In many ways, FC 24 is different from all FIFA games that have been released in the past, including FIFA 23. One of the biggest changes is the introduction of gameplay as a replacement for icons.
These modes of play make the players feel very different in football compared to others, trying to imitate the way each player plays in real life as much as possible.
In the FC 24 player career, you can also create a different player with a different choice of playing styles according to your preferences. However, you should know that certain playing styles are more effective in certain positions and roles than others.
This guide discusses the best playing styles for all major positions and roles in FC24. If you’re not familiar with how playstyles work in the game, click that link to our detailed guide on the topic. Once you’re familiar, you’re ready to dive into this one.
The best playing styles for defenders
Central Defender
The following playing styles are recommended for a midfielder whose main job is to defend. The Jockey style of play is the most effective in any defensive role in FC 24, so I would unlock that first.
The top three playing styles for a defender are:
Aerial: Better aerial presence and higher jump
Jockey: Increases the maximum speed of joining speed and the speed of transition from jockey to sprint
Block: Increasing the reach when making a block also increases the chances of success
After opening the top three, fill the remaining four slots with Wait, Touch, Bruiser, Slide Tackle.
Full Attack
An attacking full back is a player who seems to contribute regularly in the attacking phases of play even though he is technically part of the defensive line. Since this player works on the flank, it is important that he is quick and able to make good crosses.
Recommended playing styles for this role are:
Jockey: Increases the maximum speed of joining speed and the speed of transition from jockey to sprint
Quick: Increase running speed while running and reduce errors while running
Whipped Pass: Increase the accuracy, curve, and speed of crosses
After opening the top three, fill the remaining four slots with Anticipate, Relentless, Quick Step, Long Throw.
Defensive Fullback
A defensive back, as the name suggests, must focus on defense first before contributing to the attack. Therefore, you need to prioritize unlocking defensive playing styles that will make this player fail hard to beat wing players.
Bruiser’s playstyle is especially good for bully wings as they will usually be smaller in size, especially if you play with the newly introduced Advanced Defending. The top three recommended playing styles for this role are:
Jockey: Increases the maximum speed of joining speed and the speed of transition from jockey to sprint
The Bruiser: Increases strength when doing physical combat
Expect: Increases the chances of stopping the ball at the player’s feet when winning a stop
After opening the top three, fill the remaining four slots with Slide Tackle, Block, Rapid, Intercept.
Best playstyles for intermediate players
Defensive midfielder
A defensive midfielder obviously needs to have strong defensive playing styles, but the Long Ball Pass is also great if you’re the type of player who likes to dictate the tempo of the game or change the attacking picture with one pass.
The top three recommended playing styles for this role are:
Long Ball Pass: Increases the accuracy, speed, and difficulty of interceptions on scrimmage and lofted passes
Slide Tackle: Increases the chances of landing the ball at the player’s feet during slide runs
Touch: Increase reach and chances of completing successful tackles while in possession
After unlocking the top three, fill the remaining four slots with First Touch, Power Shot, Tiki Taka, Pinged Pass.
Box on Box Midfielder
Ideally, the Relentless playstyle should be at the forefront of this role but for some reason, it is not included as one of the midfield options.
Technical style of play is important because a box-to-box midfielder will often drive forward with the ball, and will easily lose control without the extra control that style of play provides.
Additionally, a box-to-box midfielder will often find himself on the edge of the box when a cross is about to come in, so the Power Shot style of play is great for taking long-range shots into those areas.
The top three recommended playing styles for this role are:
Technical: It increases speed during a controlled run and allows wide vertical turns while driving
Power Shot: Quick power shot animation
Touch: Increase reach and chances of completing successful tackles while in possession
After opening the top three, fill in the remaining four slots with Tiki-Taka, Slide Tackle, Incisive Pass, First Touch.
Playmaker/Attack Midfielder
The most important playstyles for a playmaker are the passing playstyles, which explains the selection here.
If your player is a CAM, you may want to replace the Technical gameplay with Trickster. An attacking midfielder usually has less space to work with, so you may be better off with a style of play that allows you to control tight, controlled movements rather than sprinting.
