If you’ve been into football for some time, you’ve likely heard the term “False 9.” Commentators, analysts, and even your football-loving friend often use it. It sounds tactical and important. If you find yourself a little confused by what the term false 9 means, you're not alone.
In this tutorial, OhMyFootball is making it all easy for you. New to the game or simply curious about football tactics, you'll be leaving with a full understanding of what a False 9 is. You'll learn why teams use it and who made it famous.
In football, the 9 is the classic striker. This is the player who sticks out in front, near the other team's goal, and scores the goals. In football language, it's the classic No. 9.
A perfect example of classic No. 9 are players like Robert Lewandowski or Didier Drogba—strong, control finishers who thrive on goals.
A False 9, however, is the complete opposite.
Instead of lingering near the other team's penalty box, a False 9 drops into midfield. They don't play like an actual striker. In fact, they sometimes look like a midfielder or playmaker on the pitch. They're "false" in that they appear like a striker, but they play like something else entirely.
So why on earth would a coach want their main striker to leave the striker position?
It's all about tactical advantage. The False 9 role creates:
In a way, the False 9 helps in managing the opponent's shape.
Let's break it down step by step.
The False 9 plays like a normal striker. When the ball is set to be kicked off, there is possibly nothing different.
At the start of the game, they drop into the middle of the field. They almost blend in with the central players.
They create a numerical advantage in the centre. This helps their team keep possession and take time to build attacks.
If the center-backs follow them, they leave space in behind. If they don't, the False 9 can use time and space to create chances.
Wingers, attacking midfielders, or even full-backs can make runs into the space vacated by the False 9, picking up through balls or crosses.
It's chess-like: move one piece to create a chance for another.
The idea of the False 9 isn’t brand new. It became very popular in modern football because of players like Lionel Messi. However, its roots go back much further, long before tiki-taka and Pep Guardiola.
One of the earliest known uses of a False 9-like role came from Hungary’s national team in the 1950s. We can say that their legendary striker Nándor Hidegkuti is the first False 9 in football. Instead of staying high up the pitch like a normal striker, he would drop into midfield, confusing defenders who weren’t used to seeing that kind of movement.
When Hungary beat England 6–3 at Wembley in 1953, many people say it was the day football changed forever. English defenders had no idea how to deal with Hidegkuti’s movement. That match is still studied by coaches today.
Later, other great teams adopted similar tactics, like AS Roma with Francesco Totti in the early 2000s, and of course, Barcelona under Pep Guardiola, who turned it into an art form with Messi.
So while Guardiola popularized the False 9 in the modern game, the roots of the role go all the way back to 1950s Hungary.
The False 9 role seems modern, but it has a deep history. Many of football’s most creative minds have made it unique. Those players didn’t just score goals—they redefined the role with intelligence, movement, and vision.
Let’s take a look at the players who made the False 9 famous on the world stage.
Perhaps the greatest example of the False 9 ever.
Messi revolutionized our understanding of the role in Pep Guardiola's time at Barcelona. No longer was he a right winger or striker but a center point man asked to drop into midfield. Revolutionary.
Centre-backs weren't sure if they were to mark him or remain in line. Meanwhile, players such as Pedro and David Villa would make runs behind the back of the defence, exploiting the space that Messi had created.
That Barcelona team swept across Europe, and Messi scored goals, made assists, and dictated matches like never before.
There was Messi before, and then there was Totti. The Italian legend used to ply his trade as a False 9 in the early 2000s, particularly during his time under Luciano Spalletti. Totti had incredible vision, passing, and close control. He wasn't that fast or physical for a striker, but he was a very intelligent reader of the game.
That he was so good at creating from deep positions and still scoring was a natural False 9—before it was trendy.
Spain surprised everyone by not using a traditional striker in Euro 2012. Their manager, Vicente del Bosque, instead used Fàbregas as a False 9. It worked beautifully—Spain won the tournament by bombing opponents with slow passes, clever movement, and midfield dominance.
Now you might be wondering, "Well, if it's so good for the tactic, why don't every manager use his striker as a False 9"?
Well, this is not a position for every striker. Not all strikers can play as a False 9. The role needs a unique combination of abilities:
Think of the False 9 as a combination of a striker, a midfielder, and... a magician.
Not sure if a team is using a False 9? Here’s what to watch for during the game:
Instead of standing near the defenders waiting for the ball, the striker often drops deep, closer to the midfield or even near the halfway line.
Look for wingers or midfielders sprinting into the space the striker left behind. They’re trying to get behind the defence and receive the ball in dangerous areas.
You might notice the opposing centre-backs hesitating or looking confused. They don’t know whether to follow the False 9 into midfield or stay in their usual positions.
Teams using a False 9 usually play with quick passes, smart movement, and strong control in midfield. They focus on keeping possession and building attacks patiently.
You can commonly see the False 9 in the middle of passing triangles, collecting the ball, turning, and distributing short passes into risky spaces.
The False 9 isn’t something every team uses all the time—it works best in specific situations. Here are some moments where it can be especially effective:
When the opposing team uses two centre-backs, the False 9 can pull one (or both) out of position, creating open space behind them. That space can be used by fast wingers or midfielders making forward runs.
Not every team has a tall or strong striker who can hold the ball up. The False 9 is a smart alternative—it’s more about skill, movement, and passing than physical power.
The False 9 adds an extra body in midfield, which helps your team control the ball and build play slowly. It’s perfect for teams that want to dominate the game through smart passing.
The system works well when other players make forward runs into the space the False 9 leaves behind. Wingers, full-backs, or midfielders can all take advantage of that movement.
In short, the False 9 is a great fit for possession-based teams with intelligent, quick players who know how to move and create space.
The next time you're watching a big game and spot a striker dropping into central midfield, you'll know exactly what's going on. It might look simple at first glance, but the False 9 is an intelligent tactical move that's got defenders scratching their heads and fans on the edge of their seats.
Whether it’s Messi weaving magic or your team’s creative forward trying something new, you’ll be able to say: “Ah, that’s a False 9—smart move!”
Want to dive deeper into football tactics? Check out our guide on the Inverted Full-Back next.
