Source: TheGuardian
From Vardy to Lewandowski, vintage traditional No 9s are thriving again
The modern game was supposed to have left such centre-forwards behind, so why are they topping the scoring charts?Ever since Hungary swaggered into Wembley in 1953, deploying Nandor Hidegkuti as a “false nine” and shattering England’s superiority complex, the traditional No 9 has been left a yard off the pace, fighting for a place in the beautiful game.These days strikers have to be fit, hard-working and flexible, often leaving the headlines for those who profit from their efforts. It has been 15 years since an out-and-out striker – Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko – won the Ballon d’Or. That marked the end of a golden age for goalscorers, now endangered in an era of relentless pressing and possession. Related: Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 top scorers 2019-20 Related: Which footballers have scored a hat-trick of free-kicks? | The Knowledge Continue reading......read full article
