To win a match at FIFA 21 you need to score goals, and to score goals you need to be good at attacking. By following these attacking tutorial, you will be able to improve your attacking skills and score more goals when playing online and online matches in FIFA 21.
Controls – Basics to Advanced
First of all you need to get familiar with all attacking controls in FIFA 21. Take note that there are two types of controls for attacking in FIFA 21: Simple and Advanced. Go through every single control and memorise which button does what action:
ATTACKING – SIMPLE
Action | PlayStation Controls | Xbox Controls |
---|---|---|
Ground Pass/Header | X | A |
Lob Pass / Cross / Header | ▢ | X |
Through Pass | △ | Y |
Shoot / Volley / Header | ◯ | B |
Time Your Shot | ◯ + ◯ (Timed) | B + B (Timed) |
Chip Shot | L1 + ◯ | LB + B |
Finesse Shot | R1 + ◯ | RB + B |
Low Shot/Downward Header | L1 + R1 + ◯ | LB + RB + B |
Fake Shot | ◯ then X + Direction | B then A + Direction |
Fake Pass | ▢ then X + Direction | X then A + Direction |
Threaded Through Pass | R1 + △ | RB + Y |
Rewind and Try Again (Kick-Off Only) | L2 + R2 Option | LT + R2 Start |
ATTACKING – ADVANCED
Action | PlayStation Controls | Xbox Controls |
---|---|---|
Protect Ball | L2 | LT |
Driven Ground Pass | R1 + X | RB + A |
Lofted Ground Pass | X + X | A + A |
Lofted Through Pass | △ + △ | Y + Y |
Lobbed Through Pass | L1 + △ | LB + Y |
Driven Lobbed Through Pass | L1 + R1 + △ | LB + RB + Y |
Driven Lob Pass/ Driven Cross | R1 + ▢ | RB + X |
High Lob / High Cross | L1 + ▢ | LB + X |
Ground Cross | ▢ + ▢ | X + X |
Whipped Cross | L1 + R1 + ▢ | LB + RB + X |
Driven Ground Cross | R1 + ▢ + ▢ | RB + X + X |
Trigger Run | L1 | LB |
Call for Support | R1 | RB |
Dummy a Pass | L + no direction + R1 Press and Hold | L + no direction + RB Press and Hold |
Cancel | L2 + R2 | LT + RT |
Flair Pass | L2 + X | LT + A |
Flair Shot | L2 + ◯ | LT + B |
Flair Lob | L2 + ▢ | LT + X |
Let Ball Run | R1 Press and Hold + L (Away From Ball) | RB Press and Hold + L (Away From Ball) |
Flick Up For Volley | R3 | R3 |
Disguised First Touch | R1 Press and Hold + L (Towards Ball) | RB Press and Hold + L (Towards Ball) |
Set Up Touch | R1 + R + Direction (Hold) | RB + R + Direction (Hold) |
Pass and Go | L1 + X | LB + A |
Pass and Move | X + R + Direction (Hold) | A + R + Direction (Hold) |
Directional Runs | Tap L1 + R (Flick in any Direction) | Tap LB + R (Flick in any Direction) |
Player Lock | L + R | L + R |
Switching (Player Lock) | L (Flick in any Direction) | L (Flick in any Direction) |
Hard Super Cancel | L1 + R1 + L2 + R2 | LB + RB + LT + RT |
Cancel Foul Advantage | L2 + R2 | LT + RT |
Dribbling
The dribbling mechanism has been improved in FIFA 21, player are now more accurate, agile and responsive with the ball when dribbling. Using the left stick (L) without holding down sprint button will do more accurate dribbling, so you can read defender’s move and sharply change your dribbling direction when needed.
Use the sprint button (R2/RT) when you have enough space to move and push the ball into spaces. Pushing the right stick (R) in directions will help you to nudge the ball further ahead of you so you can pass on your opponents. Another good dribbling move to use is the stop and go, which you can engage it by using the L1/LB (no direction), left and right stick.
The new slow dribbling in FIFA 21 could be also very useful, this can be performed by holding L1 / LB while dribbling. Slow dribbling gives you more accuracy and allows your teammates to run into spaces when possible so you pass the ball to them.
