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As part of the revolution in football that Pep Guardiola brought in with his FC Barcelona team - the false 9 position became the most talked-about tactical innovation in the game. Lionel Messi rose to become the best attacker in world football during the Guardiola period by playing in that position.
Though creative attackers such as Nandor Hidegkuti have often played as a deep striker (false 9) in history, it was the Messi-Guardiola combo that brought the term into vogue in modern football.
So what does a false 9 essentially do? Traditionally, the number nine shirt in football is worn by the main centre-forward of a football team, one who is the most advanced focal point of the attacks.
A false 9 is an attacker who plays in a more deeper role than a traditional striker, exploiting the space between the lines and linking up play with the midfield through his passing and dribbling skills. A false 9 is noted for both getting goals and setting them up.
Lionel Messi, with his skill-set, was the perfect embodiment of the false 9 position during the tiki-taka era, linking up with the best playmakers in the business in Andres Iniesta and Xavi. With time, Messi has changed his position frequently, often shifting to the right-wing in recent times, but still remains one of the most potent number 9s in football.
In this article, we take a look at the best false 9s in football right now.
Five best false 9s in football right now:
#5 Nabil Fekir
Nabil Fekir remains the most prolific football player at a mediocre club. His exploits for Lyon and then Real Betis, for whom he signed in 2019, have won him acclaim from all corners.
Didier Deschamps, who found space for the attacker in his World Cup-winning, star-studded French team, said that Fekir brought a different quality to the side.
That quality is his ability to exploit the spaces between the opposition's defence and midfield to find pinpoint assists and goal-scoring chances as a false 9. With seven goals and as many assists in all competitions, he will be the main attacker for Real Betis this season as well.
#4 Paulo Dybala
Paulo Dybala has seemingly rejuvenated his career after seemingly being on the verge of exiting Juventus. Known for his vision, shooting and dribbling abilities, Dybala, is one of the most complete attackers in football right now.
The false 9 pipped Cristiano Ronaldo to the Serie A MVP award last season after scoring 11 times and assisting as many goals in the league as Juventus won their ninth straight Serie A title. Dybala will be integral to new coach Andrea Pirlo's plans as a deep striker in the coming season as Juventus chase Champions League glory in addition to more domestic success.
#3 Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi, the progenitor and most successful practitioner of the art in modern football, finds himself in third place in this list simply because he has more often played as a right-forward in recent times than as a more central false 9.
The record 7-time winner of the Pichichi Award for highest goal-scorer in the La Liga, Messi, has also conjured up brilliant assists as a false 9 over time.
However, Messi is still devastating in the position and has won everything in the game, including six Ballon'D'Ors, in that role, with his vision, creativity and completeness as an attacker receiving full fruition. Famously, Messi's desire to play as a false 9 led to Zlatan Ibrahimovic being shunted to the wing and to the exit door in Barcelona.
One cannot really question Guardiola's decision to keep Messi in the false 9 role despite Ibra's protestations as the former was the best in the role. It is to be seen where Messi plays under Ronald Koeman in the upcoming season, though.
#2 Thomas Muller
Those he is not technically a false 9, preferring the term raumdeuter, the interpreter of space, for his specific style of play, Thomas Muller typifies what a false 9 does. His constant quest to find space between lines and link up play between a central striker and a potent midfield are a testament to his false 9 qualities.
Muller, not the best dribbler or even shooter in football, is a constant roaming presence in advanced areas who reads the game immaculately and discovers the best opportunities to score goals and assist teammates. With 14 goals and 26 assists last season, the 31-year-old rediscovered his mojo as Bayern Munich romped to a continental treble.
#1 Roberto Firmino
Though he has met with a lost of criticism of late, Roberto Firmino has exemplified the false 9 role as part of a revolutionary new Liverpool team that has won the Champions League and Premier League in consecutive seasons.
Firmino is the putative centre-forward in Liverpool's front-three, with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah marauding down the wings and cutting in to devastating effect. But describing Firmino as a centre-forward only tells half the story.
He is not as prolific as his two other teammates in terms of goals, but his touch, vision and passing often sets up Liverpool's attacks. He loves to go deeper to become a de-facto playmaker in the final-third as Salah and Mane venture forward.
The Brazilian has scored 78 goals and 60 assists during a glittering run for the Reds. His goals may have dried up a bit for now, but Firmino remains the top false 9 in modern football as part of a complete attacking team.
