1. How do I start my attacking build-up? What formation should I use?

Ever watch a sick goal by Messi and think, "I wanna do that"? But then you’re faced with the formations screen and have no idea what to do:



This is one of the most common hurdles you can experience when even attempting to master the attack. You'd think just leaving the formation at default would be easier, but contrary to popular belief default formations can be among the most challenging. It requires a specific skill set working with limited space to generate enough momentum for a successful attack.

4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 is generally the sweet spot for making a good attacking build-up, the more attacking opportunities you have, the more time you have to rack up goals. But what about tactics?

Tactics depend on what kind of background you have as a FIFA player, and also what kind of attacker you wish to become. If you're interested in a possession style, I can recommend balanced or possession tactics. If you want to try out a more aggressive and fast-paced style, I can recommend fast build-up or long ball. And if you come from a defensive background, counter-attack or drop back is suitable.

Even with this said, experimenting with other tactics is still a very important part of growth. I make a lot of build-ups with balanced tactics myself.
* Please note that aggressive tactics can be quite overwhelming to learn due to how fast the game moves, keep this in mind when practicing.

You have to figure out where you find it most comfortable to operate before you start making your best plays, so don't be discouraged if you feel sluggish or underprepared at the beginning.

1.1. I don't care about formations, enough extending the word count! How do I open up my attack?

At this point, it becomes more up to you, so I can't tell you the black and white dos and don'ts, but I can give some insight into how I personally view the beginning of an attack along with some general pointers.

When I'm playing, my absolute top priority is having fun, as I feel it should be for everyone. For me, the fun is in making creative plays that make me laugh and exploiting the mechanics to get a large amount of unexpected goals. I also really enjoy getting close to the box without directly taking a shot. Don't sweat the details, honestly. Your movement does not need to be perfect (unless you like that kind of thing), it just has to be effective. I think the best attacks come from having fun, not trying to reinvent the game. You can try and do that too if you want, don't let me stop you.

My attacking plays personally take minutes to plan, seconds even. I just pass around, hit through balls and go from there. I'm a fan of improvisation and I can work with pretty much anything because I just want to get the play started. The key is finding your environment and exploring your options. Try new stuff.

However, if you wish to create an effective attacking play, here are some pointers;

• Pick a side to focus on and aim to set up some kind of "play" to start pushing in that direction.
• Aim for a more traditional area of the field to start your build-up, one where the defense won't collapse too fast and become too difficult to break down.
• Don't overwhelm yourself by overcomplicating your plays, long build-ups tend to become frustrating to execute.

Once you've become comfortable with that position, and these "rules" you should begin to experiment more with your team and hone your style. Create habits and find things you like. I like to use quick passes, relax most of my team and do everything wrong because I think it's fun. If you can find an avenue where practicing attacking build-ups is the most fun for you, then go that route regardless of what others may tell you (of course, don't disregard the paragraphs I put in your game threads though). Most importantly, consuming a lot of attacking content, especially from players you find appealing will skyrocket your own abilities by proxy, and you'll subconsciously notice and pick up on a lot of "instinctual" techniques.
2. First touch?

More often than not, the first touch can make or break an attack, as some are far, far easier to continue from for their own reasons. Here's my quick rundown of them:

• Close control: Using the right stick to keep the ball close to your player. Ideal for tight spaces and dribbling past defenders.
• Lob touch: Using the left bumper and pass to lob the ball over an opponent. Good for bypassing aggressive defenders.
• Through ball touch: Receiving a through ball with a sprint. Excellent for breaking defensive lines and starting quick attacks.
• Skill touch: Combining skill moves with the first touch. Perfect for adding flair and unpredictability to your play.
• Shielding touch: Using the left trigger to shield the ball from an opponent. Useful for holding up play and waiting for support.

3. Possession play, making runs, looking for passes, etc.

The best advice I can give here is to truly understand the importance of possession, it's your best friend. Keeping possession is the key to controlling the game and creating chances without rushing. Of course, certainly don't use this as an excuse to not care about attacking, but maintaining possession's natural flow often leads to more scoring opportunities.

However, please take note of your form, "form" in attacking is fairly different from form in defense. While defensive form is typically about structure, form in attacking is about fluidity and creating spaces. You can have good form while being unpredictable - if you've seen any of my games, you might have noticed that despite my unorthodox style I pay relatively close attention to keeping my team aligned and ready for quick passes, and this results in me creating chances at an overall very fast rate. It's important to edit your tactics earlier than you'd expect to sync up some of your plays better.


There is a common misconception that "form" merely refers to your players' positions, and this is an oversimplification of what form actually means.

Aside from all that, try to take note of the movements you've already made and make sure your whole pattern makes sense, instead of looking at specific situations. If you already sent a through ball a few seconds ago, doing it again would understandably look predictable. Try and employ some kind of variety in your attacks.

Most of attacking is improvisation, but it's important to go back and refine the decisions you make to make them look intentional. Let's say you want to make a run, but your player isn't exactly in a position to do so and you're required to abruptly change direction, take a look at this:

Keeping fairly close to your strategy and conserving your momentum will make your play a whole lot more efficient. Try not to dump all of your energy into individual sprints and passes and try to keep it consistent.

