There aren't many footballers throughout history who have had a specific role named after them.In fact, only one really springs to mind and that's Claude Makelele, the Frenchman who redefined the defensive midfield position.The 'Makelele Role' is still a common colloquialism to this very day and it was at Chelsea where the man himself was at the very peak of his powers.Signed in 2003, the tenacious midfielder quickly became the backbone of the Blues' team, playing a pivotal role in Jose Mourinho's two Premier League title wins in 2004/05 and 2005/06.Opposing teams' offensive stars were regularly thwarted by the pragmatic genius, who just never seemed to be out of position.However, there was far more to Makelele's game than just breaking up the play and then offloading the ball to a forward-thinking teammate.The Chelsea icon could operate as a deep-lying playmaker and was also supremely gifted with the ball at his feet.Just ask Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, because he was once left in a heap on the turf by Makelele and his quick feet.Footage of the Frenchman making Gerrard forget how to stand up will never not be funny and it's the first of many brilliant clips in the Makelele compilation found below.

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The former Real Madrid man really was silky smooth in the middle of park.

Yes, Makelele's primary weapon was his defensive nous - as the above video also highlights - but he was more than capable of contributing in attack when required to do so.

In fact, he actually played as a marauding right-midfielder at times early on in his career at FC Nantes.

It was only when he moved to Marseille in 1997 that his position as the midfield screen that protected the team's defence became permanent.

Makelele never looked back after that, securing himself a place among the greatest to have laced a pair of boots.