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A full-back who moves inside into midfield instead of staying wide, letting the winger provide width. Guardiola made it famous with Cancelo and Walker at City. The idea is to overload the middle of the pitch, keep the ball better, and create triangles that are hard to press. It changes the shape completely - a 4-3-3 becomes something like a 3-2-2-3 when you have the ball.
João Cancelo's performances as an inverted full-back for Manchester City in 2021-22 showcased the role's potential - he'd drift inside to play as an auxiliary midfielder, picking up the ball in half-spaces and spraying passes across the pitch while Riyad Mahrez hugged the touchline.
Robbie
Jan 31, 2026
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