The traditional #9 died at football's pinnacle—and the False 9 rose in its place, but the role isn't just about Messi dropping deep or Firmino's pressing. We're exploring how this role has evolved far beyond Barcelona, starting with Hidegkuti's revolutionary Magyars to Martínez's tactical masterstroke using Lukaku as a physical "decoy" False 9 for Belgium.

What You'll Hear About:

• Classic False 9: Technical requirements and why Messi/Firmino became the template

• Physical False 9: How Lukaku's unconventional role created chaos against Brazil in 2018

• FM26 Implementation: Tactical setups and player instructions for both styles

• Data Analysis: Key metrics and warning signs to watch

Key Segments

• Theory (15 min): Barcelona's possession vs Belgium's counter-attacking chaos
• Listen & Learn (10 min): Visual cues—what success looks like vs common mistakes
• FM Application (15 min): Formations, roles, and instructions for both False 9 styles
• Data Detective (10 min): Stats that matter and red flags
• Case Study: Transforming Belgium's attack through Lukaku's reimagined role

Perfect for FM tacticians looking to experiment ahead of FM26's release and understand how tactical concepts translate across different player profiles. Whether you're building around a technical playmaker or a physical target man, this episode shows you how to make the False 9 work for your squad.

Get those tactical juices flowing—because sometimes the best False 9 isn't the player you'd expect.

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Episode Sources:

• https://totalfootballanalysis.com/opinion/messis-impact-how-the-false-9-changed-the-game 

• https://fcbarcelona.us/false-nine-soccer/ 

• https://the-footballanalyst.com/false-nine-football-tactics-explained/ 

• https://worldfootballindex.com/2020/07/analysis-barcelona-real-madrid-6-2-may-2009-full-match/ 

• https://www.reuters.com/article/sports/firmino-delivers-false-nine-masterclass-says-klopp-idUSKBN2HF07O/ 

• https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/champions-league/2017-2018/why-roberto-firmino-is-jurgen-klopps-football-philosophy-incarnate_sto6770862/story.shtml

• https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2911770/2021/10/28/analysing-roberto-firmino-liverpools-masterful-false-nine/

• https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1965482/2020/08/05/liverpool-front-three-salah-mane-firmino-analysis-klopp/

• https://learning.coachesvoice.com/cv/jurgen-klopp-tactics-liverpool/

• https://themastermindsite.com/2022/01/29/jurgen-klopp-liverpool-tactical-analysis-2021-22-edition/

• https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/EPL/The-numbers-game-Stats-show-Firmino-is-a-more-complete-forward-than-Kane/1963187

• https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/06/roberto-martinez-belgium-players-world-cup-rejigged-false-nine-brazil

• https://learning.coachesvoice.com/tactics-brazil-belgium-hazard-debruyne-fellaini-lukaku-neymar/

• https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/06/lukaku-offers-the-clue-and-belgium-solve-mystery-of-beating-brazil

• https://thefalse9.com/2014/06/world-cup-golden-boot-contenders-romelu.html

• • https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/manchester-united-man-city-live-updates-premier-league-score-result/B4hgIDpUUuED/VPRkGzv2HQ7A/
  • https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/026d-135a261f0c56-3487bcf3a37c-1000--the-no9s-guardiola-s-double-false-nine-messi-the-origina/