Last week, during the FIFA World Cup 2026, I explored the surprising career parallels between footballers and researchers in my Nature Careers article, comparing the two professions in terms of precarity, international mobility, performance pressures and the transition from researcher to research group leader.
The more I thought about it, the more I realised that the similarities don’t stop there. Even on an ordinary day in the laboratory, research groups operate remarkably like successful football teams.
Just like a football squad, everyone has a part to play
Football teams don’t consist of eleven centre-forwards, and successful research groups aren’t built solely from brilliant experimentalists. Diversity of strengths is what makes both teams successful. Some researchers thrive on designing experiments, while others excel at analysing data, troubleshooting complex techniques, writing papers, building collaborations or securing funding. Some naturally lead from the front, while others provide the quiet consistency that keeps projects moving forward.
So, what position do you play in your research group?
Are you the technical genius everyone turns to when a piece of equipment refuses to cooperate? The creative thinker who sees solutions where everyone else sees problems? The mentor who quietly helps new PhD students find their feet? Or perhaps you’re the outreach champion, happy to step onto the conference stage or in front of a camera when science needs a public face. Every research group also seems to have a social secretary; the person who remembers birthdays, organises social activities, brings in homemade cakes and somehow manages to hold the team together when experiments aren’t going to plan.
In football, it’s often the goal scorers who make the headlines. In research, it can sometimes feel as though first authors, principal investigators and conference keynote speakers receive most of the recognition. Yet behind every successful publication lies an entire team whose contributions may be less visible but are no less important. The colleague who developed the protocol, the technician who kept the equipment running, the postdoc who patiently trained others or the administrator who somehow kept the grant on track all contribute to the final result.
Then there’s the manager
Many researchers aspire to becoming a research group leader, imagining greater freedom to pursue their scientific ideas. But, much like a footballer becoming a coach, the role changes dramatically. Success becomes less about your own experiments and more about creating an environment in which others can succeed. Recruiting talented people, securing funding, mentoring staff, managing budgets and setting a clear vision become just as important as scientific expertise. A football manager can’t score goals from the touchline, and a principal investigator rarely produces every figure in the paper. Both rely on building a team capable of delivering results.
Perhaps this also explains why the best research groups, like the best football teams, often develop a recognisable culture. Trust, communication, mutual respect and a willingness to support one another frequently matter just as much as individual brilliance. A team full of stars doesn’t automatically win championships, just as a laboratory full of exceptional scientists won’t necessarily produce exceptional science if collaboration is lacking.
So, where do you fit?
Are you the dependable defender who quietly keeps projects on track? The creative playmaker who generates new ideas? The reliable goalkeeper who spots problems before anyone else? Or perhaps you’re the captain – the person colleagues instinctively turn to when challenges arise.
Whatever your role, remember this: successful science, like successful football, is rarely a solo performance. It’s a team game. And every position matters.