false nine

American

[fawls nahyn] / ˈfɔls ˈnaɪn /

Or false 9

noun

Soccer. a center forward player who drops back into the midfield to receive the ball, creating space and opportunity for teammates further up the field by drawing the opposing team’s defense out of their positions.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

false nines

plural

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

From right wing to false nine, from the flank to the centre of the greatest club side in history.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

He should not be criticised for failing to shine as a false nine against Japan because it is a role he is unfamiliar with.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Hence why we're seeing this new formation again, with the interchange and false nine.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

In possession, Florian Wirtz played as a false nine, dropping deep and creating an overload for Liverpool in midfield, with Gabriel reluctant to track him.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

Foden won the Premier League playing as a false nine in 2020-21 and registered 27 goals and 12 assists in a very attacking role in 2023-24.

From BBC • Nov. 13, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023