance mirrored that at the 2022 ASEAN Championship, when he first asserted himself as midfield maestro.
He was already a contender for the MVP award with six assists but it was a goal -- not exactly rare for him but infrequent -- that proved decisive, as he found the back of the net - with his right foot, no less -- to hand the Thais a 1-0 second-leg win for a 3-2 aggregate triumph over Vietnam in the final.
It hardly matters that when Buriram set up, Theerathon often looks like he will be the deepest in midfield and the one shielding the backline. Make no mistake about it: he is one of their greatest offensive threats.
And his teammates know that too. Even though the Austrian brothers Robert and Peter Žulj are creative forces in their own right, Suphanat and Supachai Jaided are industrious when they drop deep, and even Goran Čaušić can cause havoc with his box-to-box style.
When Buriram look for that final ball, all heads often turn to Theerathon -- and he isn't even required as often for set-piece duty anymore. Why would he? When he can instead relax on the edge of the box and wait for his next goal of the season attempt.
Yet, with Theerathon, history has shown that the good often comes with just a bit of not-so-good -- and sometimes he does lose his head in the most outrageous of scenarios.
Last season, he received a three-match suspension for pinching the genitals of Johor Darul Ta'zim's Arif Aiman in an AFC Champions League Elite tie as they stood over a freekick with the ball not even in play.
On Wednesday, his night officially ended early when he was sent off in the eighth minute of injury time after kicking out at Hugo Boumous as they both tumbled to the ground following a coming together -- literally as the referee blew his final whistle.
There was no need for him to have reacted that way, especially with the contest effectively over -- and a night of celebration awaiting.
Nonetheless, Theerathon has always had fire inside him. At times, it results in him crossing the line.
When it doesn't, for the most part, it has also driven him to a hugely successful career that has reaped a J1 League crown, nine Thai League 1 titles, seven FA Cups, seven League Cups, three ASEAN Championships -- including an MVP -- and, now, two ASEAN Club Championships.
It is also a factor behind why he is almost always the one rising to the occasion for his team when the stakes are the highest.
And it is perhaps the reason why, even when he could have just been content remaining at left-back, he was able to succeed in reinventing himself in the second half of his career -- where he continues to enjoy his midfield renaissance.