A ‘False 9’ is not a traditional striker. They do not stay in their position (by the opponent’s goal); this is a deliberate move used during matches. They instead stay in the midfield and become an extra asset for the team. This blog on 96 APK will give you an overview of what a ‘False 9’ is and what they do with the top football betting tips and odds of the game.
Understanding the False 9 Role in Modern Soccer
When you look at modern soccer, the false 9 is used as a deliberate weapon to disturb the opposition’s defensive line. This is because, when the opposite team’s defender sees them run into the midfield, they have to either follow them (and risk leaving a big space in their defence) or let them be free and potentially score a goal.
Why It Is Called a False 9
The player starts by standing in the striker’s position, but they do not stay there. They enter the midfield and confuse the opposing team’s defence.
How the Position Differs From a Traditional Striker
Unlike a striker who stays in their position waiting for the opportunity, a false 9 leaves their position on purpose and goes into the midfield, acting like a midfielder.
What Does a False 9 Actually Do on the Field?
They rotate between staying in the middle and with the defensive line to help teammates and create space and opportunities for goals.
Dropping Deep to Create Space
When they go in the middle, they make the opposing defenders think: should they follow the false 9 and leave a space in the defence, or let them be free with the ball?
Linking Midfield and Attack
The false 9 is like a line between the midfielders and the attacking line. They get the ball from the midfielders and pass in onto the wingers or fullbacks.
Confusing Defenders With Movement
Because the false 9s run across the ground (horizontally and vertically) all the time, the defenders get confused because they don’t know when to follow them, or who should follow them.
False 9 vs Forward vs Winger
What does the Forward do in soccer? The false 9 enters the midfield to help link the play up. While a forward stays up the pitch, a winger runs in from the sidelines to cut inside the space.
Key Differences Between These Attacking Roles
What is winger in soccer? The focus of each role is different. A forward is concerned with vertical space; the wingers focus on the available horizontal space, and a false 9 focuses on creating space in the middle.
Which Position Scores More Goals?
There are multiple reasons why is soccer the best sport in the world. Let us now explore more about the different positions of the game. Out of the three, forwards score the most goals.
Tactical Flexibility Comparison
A false 9 becomes an extra player for your team in the middle. But even though a forward doesn’t provide any flexibility, they provide constant attacking pressure.
Famous Players Who Played as a False 9
A lot of players have played as a False 9; these are some of the players who became notable for this role:
- Thomas Müller – Müller played this role for both Germany and Bayern Munich and was known as a raumdeuter.
- Kai Havertz – He was utilised in this role during his time at Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen.
- Cesc Fàbregas – Spain played him as a False 9 during the 2012 Euro tournament.
Lionel Messi’s False 9 Era
If you’re an FC Barcelona fan or a fan of Lionel Messi, then you know that the period between 2009 and 2012 was his peak. To get some more context, Messi played as a winger for most of the matches before May 2nd, 2009.
It was the El Clásico on May 2nd, 2009. A day before, coach Pep Guardiola had told Messi that he’d be playing as a False 9. The result of this match was phenomenal if you were among the Culers. Barcelona ended up winning the game by 6-2, with Messi scoring 2 goals.
His False 9 era wasn’t just a period of time; he ended up winning 4 consecutive Ballon d’Ors from 2009 to 2012. Apart from that, he also scored a total of 91 goals in 2012, for both Barça and Argentina.
But that’s not all! The Barça talisman played 149 matches as a ‘False 9’ during these 4 years; he scored 161 goals with 70 assists.
Guardiola’s move to play him as a False 9 defined a legacy for Barcelona, yes, but it also changed how the position of a striker was viewed all over the world.
Other Teams That Successfully Used the System
Here are some of the teams that succeeded with the ‘False 9’ position before and after Guardiola’s and Messi’s success with it.
- Hungary (1950s) – They won against England at Wembley in 1953. Hungary used Nándor Hidegkuti in this position. They defeated England by 6-3.
- Liverpool FC (2017-2022) – The team was coached by Jürgen Klopp, and he used Robert Firmino as the False 9. His position helped open up space for wingers like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, allowing them to score freely.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a False 9
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| The other team is left confused because they don’t know if they’re supposed to follow the False 9 (which creates a big space in the defensive line), or if they should stay back, which will allow the player to play freely. | The position will only work if the midfielders and other teammates take the opportunity to score a goal. Because even though the False 9 creates the space, if they can’t do it on time, it won’t work. |
| The timing of the match becomes unpredictable because you don’t know when the wingers, False 9s and midfielders will rotate themselves. | A false 9 has to be calm under pressure, have good skills, and have good game awareness; otherwise, the position might not work out properly. |
Better Ball Control and Creativity
- With a false 9, you get an extra player in the midfield. Because they run into the midfield, your team gets 4 players to face against the 3 players of the opposing team.
- Also, because they’re good at dribbling and passing, they can easily pass the ball when there isn’t much space.
Lack of Physical Presence in the Box
One of the disadvantages of the position is that there’s no one present near the box.
- The opposing team can decide not to move at all and stand before their goalpost. Because if the defender won’t follow the false 9, there is no space. And if there is no space, your team often just keeps running around without a chance to score.
Quick Table Explaining the False 9 Position
We will see the list of things that are usually required for a ‘False 9’ position.
Main Responsibilities
| Main Responsibilities |
| Your false 9 becomes your extra player; when they enter the midfield, your team outnumbers the other team in the middle. |
| When they enter the midfield, they force the opposing defender to follow them. A false 9 creates opportunities for goals when they run in. |
Best Skills Required
| Skills | |
| Spatial Awareness | They should always look around the ground to know who’s standing where and if players are nearby. |
| Dribbling | The player should be good at passing the ball when there’s no physical space. |
| Physical Strength | The false 9 should be quick enough to turn around at any moment and be fast while running. |
Formation Compatibility
| Formations Where They Work | The False 9 works the best with a 4-3-3 formation, because the left and right wingers can run in easily into the open space. |
Difference From a Centre Forward
| The Different Role | A centre forward stays near the opposition’s goalpost, while the false 9 leaves that position and goes into the midfield. The opposing defenders have no choice but to follow them, and a space is created for wingers to run into. |
Final Thoughts on the False 9 Position in Soccer
The position is a good tactical move to make sure the opponent’s defensive line does not settle throughout the game. The ‘False 9’ has to be someone who has good vision and great technique, with game awareness. Keep following 96 bet for soccer betting, rewards and football-related information.
FAQs
What is a false 9 in soccer?
A false 9 is the player who goes into the midfield, instead of staying near the opponent’s goalpost. The defender of the opposite team is forced to follow them.
Who invented the false 9 role?
The modern versions of the false are both popularised by Pep Guardiola in 2009, when he was coaching FC Barcelona.
Is a false 9 the same as a striker?
No, they are both different. A normal striker stays by the opponent’s goal, while a false 9 acts as both a striker and follows into midfield as well.
Which players are famous for playing false 9?
Lionel Messi is the most famous example of the false 9. Some other examples are Francesco Totti at Roma and Robert Firmino at Liverpool.
What formations use a false 9?
The 4-3-3 formation is where the false 9 position is used the most. But it can also work in the 4-1-4-1 or the 4-4-2 formation.
