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The Greatest Target Men of All Time
Shirt number: 9; also known as: 'Target Man' or 'traditional centre forward'
The traditional centre-forward or 'target man' was a big part of the game from its evolution until modern times, especially in England and northern Europe. The target man was tall, strong and brave and an excellent header of the ball. His job was to act as a focal point for the attack, often playing with his back to goal he would hold the ball up and the lay it off to play his team-mates in. These players were also the main source of goals for the team and great finishing is a pre-requisite for the greats in this position. If not scoring himself, the centre-forward he played an important role by dominating defenders physically and keeping them occupied and on the back foot. Much of his play would be about winning the ball in the air. Principally, a major source of goals was provided by him getting on the end of crosses and head the ball in the back of the net. The heyday of the traditional centre-forward was from the dawn of the game to the 1960s.
In the modern game (and often in Latin and Mediterranean countries in earlier eras) teams do not always play this way. Playing with the ball on the ground does not require this type of centre-forward and many teams played without them, although they still remained important across the world, and especially in England. The new style centre-forward (exemplified by players such as Drogba) have to perform the role described above but, frequently operating alone, they must now also be able to turn with the ball and go for goal themselves, requiring them to be quick and good with their feet as well as in the air. This is a challenging role and it is becoming more important now that teams are typically playing with only one central striker (i.e. in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation). In this system it is vital that the ball can 'stick' long enough when played to the centre-forward to give other players time to join the attack. Alternatively their modern role is just to win the ball in the area, hold it and lay it off to a deeper forward to get the best out of this latter player (e.g. Fred playing as centre-forward to support Neymar in the 2014 World Cup), though these players will rarely be classed as greats.
Dixie Dean
Friedenreich Bra 1914-30
Dixie Dean Eng 1920s
Jimmy McGrory Sco 1920s/30s
Arsenio Erico Par 1930s
Stabile Arg 1930s
Piola Ita 1930s
Binder Aus 1940s
Lofthouse Eng 1940s/50s
Mortensen Eng 1948-53
Lawton Eng 1950s
Dixie Dean Eng 1920s
Jimmy McGrory Sco 1920s/30s
Arsenio Erico Par 1930s
Stabile Arg 1930s
Piola Ita 1930s
Binder Aus 1940s
Lofthouse Eng 1940s/50s
Mortensen Eng 1948-53
Lawton Eng 1950s
John Charles
Nordahl Swe 1950s
Telmo Zarra Spa 1950s
Kocsis Hun 1953-61
Charles Wales 1957-62
Vava Bra 1958-62
Hurst Eng 1960s
Alberto Spencer Ecu 1960s
Luis Artime Arg 1960s
Jose Aguas Por 1960s
Telmo Zarra Spa 1950s
Kocsis Hun 1953-61
Charles Wales 1957-62
Vava Bra 1958-62
Hurst Eng 1960s
Alberto Spencer Ecu 1960s
Luis Artime Arg 1960s
Jose Aguas Por 1960s
Drogba
Hans Krankl Aus 1973-85
Rudi Voller Ger 1980s
Preben Elkjaer Den 1980s
Batistuta Arg 1990s
Shearer Eng 1990s
Vieri Ita 1990s
Zamorano Chile 1990s/00s
Klose Ger 2000s/10s
Forlan Uru 2000s/10s
Ibrahimovic Swe 2000s/10s
Drogba IvCo 2000s/10s
Rudi Voller Ger 1980s
Preben Elkjaer Den 1980s
Batistuta Arg 1990s
Shearer Eng 1990s
Vieri Ita 1990s
Zamorano Chile 1990s/00s
Klose Ger 2000s/10s
Forlan Uru 2000s/10s
Ibrahimovic Swe 2000s/10s
Drogba IvCo 2000s/10s
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