Absolutely do not underrate the importance of positioning. In my opinion, it is one of the most important aspects of the game in terms of effectively dictating the plays you want to make, it can sometimes completely change how certain moves turn out. Some people make the mistake of restricting themselves to a single formation, which they rarely touch unless the game requires them to.

I know I'm promoting possession play a lot, but I also want to highlight the importance of making runs very strongly. Using them in conjunction can help you create "whipping" motions with your team which I will go into more detail about later, as well as avoiding being caught offside (some players just use the "L1/LB" tech, but don't do that because it's super predictable).

4. Skill moves

Skills, easily the part I was dreading talking about the most. While there's a skill moves guide made by Pelé (feel free to check it out), I think it's fairly outdated and a little bit of the advice I straight-up disagree with, so let's talk about them.


4.1. Basic Skill Moves

• Drag Back: It's 2024, and the drag back is still one of the most effective moves, but don't overuse it. To perform, hold R1/RB and pull the left stick back. It's useful for quickly changing direction and creating space.
• Ball Roll: This move is versatile and can be used to change direction quickly. Hold the right stick left or right. It's also great for setting up shots or passes by shifting the ball away from the defender.
• Fake Shot: Simple but effective. Use it to make defenders commit and then change direction. Perform by pressing the shoot button followed by the pass button quickly. It’s perfect for creating shooting opportunities inside the box.

4.2. Advanced Skill Moves

• Heel to Heel Flick: Creates immediate acceleration and can be used to burst past defenders. To execute, flick the right stick up and then down. This move is particularly useful for breaking through defensive lines and starting quick attacks.
• Rainbow Flick: A flashy move that can completely take out a defender. Flick the right stick back, then forward twice. This is best used when you have some space and want to add a bit of flair to your attack.
• Elastico: A quick, deceptive move to change direction. Flick the right stick from right to left in a half-circle motion. This move is great for one-on-one situations and can easily wrong-foot defenders.
• McGeady Spin: Useful for changing direction while moving forward. Rotate the right stick 90 degrees from the direction you’re facing to the direction you want to go. Ideal for wing play and cutting inside.

4.3. Skill Combinations:

Combining skills like a ball roll followed by a drag back can be highly effective. Experiment with different combinations to see what works best for you. Here are some meta skill combination examples:

• Ball Roll + Drag Back: Use the ball roll (hold the right stick left or right) to shift the ball away from the defender, then immediately perform a drag back (hold R1/RB and pull the left stick back). This combination is great for creating space and changing direction quickly.
• Elastico + Heel to Heel Flick: Start with an elastico (flick the right stick from right to left in a half-circle motion), followed by a heel to heel flick (flick the right stick up, then down). This combination helps you burst past defenders with a quick change of direction and acceleration.
• Fake Shot + McGeady Spin: Perform a fake shot (press the shoot button followed by the pass button quickly) to make the defender commit, then execute a McGeady spin (rotate the right stick 90 degrees from the direction you’re facing to the direction you want to go). This is effective for creating shooting opportunities inside the box.
• La Croqueta + Ball Roll: Perform a La Croqueta (hold L1/LB and flick the right stick left or right) to glide past a defender, then immediately use a ball roll (hold the right stick left or right) to further change direction and keep the ball away from the defender. This combination is ideal for maintaining possession and setting up shots.
• Berba Spin + Fake Shot: Execute a Berba Spin (rotate the right stick 90 degrees from the direction you’re facing to the direction you want to go) to change direction, followed by a fake shot (press the shoot button followed by the pass button quickly). This combination is perfect for creating space and confusing defenders.
• Rainbow Flick + Heel Chop: Use a rainbow flick (flick the right stick back, then forward twice) to lift the ball over the defender, then perform a heel chop (hold L2/LT + Square/X, then cross/tap the left stick in the opposite direction). This flashy combination can completely take defenders out of the play and create scoring opportunities.

4.4. Filler Moves:
It’s okay to make small, simple moves to keep possession. Use these to set up your next big play.

4.5. Finishing the Attack:

After building up, you’ll need to finish the attack. Use any techniques previously discussed to set up your shot. Kicking against the goalie’s momentum can amplify your strike.

5. Avoiding fouls and general tips

While this is technically your build-up, you should really keep an eye out for fouls. Fouling not only ruins your momentum but also gives the opponent an opportunity to reset their defense. Here are some tips:

• Stay on your feet: Avoid sliding tackles unless absolutely necessary.
• Anticipate the defender's move: Read the defender and use skill moves or shielding to avoid contact.
• Use the jockey: Hold L2/LT to jockey and contain the opponent rather than diving into tackles.

6. Celebrations

So, you just scored a banger, now what? Celebrations are a fun way to add personality to your game. Here are some popular ones:

• Shush: Holding R1/RB and then pushing the right stick up. Effective for showing dominance.
• Signature Celebration: Each player has their own unique celebration triggered by holding the right stick in a specific direction.
• Custom Celebration: Use various button combinations to perform different celebrations like the "Knee Slide" or "Backflip."

Remember, celebrating is all about having fun and adding flair to your game.

If you have any questions about anything mentioned here feel free to drop a post

Hopefully one of you finds this useful, just ask and I'll gladly commentate your matches!

Special thanks to Marco Van Basten and Pavel Nedved for giving some input on this shit

SIUUUUUUUUUUUUU