Player attributes work together in combinations. Throughout a match a player uses attribute combinations to perform various actions. These include attacking actions, which are intended to help his team keep possession or score a goal, and defensive actions, which are intended to prevent the opposition team from keeping possession or scoring a goal.
Particular attributes combinations can therefore be considered to form particular playing abilities. Each such playing ability affects how well a player performs particular actions.
A player’s abilities can be grouped into the following categories:
- Mental abilities – used by a player to choose an action to perform or to put effort into an action. Mental abilities are therefore greatly important as they influence how effective all of a player’s actions are.
- Physical abilities – used by a player in combination with his attacking and defensive abilities to perform particular attacking and defensive actions. Physical abilities are therefore also very important as they influence how effective many of a player’s actions are.
- Attacking abilities – used by a player to perform attacking actions only. Each attacking ability affects how well he performs a particular attacking action type.
- Defensive abilities – used by a player to perform defensive actions only. Each defensive ability affects how well he performs a particular defensive action type.
- Set piece abilities – used by a player to take set pieces (related attributes are given in the Set Pieces guide).
All of the main playing abilities used by players (except set piece abilities) are listed below. For each of the physical, attacking and defensive abilities primary attributes, key mental attributes and related physical abilities for the ability are given where relevant.
Primary attributes are the main attributes that affect how well a player technically performs an action related to the ability. For example, Passing is a primary attribute for passing ability because a player with good Passing will be more likely to make an accurate pass.
Key mental attributes are the most important mental attributes that directly influence the effectiveness of an action related to the ability. For example, Vision is a key mental attribute for passing ability because a player with good Vision will tend to see more available passing options and so his passing will generally be more effective. However, the effectiveness of any action is also indirectly influenced by the intelligence and focus attributes (detailed below), as these affect how well a player chooses between different action types (actions that use different abilities).
Related physical abilities are those physical abilities that comprise additional primary attributes and key mental attributes relevant to the ability.
Mental Abilities
Intelligence – How well a player can choose an action to perform.
- Mental attributes: Anticipation, Decisions, Flair, Teamwork and Vision.
Focus – How consistently a player can use his intelligence well.
- Mental attributes: Composure and Concentration.
Endeavour – How likely a player is to perform an action that requires particular effort or to put effort into an action.
- Mental attributes: Aggression, Bravery, Determination and Work Rate.
Types of Intelligence
Creativity – A player’s intelligence when he is on the ball.
- Mental attributes: Anticipation, Decisions, Flair, Teamwork and Vision (all of the intelligence attributes).
Movement – A player’s intelligence when he is off the ball.
- Mental attributes: Anticipation, Decisions and Teamwork.
- Related primary attributes: Off The Ball (for off the ball movement) and Positioning (for defensive positioning).
Off The Ball and Positioning are primary attributes because they affect the technical performance of movement and positioning, rather than affecting a player’s choices or effort.
Awareness – How well a player can understand a situation.
- Mental attributes (on the ball): Anticipation, Teamwork and Vision.
- Mental attributes (off the ball): Anticipation and Teamwork.
Decision making – How well a player can choose an action based on his understanding.
- Mental attributes (on the ball): Decisions, Flair and Teamwork.
- Mental attributes (off the ball): Decisions and Teamwork.
Teamwork is included in both awareness and decision making because it affects both a player’s awareness of his teammates and his tendency to follow his tactical instructions.
