Here is everything you need to know about the basics of FIFA 19: offense, defense, passing, & set pieces. Practice in game modes like Skill Challenges and Kick Off, & eventually play against other players online in FIFA Ultimate Team.
How to Tips Related Article
| How To Attack | How To Defend |
| How To Free Kick | How To Improve Shooting |
| How To Dribble | How To Use Formations |
Table Of Contents
Basic Movement In FIFA 19
You will be able to move around using the Left Stick. You can also execute dribble moves by using the Right Stick.
Sprinting
Sprinting is a very useful mechanic in the game. It allows you to speed up your player to get to a loose ball, dribble faster, and more. All you need to do is hold down R2 or RT!
Sprinting Requires Energy
Even though sprinting is useful, try not to sprint all the time as this will eat up your player's energy! Sprint only when it is absolutely necessary!
Check Out How To Perform DribblingBasic Offense In FIFA 19
Passing Moves The Ball Around
Passing the ball is one of the main ways to move the ball around the field. One player holding the ball for too long may allow opponents to close in on you and steal the ball! Don't be greedy and share the ball!
Use The "Teammate Run" Action Before A Through Pass
The Teammate Run will make one of your teammates run towards the goal. This can be done by R1 / RB. Use the Teammate Run to set up teammates for through ball passes!
Basic Passes Table
| Name | What Is It? | How To Execute | When To Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Pass | A pass to another player close by. | "X" / "A" | Use when moving the ball up and down the field. |
| Driven Ground Pass | A fast pass that covers lots of ground. | "X" / "A" + R1 / RB | Use to pass to further away teammates. |
| Lob Pass | A pass that throws the ball up in the air. | "Square" / "X" | Use to clear the ball from your area. |
| Cross | A lob pass to a teammate near the goal from the side of the pitch. | "Square" / "X" | Use to set up teammates for goals. |
| Through Ball Pass | A lead pass for a teammate that is running towards the goal. | "Triangle" / "Y" | Use to set up your teammate for a goal. |
| Lobbed Through Pass | A short lob pass that covers a shorter distance. | L1 + "Square" / LB + "X" | Use to pass to a teammate running towards the goal. |
| 1-2 Pass | A pass that will make the passer run toward the goal. | L1 + "X" / LB + "A" | Use to set up your teammate for a through pass. |
Learn The Different Types Of Shots To Score A Goal
There is no cookie-cutter way of scoring a goal. Learn the different type of shots that can help you edge out the competition!
Use Timed Finishing To Improve Your Shot
Pressing the "shoot" button for a second time will either improve or make your shot worse! After pressing "shoot", press the "shoot" button again when the gauge is just at the center to improve your shot!
Basic Offense Table
| Name | What Is It | How To Execute | When To Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Shot | A normal shot attempt at scoring the goal. | "Shoot" button | Use to quickly get shots off if needed. |
| Finesse Shot | A shot that favors accuracy over power. The ball curves towards the target. | "Shoot" button + R1 / RB | Use when the keeper is directly in front of you to curve the ball around the keeper. |
| Chip Shot | A shot that slowly arcs above the defender. | "Shoot" button + L1 / LB | Use on one-on-one situations when the keeper is close in front of you. |
| Low Shot | A shot that will not go airborne. | Double tap "Shoot" button | Use to make sure that the shot will not fly above the goal. |
| Header / Volley | A goal attempt from mid-air. | "Shoot" button | Use when a ball is crossed to your player. |
Basic Defense In FIFA 19
Defense Will Prevent The Enemy From Scoring
Having a good sense of defense will prevent your enemy from turning their possessions into goals! Here are the basic ways to defend your goal against opponents!
Defending Aggressively Will Lead To Violations
Remember to not be overly aggressive when defending. Ill-timed tackles could lead to yellow or red cards, and may give the opponent a chance to score!
Basic Defense Table
| Move | What Is It | How To Execute | When To Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switch Defenders | Take control of a new player to defend against the opponent with the ball | L1 / LB | Use to switch into another player to defend against the enemy. |
| Standing Tackle | An attempt to steal the ball from the opponent's possession by putting one of your feet in the way | "O" / "B" | Use to attempt to steal the ball from the opponent. |
| Sliding Tackle | A dangerous sliding attempt to steal the ball from the opponent. Can cause yellow or red cards if done wrong. | "Square" / "X" | Use to attempt to steal the ball from the opponent. |
| Jockey | A stance that makes you face your opponent. This will allow for easier opportunities to tackle. | R2 / RT | Use to defend when the opponent is close to your goal. |
Set Pieces Can Result In Goals
Set Pieces are moments in Football that brings the ball back into play following a stoppage. Here are some Set Pieces that are included in the game.
Free Kicks
Free Kicks happen when gameplay is resumed at the point where the ball was when the game was stopped. You can either pass to a teammate or shoot the ball into the goal if you are near enough!
