In FIFA 22, many of the original players are long gone, but the False 9 4-3-3 formation can still be utilized just as effectively. This allowed him the freedom to become the engine of the time by distributing play as he saw fit, which is partially the reason why Barcelona were so incredibly successful for many years. Messi, at the time, was playing a CF closely linking to the midfielders, creating a diamond-like shape with the CDM and the two CMs) while Pedro and David Villa were higher up on both sides of the pitch. During the Tiki-Taka era, Barcelona were mostly using the False 9 formation variant of the 4-3-3.
