Matheus Cunha is not your traditional number 9 — and he wants everyone to know it!
The Brazilian forward, who joined Manchester United this summer for a reported £62.5 million from Wolves, recently opened up about the confusion surrounding his true role on the pitch. Many fans and pundits have seen him as a striker, but Cunha insists that his football roots tell a different story.
In an interview with Globo, Cunha explained that he actually came up as a midfielder — not a striker — and that his journey to the Brazil national team added to the stereotype that he’s an out-and-out number 9.
“I think that because I play for Manchester [United] and people follow me more on the pitch, they understand better how I play,” Cunha said.
He went on to reflect on how his versatility has shaped his career:
“I came to the national team with this stereotype of a number 9 shirt. I played my entire base as a midfielder, and when I became a professional, I encountered this world of 4-3-3. It seems like you have to adapt — either play centre-forward, winger, or ‘eight’. They eliminated the midfielder position, and you have to adapt. But I see it positively, as it has given me experience in many positions.”
Cunha’s adaptability could turn out to be a major advantage for Manchester United, especially as manager Amorim experiments with his 3-4-2-1 setup — where Cunha operates as one of the two number 10s.
For United fans, this might finally explain why Cunha looks just as comfortable linking play in midfield as he does finishing inside the box. It’s not confusion — it’s class versatility.
And if that helps Manchester United climb higher in the Premier League and Brazil dominate in international football, then maybe this “position confusion” is a blessing in disguise.