Are traditional “number 9” players back in fashion?

• With news that Manchester United is signing Wout Weghorst and Man City’s Haaland breaking records every week.
• SportLeo looks into the fashion of traditional “number 9s”.
• Some of the best traditional number 9s include Ronaldo, Zlatan, Alan Shearer and Torres.

With news that Manchester United is signing Wout Weghorst and Man City’s Haaland breaking records every week, we look at how the traditional number 9 is back to popularity.

Fluid forward lines provide variety and flexibility, but a fixed point of attack is sometimes the most dangerous option.

We’ve been so accustomed to the false nine, the player who starts as a central attacker but drops back to link the buildup play, that it’s easy to forget what an actual centre forward looks like – a traditional no. 9, if you will.

The traditional no. 9, whose preferred habitat begins on the last defender’s shoulder and ends 2 yards from the opposing goal line, has sometimes become an endangered species.

This is because football’s central areas have become so hostile to the game’s most gifted attackers, so meticulously patrolled by defenders, that they occupy the space wide, only swooping to take at the last moment.

Because so many teams now play with high defensive lines and out from the back, the traditional no. 9 must spend more time than ever chasing the ball to regain possession.

As a result, their workload is frequently that of an endurance runner rather than a sprinter. Given this new tactical landscape, it’s fantastic that there are still those who, through athleticism or sheer cunning, manage to find their spots in the opposition’s defence repeatedly.

Nazario is regarded as one of the most successful number 9s.|PHOTO: bein|

Traditional number 9 characteristics.

The first thing to notice about an exact number nine is that they could never play in any other position: they can never be the best supporting actor. Suppose an elite football team is a Hollywood production. In that case, this person’s face is the most prominent on the billboard (this is especially easy to imagine in the case of Cavani, who is so handsome that it is almost comical).

To ask Zlatan to play on the wing is akin to telling Jack Nicholson to use the back door instead of the red carpet. You do not do it.

The third characteristic of the traditional or genuine no. 9 is their obsession with scoring goals. That desire isn’t always fulfilled, but it must exist. You can see it in Romelu Lukaku and Sergio Agüero, whose celebrations are rarely choreographed acts, but instead the roars of hungry bears who are desperate for more mouthfuls.

It must be such an overwhelming desire that it eventually results in an outburst of goalscoring, as seen with Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin it must be a depth of thirst that is almost vampiric in its intensity.

Another thing to consider about the traditional or genuine no. 9 is their positioning. Other players try to arrive as late as possible in the penalty area, but the traditional no. 9 is always there.

They belong in the 6-yard box just as much as a polar bear does on top of an ice cap. Cavani follows the ball around that small patch of grass as intently and expertly as Dennis Rodman once did with the ball rebounding from the rim. Zlatan occupies it with a regal air, almost offended that defenders should trespass on what he sees as his territory.

Some of the best traditional number 9s include:

Ronaldo (Nazario) | Brazil

Ronaldo is known as “The Phenomenon” and by the nickname R9. He is a role model for future strikers, having been named FIFA World Player of the Year three times and winning two Ballon d’Or awards.

There is no stopping him with his speed, acceleration, dribbling, and finishing. He was the most youthful player to receive the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1996.

Ronaldo appeared in 98 matches for Brazil, scoring 62 goals. He was only 17 years old when he was a member of Brazil’s World Cup-winning squad in 1994. He also won the Copa América in 1997.

Alan Shearer | England

Shearer was a magnificent goal scorer.|PHOTO: talkSPORT|

Alan Shearer, an intelligent and challenging operator, is one of England’s greatest-ever strikers and was known for his heading ability. He is the best goalscorer in Premier League history, with 260 goals in 441 Premier League appearances and 30 goals in 63 England games.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Sweden

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who stands 6’4″, could have been forgiven for relying on his sheer physicality during his career. Still, the towering Swede also has no shortage of technical ability, which is what sets him apart. Ibrahimovic’s versatility has seen him play as a second striker and even a No. 10, but he excelled as a No. 9 in his early career.

Fernando Torres | Spain

Former Spanish striker Fernando Torres.|PHOTO: Getty Images|

Fernando Torres, a Liverpool and Atletico Madrid legend, was one of the world’s most feared strikers during his prime years. His explosive pace was undoubtedly his most valuable asset. Still, he also possessed tremendous strength, which helped him deal with the close attentions of Premier League defenders such as Nemanja Vidic, John Terry, and others.