There are lots of roles and formations in soccer that teams employ throughout the season. Some are attacking, while others are defensive and focused on keeping the ball out of the net.
But what is a false nine in soccer? How does this system work? And is it worth trying out?
In the following sections, we take a closer look at the role of a false nine in soccer and help you decide whether or not you can try it out with your local soccer team.
So, what is a false nine in soccer?
A false nine in soccer is an attacking player who drops shorter than most other strikers, allowing the team to play without a recognized striker. The false nine is responsible for linking play between the midfield and the wide attackers, and it’s an approach that is favored by coaches who rely on their wingers for lots of their attacks.
In the sections that follow, we break down the role of the false nine in soccer in more detail and help you understand whether it could be a useful formation for your team to use.
Is a false nine a formation?
A false nine is one position in a specific formation. However, given the fact that the role is quite unusual, it’s often given as the name of a team’s entire approach to a match.
Employing a false nine allows you to play the game without a recognized central striker. Typically, all teams set up with at least one striker, often two, but the false nine sees the two wingers push further forward.
The formation is best utilized by teams who have a strong central midfield and pacy, threatening wingers. What tends to happen is that the false nine drops deep to receive the ball from the midfield.
They then bring the wingers into play by drawing the opposition defenders with them, which also allows the central midfielders to run in behind and attack the penalty area.
For a false nine to work, the whole team needs to play with a certain philosophy, which focuses on ball retention, speedy counterattacks, and playing through the thirds.
For instance, when you play a false nine, you can no longer rely on your center forward to hold the ball up against the defense, as they’re not in the traditional position!
So, the false nine is unusual, but why is it advantageous?
What are the benefits of playing a false nine in soccer?
When employed correctly, the false nine can be an extremely effective formation for soccer teams at all levels of the game. Some of the specific advantages include:
Midfield overload
When you appoint a false nine, you’re essentially playing with another central, attacking midfielder. In games where possession is crucial, having a false nine will help you dominate the ball.
This is because they come back into the midfield and help to orchestrate the play. They’re also effective at bringing the wide players into the game.
Link up play
Perhaps the best thing about playing a false nine is that the person in that position can link the play really effectively.
What we mean by this is that your defenders or midfield players don’t need to play aimless long balls up towards your attackers.
Rather, they can pick out your false nine with an incisive pass through the opposition lines. When the false nine is in possession of the ball, they then use their spatial awareness to bring in other players, thus linking the play effectively.
It’s confusing for defenders
Starting a match with a false nine in soccer is really confusing for the opposition defenders. Traditionally, defenders stick close to the forwards and mark them effectively.
However, a false nine drops deep constantly, which puts the defenders in a conundrum – should they hold their positions or follow the false nine back into a deeper position?
If they follow the false nine, it frees up space in behind the defense, which the central midfielders and wingers can exploit.
Ultimately, the false nine can be difficult to get the hang of at first, but it’s an exceptionally effective strategy if you get it right.
Do any professional soccer teams play a false nine?
Several professional teams play a false nine in soccer. Perhaps the most prevalent example right now is Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, who has mastered the false nine setups.
Throughout the 2021-22 Premier League season, Manchester City were ruthless when employing the false nine, and they caused defenses all sorts of problems throughout the campaign.
In a 38-game season, the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden, and Riyad Mahrez all played the role of the false nine in the team.
And the amazing thing about this is that none of them are actually out-and-out strikers. In fact, Kevin De Bruyne, who is a deep-lying midfielder by trade, scored four goals in Man City’s rout against Wolverhampton Wanderers as the false nine, highlighting just how effective the role can be.
However, having just since Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, Pep is likely to rethink his formation this year. That being said, Haaland is capable of playing that little bit deeper if called upon, so it will be fascinating to see how their formation evolves.
Who is the best false nine in the world?
Lionel Messi is the best false nine in the world – there’s simply no debate about it! In fact, he’s made for the role of the false nine, and he has all the attributes to succeed.
Something that Messi has been so good at throughout his career is ghosting into space and picking up the ball where he can cause his opponents damage.
And instead of shifting the ball out wide, Messi turns and runs directly at the defense. He’s such an effective false nine that we wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the role is christened as “the Messi” when he hangs up his boots.
What attributes do you need to play the false nine role?
The beauty of the false nine position is that players with unique styles can play the role really well. However, here are some of the key attributes that all false nines in soccer should have:
- Excellent spatial awareness
- Incisive passing and vision to see a pass
- Clinical finishing to score goals when they get the opportunity
- Strength and a low center of gravity to turn and run at defenders
- Excellent work ethic and a good team spirit
The reason that we’ve included the last attribute is that the false nine is often a selfless role. Strikers are normally tasked with putting the ball in the back of the net, but the false nine needs to do so much more than that.
You can think of them as the conductor of the orchestra – their job is to make sure all the other players are involved and effective in the game. It’s for this reason that Messi is so good at this role.
Is a false nine good for weak teams?
Truthfully, we wouldn’t recommend playing a false nine formation if you’re a weak team. The reason is that the false nine only works well when you dominate possession.
Also, you need to ensure that all of your forward-thinking players are on the same page, and there is a lot of positional rotation.
Weaker teams struggle to make the false nine work as there are so many moving parts to the setup. It also makes it difficult to set up in a defensive shape, which is obviously super important if you’re playing in a weak team.
Therefore, we’d only recommend trying the false nine if your team is used to dominating the ball and creating lots of chances, as you could easily come unstuck if you try this formation without the required skill level.
Is a false nine difficult to play?
Overall, playing the role of false nine in soccer is relatively complicated. The player needs to be highly skilled and spatially aware, and willing to go the extra mile for the team.
It’s definitely more difficult than playing as a standard striker, as you’re required to perform different duties out on the field and take up different positions.
So, while it can be an awesome formation for your team to muster, the false nine isn’t well suited to beginners and teams that are just starting out.
Recap: A false nine in soccer
A false nine in soccer is an attacking player that drops into the midfield throughout the game. Instead of solely posing an attacking threat, the false nine is responsible for building attacks and bringing their teammates into play.
Manchester City employ a false nine during most matches, but Lionel Messi is the greatest false nine to ever have played the game. So, if you’re looking for inspiration on how to nail this role, get stuck into some YouTube videos and watch Leo at his finest.