The idea of a ‘target man’ might make you think of those outlines of a human body you might see at the end of a shooting range. It could make you say ‘target person’ in response, aware of the fact that man is sexist by its very nature.
You may envision someone running away through the sight of a sniper rifle, as a trained assassin looks to take them out.
If you know anything about football, though, you will be more than aware of the fact that a ‘target man’ tends to be a tall striker who the players can look to hit the ball up to, offering their teammates a target for them to aim at in a game.
It is Often Associated with Route One Football
The truth of the matter is that the top teams in world football during the modern era tend not to play with a ‘target man’. Although Manchester City won plenty with Erling Haaland up front and Pep Guardiola in the dugout, that was really the exception that proved the rule. More often than not, teams looking to win the likes of the Champions League or the domestic division will aim to play passing football, moving the ball around quickly and shifting it from back to front speedily in order to catch the opposition out unaware. It is the more ‘route one’ teams that will have a target man.
That is because a target man tends to be used more commonly in teams that like to hit the ball long, aiming to relieve any pressure on the defence by getting the ball up to the other end of the pitch as quickly and aggressively as possible. In order to do that, they need to have a tall player who can be seen from a distance away, giving the players a target to aim for as they punt the ball long. Similarly, wingers aiming to cross the ball will have a target for their crosses, whilst set-piece takers will know that they can aim for someone specific who has the ability to get on the end of a pass.
When a football manager takes over and wants a big 6’4″+ target man up front, but all he’s got are small poachers, he can just tell the player and his agent: you don’t fit my plans and it would be best for us all if you look for another club.
— Oliver Mills (@olivermills.bsky.social) Aug 11, 2025 at 11:00
Whilst it isn’t always the case that said ‘target man’ will be big in stature, with Peter Crouch being a really good example of a target man who was as thin as a rake, the very best target men are also stocky in nature. That is because they will often be marked by the opposition’s centre-backs, who will be big in order to offer a sense of physicality at the back. The entire point of a target man is that they can help the defence clear their lines and hold the ball up whilst their teammates catch up with them, so they need a degree of strength in order to be able to do just that during the match.