The False 9 Was Created by Lionel Messi Not Pep Guardiola. Lionel Messi Was Already Playing a Similar Role from His Early Days by Both Creating & Finishing the Chances. The false 9, in some ways similar to a more advanced attacking midfielder/playmaker role, is an unconventional lone striker or centre-forward, who drops deep into midfield. The purpose of this is that it creates a problem for opposing centre-backs who can either follow the false 9, leaving space behind them for onrushing midfielders, forwards or wingers to exploit, or leaving the false 9 to have time and space to dribble or pick out a pass. The term comes from the traditional number for centre-forwards (nine), and the fact that normally a centre-forward traditionally stayed near the line of defenders until they got an opportunity to move past the toward goal. Key attributes for a false 9 are similar to those of a deep-lying striker: dribbling ability to take advantage of space between the lines, good short passing ability to link up with the midfield and vision to play through teammates making runs from deep to goal. The day Leo was transformed into a false 9 is the day every European side crumbled and cowered into fear. When the name of Barcelona would arise, Messi’s brutality on the field would instantly be pictured. Real Madrid suffered a barbarous blow in the Argentinian’s first game occupying the intricate role as Barça battered them 6–2 at the Bernabéu in May 2009. On May 2,
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