FIFA 21: Shooting and Finishing Guide

It doesn’t matter how good you are at other elements of the game. If you haven’t mastered the basics of shooting and finishing, you’ll have a hard time scoring, and that means you’ll have a hard time winning.

As you may have seen in our FIFA 21 preview, the game gives players all kinds of different tools to help them find the back of the net. It has everything from standard shots to chip shots, finesse shots, flair shots, low shots, and of course, the timed finish. Each shot also factors power into the equation, which can be controlled depending on how long you hold the shoot button for.

Here’s a quick list of all the controls related to shooting:

Generally, a standard shot is always a safe bet. But what works best largely depends on the situation at hand. For example, a chipped shot is useful when the goalkeeper is rushing or is off their line. If you time it correctly, the ball will float over their head and into the net.

A finesse shot works well in these scenarios as well, but it can also be great when used from a left or right foot on specific angles. That’s because it places more emphasis on placement and curve rather than power, which can be crucial depending on where you are positioned. A good thing to remember is that the further the shot is from the box, the more the ball can bend, making finesse shots an excellent choice from long range in FIFA 21.

Low shots are great when placing the ball on the opposite side of the goalkeeper, making it almost impossible to reach. After all, it’s much harder for a goalkeeper to get down low when diving than it is to jump high, especially considering most of them are all. The low shot was once deemed overpowered in previous iterations, and although it’s been nerfed to an extent, it’s still an excellent shot to master.

(c) EA Sports

Flair shots don’t always come off as intended, but when they do, they can be anything from a magnificent bicycle kick to a flick from the outside of the foot. It depends on the situation, the position of the ball and the player, and of course, the skill level of the player you’re controlling (read our Top 5-Star Skill Players to know more).

Similarly, heading and volleying are both an essential part of the game, and they mostly come down to timing. Heading, in particular, can be difficult, but after a bit of practice in the Skill Games mode, you’ll be well on your way to bagging them like Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, the most difficult but effective control is the timed finished. It happens when a player presses the shoot button twice. The first press will do a normal shot. But the second press, depending on how well it’s timed, can either make a shot more accurate and powerful or less accurate and powerful.

It might be somewhat difficult at first, but gets easier the more you do it. Thankfully, a visual indicator in the form of a horizontal bar with a ‘goldilocks zone’ can be turned on, which makes it easier to learn. But if you’re still having trouble, you can try to watch the ball instead and time the second press the moment before your player’s foot strikes the ball. That’s the natural way to do it, and some people find it easier without all the clutter.

A new player might not want to use the timed finish right away, and that’s fine. But in time, you’ll want to make an effort to learn it a little, because it can be a powerful asset, especially at the competitive level.

Either way, you’ll need to get the hang of all the different types of shots if you want to be a master in front of the goals in FIFA 21. After all, there’s a time and a place for each of them.