Do you want to get better at FIFA 22? We asked a professional for advice on how to achieve that. Here are his tips.
When starting a new FUT season, things often progress very well at first. You build your starter team, collect your first victories, and rank up in the Rivals Divisions. However, at some point, you may reach a kind of hurdle. A blockage that isn’t so easy to overcome.
Once this point is reached, frustration can quickly set in. Defeats accumulate, you miss the Weekend League qualification, and no outstanding rewards come in.
Then it’s time to take a close look at what you can improve in your own game to leave that hurdle behind. We spoke with a FIFA pro who recently made a leap forward himself.
His first game in the series was FIFA 06 – since then Levy has been part of every release. It became clear over the past year that he could make it as a professional, he tells: “You become more involved. It was no longer just ‘turn on the PlayStation and play.’” Levy began to analyze the game more closely, studied pro players like world champion MoAuba – and is now one of the FIFA e-sports players himself.
We asked him: What tips does Levy have to get better in FUT?
Tip 1: Use the Right Tricks
An important factor in FIFA 22 is, as in most previous FIFA games, the Skill Moves and special movements that players can perform. In FIFA 22, skills are not as crucial as they were in 21. Nevertheless, some should be memorized.
Levy relies on the following:
- The first trick to learn is: “The simple Ball Roll. It sounds silly, but it frees you from a lot of situations – even against the pros,” says Levy. Just move the right stick to the side, depending on the direction of your run.
- “The Shot Cancel is one of the most important tricks in the game,” he explains. With this trick, you load a shot, but then do not execute it, instead, you can surprise your opponent with another action. You perform it by pressing L2 and R2 before the shot is fired.
- “Another trick is the McGeady Spin.” For this, flick the right stick in the running direction and then 90 degrees in the direction you want. This way, you turn the player into a new position. You can also cancel this trick with L2 & R2 to surprise your opponent.
- “What is also extremely effective this year is the close L1 Dribbling,” explains Levy: “After that, you can explosively switch to sprinting with R2. This gives you an extreme sprint boost. Anyone can do this, no matter how many skill points they have.”
- Another trick: “I use Player Lock a lot because you have so many options. You can pass the player or pull them in a direction to create space.”
You activate Player Lock by pressing both sticks. Now your player is locked in, and you control him further – even when you pass the ball. This way, you can run free.
Basically, when it comes to tricks, it’s crucial not to just move the stick wildly but to use the right skills: “Most tricks look nice but don’t push you forward.”
In Defense: Levy also has a simple tip for defense: “Learn the player switch with the right stick. This allows you to switch much faster. Sometimes, in very tight situations, I switch with L1 – when I am sure I will get the next one.”
You can find more tips for defense in FIFA 22 here.
Otherwise, it’s worth using the right stick to directly select the desired player to save time. This may take some getting used to for some, but it’s worth it.
Tip 2: Find Your Own Play Style and Formation
Basically, players should find the play style that suits them best. If you prefer to dribble rather than pass, you should focus on that – and vice versa.
How does the pro play? “When I play Pro against Pro, I play very controlled,” says Levy: “But in the Weekend League, I try to move forward quickly with relatively fast combinations.”
In FIFA 22, you have many options: “Last year was really about skill moves a lot. But this year it’s more about passing,” finds Levy: “There are so many ways to score goals.
There isn’t just ‘the one’ formation this year but many tactics that are effective.”
For casual players, he recommends starting with the 4-3-2-1 formation. This is good for combining – and is also included in our overview of the best formations.
You can find more formation tips here.
Tip 3: Sign the Right Players
Which values are important for players? Ultimately, players determine what styles of play you can bring to the pitch. Levy looks at values such as:
- 5-star skills, so as not to be limited in tricks.
- The “Finesse” trait, for effective finesse shots from distance.
- The 5-star weak foot, to avoid being easily predictable.
Of course, the best cards in the game are hard to acquire. When searching for players for your team, Levy recommends stars like these who are not overly expensive:
– Dembélé from Barcelona.
– Ben Yedder – Good every FIFA.
– I have faith in Rashford. He is tall, and you can throw a cross to him.
– At the back, I really like Koundé.
– Kimpembe shouldn’t be too expensive anymore.
– In midfield: Llorente. He has outstanding speed and can do just about everything.
Levy’s tips on players who are currently worth it
This year, you can generally acquire many players cheaply on the transfer market. How does Levy feel about that?
“For casual gamers, that’s great. Many have very good teams. But you earn fewer coins from the packs. That’s the fine line. In the eSports area, it’s pay-to-win: If you want to keep up with the top teams, you basically have to invest money in the game.”
Levy also has a clear opinion on the money aspect: “If I only played casually, I wouldn’t put any money into FIFA. It’s ultimately like gambling.”
Find out more about the low transfer market in FIFA 22 here.
Tip 4: Stay Concentrated
Those who want to advance in FIFA 22 must earn good rewards – through Division Rivals or the Weekend League. However, you have to play a lot of games to rank up. How much can you really play in succession?
“In the Elite Division, the level is very high. I play 3, 4 games and then take a break,” says Levy. When it comes to the 20 games of the Weekend League, you should assess yourself a bit: “I wouldn’t just say ‘now 5 games, later 5 games, then 5 games and so on’. Just see how it flows.”
However: “Never play all games in a row. At some point, your concentration just drops. After a maximum of 7 or 8 games, I would definitely take a break, even if I win them all.”
How do you approach Ultimate Team? Where are you trying to improve? Let us know in the comments!