Free Kick Control Table
| What | How To Execute | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pass | "X" / "A" | Pass to a teammate when the free kick is far from the goal. |
| Shoot | "O" / "B" | Use to attempt a goal in a free kick. |
| Finesse Shot | R1 + "O"/ RB + "B" | Use to curve the ball around opponents into the goal. |
Corner Kicks
Corner Kicks happen when the ball goes out of bounds behind the opponent's keeper and you retain possession. You can choose to pass to a nearby player, or risk a cross for a goal.
Corner Kick Control Table
| What | How To Execute | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pass | "X" / "A" | Pass to a teammate to reset your offensive strategy. |
| Cross | "Square"/ "X" | Use to set up a teammate for a goal from a corner kick. |
Penalties
Penalties rewards you with a free shot at the opponent's goal. This puts one of your players against the opponents keeper. Plan your shots carefully to convert this into a goal!
Penalty Kick Control Table
| What | How To Execute | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Adjust Player Position | Right Stick | Use to change where your player is when attempting a penalty kick. |
| Aim | Left Stick | Use to aim where you want your shot to go in the penalty kick. |
| Shoot | "O" / "B" | Use to shoot the ball in penalty kicks. |
Basic Goalkeeper Controls
The Goalkeeper is the last line of defense before the opponent will be able to score a goal. You will be able to switch to the goalkeeper by pressing the "Track Pad" or "Back" button.
Basic Goalkeeper Controls
| What | How To Execute | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Switch To Goalkeeper | "Trackpad"/ "Back" button | Use when you want to manually defend the ball. |
| Drop Kick | "O or Square" / "B or X" | Use to clear the ball from your area. |
| Throw Pass | "X" / "A" | Throw the ball to a nearby teammate. |
| Charge | "Triangle" / "Y" when defending | Win possession of a loose ball and quickly pass to a teammate. |
Goalkeeper Controls - Penalty Kick
| What | How To Execute | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Move | L Stick + Direction | Horizontal Move to dictate your position before the ball kicked. |
| Dive | L Stick + Direction | Diving to Direction when the ball is kicked. |
Essential Beginner Tips
Keep The Ball Moving
Maintaining constant ball movement will work in your favor since it will make it harder for the enemy to steal the ball from you. Keep on moving the ball, and eventually opportunities for a goal will show themselves to you!
Pass The Ball
If you find yourself trapped in a situation where you don't know where to go, just pass the ball to another teammate. It doesn't matter who receives it as long as the enemy will not gain possession!
Sprint Sparingly
Sprinting will shift your player's momentum into the direction they are facing. It will lessen the control you have over the ball and at the same time, over the player. Only sprint when you have enough space in front of you.
Maintain Ball Possession
Having the ball most of the time will allow you to dictate the flow of the match! You will be able to set the pace, direct your opponent's movements and more. Make ball possession one of your top priorities during a match!
How To Maintain Ball Possession
- Pass To Teammates
- Move The Ball Where There Are A Few Opponents
- Shield The Ball
- Dribble The Ball
Take Your Time With The Ball
Rushing towards the goal will make you face lots of defenders even before you can get close to the keeper! Take time to set up your offense before mounting an attack!
Tackle Smart
Blindly tackling most of the time will leave your players immobile for a few moments, this gives the opponent enough time to leave you behind and create space! Only tackle when you are absolutely sure, you can get the ball!
Get To Know Your Favorite Team
Getting to know one of your favorite teams is also a great way of learning how to play FIFA. These teams will teach you a thing or two about deeper mechanics in the game.
Learn Their Formations
A team's formation will tell you their main play style during the match. Getting to know a few of these formations may let you recognize similar formations and predict strategies!
Check Out How To Use Best FormationsRead Up On Roles
A team must work together to win against their opponents. To make the most out of your team, learn their roles and adjust your play style when controlling those players!
Learn Their Tactics
The tactics of a team will dictate how their players move around the field. Each player will have different priorities according to your tactic such as ball possession, constant pressure, long ball and more.
Learn From Playing
Step 1: Practice In Skill Games
Skill Games are mini-games that you can play to improve your skills on a certain aspect of the game. Here, you can practice your shooting, dribbling, passing, defense, and more!
Step 2: Practice In The Kick Off Mode
Practice your game in different situations in FIFA 19's new Kick Off Mode! Here you can choose different scenarios that changes some of the game's rules and see how you can adapt!
Classic Match
Test out your skills against AI controlled opponents in a classic matche. Here you can set the difficulty to suit your skill level and raise the difficulty once you're comfortable!
Check Out Kick Off ModeStep 3: Take Your Skills Online In FIFA Ultimate Team
Once you are ready, you can try facing-off against other players around the world in FIFA Ultimate Team! This game mode will let you build a team from scratch and play against other players of FUT!
Check Out FIFA Ultimate Team Game Mode
