false nine

American  

[fawls nahyn] / ˈfɔls ˈnaɪn /

Or false 9

noun

• false nines
  plural

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• false nines
  plural

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

false nine

That Plan B could be deploying a false nine, which Tuchel tried out in the international friendly against Uruguay in March.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

The 25-year-old might be better known as a left-sided wide player, but he has already shown his ability as a false nine.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Rogers also looked lively when he came off the bench – Bellingham briefly being used as a false nine – so the debate will continue to rage.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 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

The idea of having Foden as Kane's central striking understudy is now a non-starter after the experiment of using him as a false nine against Japan was cut short after less than an hour.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026

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