FIFA 21 skill moves guide: master every trick in the book

(Image credit: EA Sports)
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With all the inevitability of the setting sun, EA has dropped another FIFA game and with it arrives a few new FIFA 21 skill moves to help you surprise and dominate the competition online. New skills like the Bridge Dribble complement the game’s new Agile Dribbling system, which affords players more control over the ball when they’re attacking, in service of clinical, match-winning runs.

If you want to practice your skill moves ahead of taking your new tricks to the main stage, then you want to head to the Practice Arena, an option on FIFA 21’s main menu. From there you can flick the right stick to change your arena player and keeper – make sure to choose somebody with five-star skills to make the most of the list below. 

Try and add the less elaborate skill moves to your muscle memory, and focus on a few important techniques rather than a range at first, especially if you’re new to the game. Here’s every skill move in FIFA 21.

1 star moves in FIFA 21

  • Double Tap R1/RB - Bridge Skill
  • Hold L1/LB + R1/RB + R Direction - Directional Nutmeg
  • L2/LT + R1/RB Tap - Ball juggle (while standing)
  • Hold L1/LB + Square/X or Circle/B then X/A + flick the left stick up and left - Open up fake shot left 
  • Hold L1/LB + Square/X or Circle/B then X/A + flick the left stick up and right - Open up fake shot right
  • Hold L1/LB + R3 - Flick up for volley

2 star moves in FIFA 21

  • Flick the right stick down twice - Feint forward and turn
  • Flick the right stick right - Body Feint rIght
  • Flick the right stick left - Body Feint left
  • Drag right stick clockwise from the top - Stepover right
  • Drag right stick counter-clockwise from the top - Stepover left
  • Drag right stick counter-clockwise from the right - Reverse Stepover right
  • Drag right stick clockwise from the left - Reverse Stepover left
  • Flick right stick left and hold - Ball roll left
  • Flick right stick right and hold - Ball roll right 
  • L1/LB + R1/RB + flick left stick down - Drag back

3 star moves in FIFA 21

  • Flick right stick up then down - Heel flick
  • Drag right stick clockwise to the right from the bottom - Roulette right
  • Drag right stick counter-clockwise to the left from the bottom - Roulette left
  • Drag right stick stick counter-clockwise from left to right - Fake left and go right
  • Drag right stick clockwise from right to left - Fake right and go left
  • Hold L2/LT + Square/X or Circle/B then X/A + flick the left stick to the left and hold - Heel chop left
  • Hold L2/LT + Square/X or Circle/B then X/A + flick the left stick to the right and hold it - Heel chop right

4 star moves in FIFA 21

  • Hold L1/LB + R3 - Ball hop
  • Flick right stick up and down - Heel to heel flick
  • Flick right stick down, then up twice - Simple Rainbow
  • Flick right stick diagonally to the bottom-left twice - Spin left
  • Flick right stick diagonally to the bottom-right twice - Spin right
  • Flick right stick up then left - Stop and turn left
  • Flick right stick up then right - Stop and turn right 
  • Hold the right stick to the left and the left stick to the right - Ball roll cut right
  • Hold the right stick to the right and the left stick to the left - Ball roll cut left
  • Hold R2/RT + Square/X or Circle/B then X/A - Fake Pass
  • Hold R2/RT + Square/X or Circle/B then X/A and flick the left stick diagonally to the top-left - Fake pass exit left
  • Hold R2/RT + Square/X or Circle/B then X/A and flick the left stick diagonally to the top-right - Fake pass exit right
  • Pull right stick down and hold - Quick ball rolls
  • Hold L1/LB + flick the right stick down then right or left - Drag to heel
  • Hold L1/LB + hold right stick to the left - Lane change left
  • Hold L1/LB + hold right stick to the right - Lane change right 
  • Hold L2/LT + flick right stick down and left - Three touch roulette left
  • Hold L2/LT + flick right stick down and right - Three touch roulette right
  • Flick right stick down and then left - Drag back spin left
  • Flick right stick down and then right - Drag back spin right

5 star moves in FIFA 21

  • Drag right stick clockwise from right to left - Elastico
  • Drag right stick counter-clockwise from left to right - Reverse Elastico
  • Flick right stick downwards, hold upwards and then flick upwards - Advanced Rainbow
  • Drag right stick clockwise from the bottom to the left and then counter-clockwise from left to right - Hocus Pocus
  • Drag right stick counter-clockwise from the bottom to the right and then clockwise from right to left  - Triple Elastico
  • Hold the right stick to the right and then flick upwards - Ball roll and flick left
  • Hold the right stick to the left and then flick upwards - Ball roll and flick right
  • Hold R1/RB + flick right stick up and down - Heel flick turn
  • Flick right stick up twice and then down - Sombrero flick
  • Flick right stick up then left - Turn and spin left
  • Flick right stick up then right - Turn and spin right
  • Hold right stick to the left then flick to the right - Ball roll fake left
  • Hold right stick to the right and then flick to the left - Ball roll fake right
  • Hold L2/LT and flick the right stick up and then left or right - Ball roll fake turn 
  • Hold R1/RB + drag right stick clockwise from right to left - Elastico chop left
  • Hold R1/RB + drag right stick counter-clockwise from left to right  - Elastico chop right
  • Hold R1/RB + flick right stick up then left - Spin flick left
  • Hold R1/RB + flick right stick up then right - Spin flick right
  • Hold L1/LB + hold right stick up - Flick over
  • Hold L1/LB + flick right stick up and then left - Tornado spin left
  • Hold L1/LB + flick right stick up then right - Tornado spin right
  • Hold L2/LT + Square/X or Circle/B then X/A + drag left stick down - Rabona Fake

5 star juggling tricks in FIFA 21

  • L2/LT + hold R1/RB - Laces flick up 
  • Hold left stick down - Sombrero flick backwards
  • Hold left stick left - Sombrero flick left
  • Hold left stick right - Sombrero flick right
  • Full clockwise or counter-clockwise motion with the right stick - Around the World
  • Flick right stick right then left - In Air Elastico
  • Flick right stick left then right - Reverse In Air Elastico
  • Hold left stick up - Flick up for volley
  • Hold L2/LT + click the right stick twice - Chest Flick
  • Full counter-clockwise motion with the right stick and then flick the right stick up - T. Around the World
Jordan Oloman

Jordan Oloman is a journalist and documentarian with experience across the pop culture/tech spectrum writing reported features, reviews. news, guides, op-eds and more for a wide variety of outlets. He is also an affiliate streamer on Twitch and have previous experience in scriptwriting, podcasting, game consultation and creating video content.