在足球里，内锋这个位置在19世纪末至20世纪被广泛利用。内锋负责支持中锋，通过跑动在对方的防在线制造空间。在现代，这个角色类近影锋。

在早期的2-3-5阵式，内锋会在中锋的侧面。随着W-M阵式的出现，内锋撤后成为了攻击中场，负责向中锋及两翼输送传球。

在现代，内锋会被推前为纯粹的进攻球员（4-3-3阵式）或者一名内锋撒后至中场，另一名推前（4-4-2阵式）。不过，许多球队仍会让其中一名中锋堕后以支持前突中锋，角色与内锋类近。

In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forward, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes. The role is broadly analogous to the "hole" or second striker position in the modern game, although here there were two such players, known as inside right and inside left.