Not the speed positions.
Try racing against the wide receivers, running backs and D backs in the NFL.
An interesting proposition...
But you forget, there are 90 minutes in a soccer game... (plus the possibility of 30 additional minutes in a championship semi-final or final.)
The mid-fielders and sweepers must run all 90 minutes, continuous, sometimes even sprint to get the ball, or score a goal. Their total fitness has been tested and it is far superior than the other athletes. (I will look for the source of the study, I saw it on ESPN last year).
Soccer is a fast sport, but not a "sprint" sport (with a few exceptions for the strikers), soccer is also a sport of stamina, that must last you the entire 90 minutes... plus.
On top of that, you must be extremely agile, brilliant with your imagination to create the opportunities to score, or pass, quick of mind to react for the unexpected, and as far as most Latin American players [and a few Europeans] with great style and flair, on top of the speed and stamina.
The one case you mentioned, Bob Hayes, started as a track athlete the gold medal he won was in Tokyo, as correctly you pointed out earlier, they choose Football because of the money.
I bet you when soccer becomes viable, there will be tons of great athletes that would choose Soccer, since there is considerable less physical impact, and you do not have to wear a helmet.
As for Soccer players being 160 lbs.... you better check your stats...
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