Controls

Quick reference

The labels above follow the common Xbox-style controller layout. On another controller, use the face button in the equivalent primary or south position.

The one-button idea

The action button does not mean “shoot” or “pass” by itself. Its meaning comes from who has the ball, how close the ball is, whether it is in the air, the direction you are holding and how long you keep the button down.

When your player has the ball at his feet, pressing and holding the action begins to prepare a kick. Releasing it plays the ball. A quick release produces a gentle contact suited to a short pass or touch; a longer hold creates a stronger pass or shot. Power builds to a useful maximum, so holding forever does not create an unlimited strike.

When your side does not have possession, the same button switches the team-controlled footballer when the ball is elsewhere. Near the action it instead attempts the appropriate football move: a challenge on the ground, a jump or header for a high ball, or a goalkeeper action when the controlled player is in goal.

Passing and first touches

Face the intended team-mate with the movement controls, tap the action and release quickly. The player sends a lower-powered ball in his facing direction. Because the ball remains part of the same physical match rather than jumping directly to a recipient, distance, pressure, body orientation and the receiver’s movement all matter.

For a longer pass, hold the action a little longer before releasing. The ball travels in the direction the passer faces, so it can be played towards a team-mate’s current position or into the space ahead of his run. Ball control and match condition influence the contact under pressure.

Pass height

The same directional height control used for shots also applies to passes. Continue in the player’s facing direction as you strike for a flatter ball. Release the direction for a naturally lofted contact. Pull exactly back against the player’s facing direction for a higher, softer ball that can clear an opponent but travels more slowly.

Receiving

Move the intended receiver towards the ball and into space. In team mode, control follows the footballer who takes possession. A clean first touch depends on ball control, the pace and height of the pass, the player’s movement and the pressure around him. Releasing movement briefly allows the receiving player to concentrate on settling the ball.

Shooting: power and height

Hold the action while in possession, then release to shoot. The hold time is the main control over power: a short press gives you a placed or passed ball, while a longer press drives the effort more strongly. The player’s shot power, fitness, match condition and the quality of the contact still determine what that intention becomes.

At the moment of contact, compare your held direction with the direction the player is facing:

Press forward

Hold the same direction as the player is facing. The strike stays flatter and carries slightly more pace — useful for driven shots and firm passes.

Release direction

Let the stick or arrow keys return to neutral. The player uses a natural medium trajectory.

Pull back

Hold the direction directly opposite the player’s facing. The ball rises higher and loses some forward pace — useful for lofted shots, chips and balls over a defensive line.

The direction is judged from the footballer’s own orientation, not simply from the top or bottom of the screen. If he is running diagonally, “forward” follows that diagonal. Give him a moment to face the target before releasing when accuracy matters.

Curl and extra lift after contact

Your influence does not end the instant the ball leaves the foot. For a short part of its flight, hold left or right relative to the ball’s travel to bend the path. The amount of useful curl depends on the player’s shot control, physical condition and how cleanly the ball was struck.

Continue to hold the action button after contact to add lift. This is separate from charging the original kick: holding before release builds power, while pressing or continuing the action as the ball flies encourages it to climb. Combining direction and action gives you curling crosses, bending free kicks and shots that rise away from the goalkeeper.

The amount of aftertouch remains limited by the player and the original contact. Stronger directional input creates a larger attempted correction, while distance, pressure, shot control and fitness continue to affect the resulting flight.

Movement and actions without the ball

Changing the controlled player

In full-team control, tap the action when your currently controlled footballer is away from the immediate contest. Control moves to a more relevant team-mate, helping you close passing lanes or meet the next ball. When a pass from your team is successfully received, control naturally follows the receiver.

Tackling

Approach the ball carrier and use the action when you are close enough to make a challenge. Angle and timing matter: meeting the ball rather than the opponent improves the chance of winning it cleanly. Tackling and aggression help in the duel, but an overcommitted challenge can still produce a foul, card or missed tackle.

Headers, jumping and acrobatic play

Move towards the dropping ball and use the action at the right moment. The player chooses an appropriate aerial response from the height and approach — a normal header, a more committed diving header or, in the right attacking situation, an overhead attempt. Jumping, heading, anticipation and body position shape the outcome.

Goalkeepers

When goalkeeper control is active, movement positions the keeper and the action responds to the danger: collecting, diving, challenging or releasing the held ball as the situation allows. Handling and reflexes are central, while jumping, anticipation and match condition influence the reach and timing of interventions.

Free kicks, corners and penalties

Set pieces use the same movement and action language as open play. Aim during the approach, hold the action for strength and use forward, neutral or backward input to choose the basic trajectory. Direction during the run-up lets you refine the path, while aftertouch can bend the ball once it has been struck.

At a penalty, horizontal direction chooses the side and amount of placement. A longer hold increases pace. Pulling back lifts the penalty; pressing through keeps it lower. The goalkeeper reads and reacts according to his own qualities.

At a corner, a longer action hold sends a stronger ball into the area and directional aftertouch bends its flight. A short action produces a short corner. Free kicks can likewise be struck as shots or played as passes according to the hold time, facing direction and trajectory input.

Practice shortcuts

During Practice, use F2 to arrange a free kick in an attacking area, F3 to arrange a corner from the current side, and F4 to arrange a central attacking free kick close to goal. These keys are available only in practice and make it easy to repeat the technique.

Requesting and making substitutions

Press F1 to request a change for the home team or F5 for the visiting team. A gamepad’s Back, View or Select button requests the change for the team assigned to that controller. The command is available when a human manager is responsible for that side; it is not used during practice.

The request does not interrupt open play. An indicator confirms that the request is waiting, and the line-up screen opens at the next legal stoppage such as a throw-in, free kick or kick-off. Press the same key again before that point to cancel the request.

On the line-up screen, move a bench player into the starting group and move the outgoing footballer out. You may also adjust positions and sides as part of the same stoppage. The match resumes when the changes are confirmed. Each side may make up to three substitutions, and penalty shoot-outs continue with the players who finished the match.

Injury messages range from a minor knock to a strong recommendation that the player be removed. You may continue with a slightly hurt footballer, but fitness and effectiveness can suffer; a serious injury is a clear reason to use the next stoppage.

Match, camera and replay keys

Replays and screenshots are presentation tools only. They do not alter the ball, the clock or the final result.

Assigning keyboards and gamepads

Controls are assigned from the player options or squad setup. Choose assign, then press only the primary action button on the gamepad you want to use. For the keyboard, press any Shift or Ctrl key. Press Esc to cancel the assignment.

With two human-controlled teams, two gamepads provide the clearest separation. When one controller and the keyboard are available, they can be assigned to different teams. Individual-player careers may also share a side, each with a distinct device.

If a device is already in use, the game presents the previous and new assignments. Keep all allows shared use where that makes sense; Use new only removes the earlier assignments. Remember that a full-team assignment takes priority over an individual footballer using the same device in that match.