Having good dribblers (players with high DRI rating) is also important in FIFA 21. Try to have your best dribbling players in your Starting 11. Your midfield line needs players with high dribbling skills, so fill up your midfield zone with your best dribblers.
Get familiar with dribbling and its controls. Play the dribbling drills in Skills Games mode which helps you improve your dribbling skills. Don’t forget that you need to be accurate, read your opponent’s move, don’t need to rush and then do your best when it comes to the dribbling.
DRIBBLING
Action | PlayStation Buttons | Xbox Buttons |
Move Player | L | L |
Sprint | R2 Hold Down + Direction | RT Hold Down + Direction |
Skill Moves | R | R |
First Touch / Knock-On | R2 + R + Direction | RT + R + Direction |
Stop and Face Goal | L + no direction + L1 | L + no direction + LB |
Face Up Dribbling | L2 + R2 | LT + RT |
Strafe Dribble | L1+ L | LB+ L |
Strafe Dribble (Lock Face Angle) | L1 + R1 + L | LB + RB + L |
Stop Ball | R2 + no direction | RT + no direction |
Jostle (Ball In Air) | L2 | LT |
Slow Dribble (11v11 Only) | L2 + R2 + L + Direction | LT + RT + L + Direction |
To improve your dribbling skills, read FIFA 21 Dribbling article.
Passing
Improve your passing skills. Play Skill Games if you’re not 100% good at it. Do short passes to keep the possession and dominate your opponent. Improve your long passing skills for crossing.
Use the through balls for nudging the ball into spaces so your attackers can run beyond the defenders and catch the ball. Have a quick dynamic plan in your mind for your passes, visualise a few scenarios before passing the ball.
Again, master the controls for passing and get familiar with every single passing skill. Use your best players with higher passing skills (with higher PAS rating) in your team.
We have a passing guide in FIFA 21 article which could help you to improve your passing skills. Read this guide properly and follow the given instruction to improve your passing.
Shooting and Finishing
Hitting the back of the net is a bit challenging in FIFA 21. You need to be good at attacking to improve your chances. Pick up your best strikers with the highest shooting and finishing attribute rating for your squad. Don’t forget to put them in their right positions by checking their preferred foot and their preferred positions.
Heading and jumping attributes are also the key factors for the strikers which can improve your chances for scoring from long passes.
Another important thing for shooting/finishing is the power of your shot. Powerful shots have more impact to hit the back of the net when they are taken from the far, but low powered and accurate shots are better when your attackers are closer to the goals and in one-on-one situations with the keeper. Talking about the one-on-one situations with the keeper, keep that in mind that moving the ball to the left or right just before shooting can help you create more of a gap to aim for. Using the right stick to perform skill moves also could help.
Practice for shooting and finishing in the Practice Arena and play the Skill Games. There are different types of shots you can take for finishing in FIFA 21, below is the list of them including their button guides:
SHOOTING
Action | PlayStation Buttons | Xbox Buttons |
Shoot/Volley/Header | ◯ | B |
Chip Shot | L1 + ◯ | LB + B |
Finesse Shot | R1 + ◯ | RB + B |
Low Shot/Downward Header Shot | ◯ + Tap ◯ | B + Tap B |
Flair Shot | L2 + ◯ | LT + B |
Fake Shot | ◯ then X + direction | B then A + direction |
Additionally, read the Finishing and Shooting Techniques in FIFA 21 to improve your skills and score more goals in FIFA 21.
Your Best Formation
It’s crucial how you form your team and which formation you use to win the game. You need to have good attacking players to score goals. Having more strikers doesn’t always mean that you can score more, it is more significant how your players are going to participate in attacking moves. Having good attacking midfielders and engaging the defenders with high attacking and finishing skills in your attacks can raise your chances for scoring.
Review the available formations in FIFA 21 and see which one is more suited to your style of play.
Great overview like always, but with a minor error:
“Switching (Player Lock) L (Flick in any Direction)”
I think it is the RIGHT Stick to change the locked player
Totally is the right stick flick