The top three recommended playing styles for this role are:
Incisive Pass: The world is fast without making the catch difficult for the receiver
Technical: It increases speed during a controlled run and allows wide vertical turns while driving
Tiki Taka: Increases the accuracy of the first down pass and back heel passes are used
After unlocking the top three, fill the remaining four slots with Pinged Pass, Trickster, Dead Ball, First Touch.
Best playing styles for Wingers
Defensive Winger
A role that is best suited when playing in a defensive team, especially with 5 players at the back.
Intercept is the most useful defensive playstyle available at this position, and the top three playstyles go as follows:
Long Ball Pass: It increases the accuracy, speed, and difficulty of intercepting passes that are written and elevated.
Touch: Increase reach and chances of completing successful tackles while in possession
Whipped Pass: Increase the accuracy, curve, and speed of crosses
After opening the top three, fill the remaining four spaces with Quick-Step, Technical, Slide Tackle, Incisive Pass.
Traditional Winger
The average winger is the typical “get off the line and jump” type of player. That’s why we have a Technical playstyle of controlled sprints that make it difficult for the defender to get the ball off you, and Whipped Pass for better crosses.
The top three recommended playing styles for this role are:
Technical: It increases speed during a controlled run and allows wide vertical turns while driving
Quick Step: Quick acceleration during explosive runs
Whipped Pass: Increase the accuracy, curve, and speed of crosses
After unlocking the top three, fill the remaining four slots with First Touch, Trickster, Incisive Pass, Long Ball Pass.
Inside Forward
Inside forward is the most popular version of the winger we see in modern football. It is a very popular role in today’s football played by many of the best players in FC 24.
This player functions almost as an additional striker, which explains the need to prioritize Trivela’s goalscoring style of play.
The Trickster and Technical style of play will be very useful as you will be driving the ball into areas full of defense unlike a midfielder who is used to beating the speed man on the flanks.
Trickster: Unique ability to move pictures
Technical: It increases speed during a controlled run and allows wide vertical turns while driving
Trivela: Triggers outside foot shots and passes contextually
After unlocking the top three, fill the remaining four slots with Tiki-Taka, Incisive Pass, First Touch, Acrobatic.
The best playing styles for strikers
The target man
The target man is usually a big man up front which teams with a long ball strategy can use as a focal point in attack.
Power Header enables this player to kill set-pieces; First Touch is great for holding on to the ball when playing long balls, while Acrobatic is also great for first-time finishes from mid-range chances.
Power Header: Make headlines with more precision
First Touch: Increase the speed and accuracy of the ball first time and switch to driving with better control
Acrobatics: Improved accuracy with volleys and access to acrobatic volley shots
After unlocking the top three, fill the remaining four slots with Trivela, Tiki-Taka, Power Shot, Incisive Pass.
Advanced Striker
Advanced Striker is a typical strike role for a player who likes to “Get in Behind” and get on the end of passes that get him in between the goalkeeper. The most important qualities to have in this role are speed and shooting.
Quick Step and Technical modes of play help to gain more control of that pace, while First Touch is useful for keeping the game in good shooting angle after beating defenders with speed and getting to the ball.
Technical: It increases speed during a controlled run and allows wide vertical turns while driving
First Touch: Increase the speed and accuracy of the ball first time and switch to driving with better control
Quick Step: Quick acceleration during explosive runs
After unlocking the top three, fill the remaining four slots with Trivela, Power Shot, Acrobatic, Flair
Lies 9
The False Nine is a tactical striker who is often deployed alongside wingers who play as inside players. This player tends to go deep to create opportunities for himself and his teammates, which is why passing plays are important.
Technical style of play is also important in driving into the opponent’s box in the attacking third as this player will be spending more time in depth than the average striker.
Incisive Pass: The world is fast without making the catch difficult for the receiver
Technical: It increases speed during a controlled run and allows wide vertical turns while driving
Tiki-Taka: Increase the accuracy of the first down pass and back heel passes are used
After opening the top three, fill the remaining four slots with Trickster, Trivela, First Touch, Pinged Pass.
If you’d like to model your player’s playstyles after real-life pros, you can find some ideas in our guide to the best junior players in the game. Enjoy!