Lionel Messi is primarily an attacking forward / playmaker , usually playing as a right winger, false 9, or central attacking midfielder rather than a traditional striker or midfielder.

Quick Scoop: Messi’s Position

  • Messi grew up as a wide forward, mainly on the right wing , cutting inside onto his left foot to create chances and score.
  • Under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, he famously played as a false 9 : starting centrally as a “striker” but constantly dropping into midfield to link play and then bursting into the box.
  • In his later years with Argentina and Inter Miami, he often acts as a central attacking midfielder / deep-lying forward , roaming freely to dictate play rather than staying fixed up front.
  • Across his last many matches, he’s been used most often as a central forward or central attacking midfielder, with some games still from the right.

So, what position does Messi play now?

In modern terms, you can think of Messi’s position as:

  • An attacking forward with a free role
  • Sitting between midfield and attack
  • Roaming from the right side into central pockets to create and finish moves

In simple fan language: he’s not just “a right winger” or “a striker” — he’s the team’s main creator and goal threat, starting high up but going wherever he needs to hurt the opponent.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.