Whichever style of play you prefer – possession, counter-attacking, long ball, or high press – you’ll want to perfect your passing game. This guide will teach you the most important passing options available in FIFA 23 and when to use them to get the best out of your creative maestros.
How to pass fast
We all know about the regular pass executed using the X/A button. But how can we add power to it? No, I’m not talking about holding down the pass button; while that makes your pass slightly faster, it can go faster still, all while taking less time to charge up. Do this by pressing the R1/RB button and X/A to unleash the driven pass. This will rocket your ball from one side of the field to the other; it’s thus a great way to quickly switch your flanks and stretch your opponent’s defense. The same concept applies to the lob pass; make it reach your target faster by holding the R1/RB button with square/X to execute the driven lob pass.
How to pass and go
Want to replicate Pep Guardiola’s tiki-taka in FIFA 23? Pass and go is your best friend. By pressing L1/LB + X/A, you will cause your player to quickly pass the ball to a nearby teammate and instantly start making a run forward simultaneously. Master this move, and you can create some intricate passing patterns by mixing it up with the flair pass, which I will be talking about soon. In addition, it’s also great for adding more depth to your attack. For instance, if you are trailing in the last moments of the game, you can use pass and go on your CB, causing him to make a run to the opposition box and wait for a cross to attack. Similarly, you can use it with your full-back, who will charge forward and stretch the opposition’s defense.
How to through pass?
The key to a good through pass in FIFA 23 is timing. Too soon, and the opponent will intercept the pass; too late, and your player will be contained by the offside trap. You have to wait for the perfect moment before releasing the pass, and this is something that you can only learn through experience and tons of practice. Once you have this in the bag, you can try different variations of the through the pass.
Threaded Through Pass
One of these variations is the threaded through ball. Play this by pressing the R1/RB button and the through pass command. What makes this different from the normal variation is that it adds some spin and bounce to your pass, making it harder for defenders to latch onto the ball. It is, however, more challenging to execute due to the spin and bounce that accompanies it.
Get the timing just right to execute the threaded through ball
Lobbed Through Pass
Another variation – and my favorite- is the lobbed through pass. This is especially useful to players who prefer the counter-attacking and long-ball style of play. Pressing L1/LB and triangle/Y together launches the ball aerially in front of your charging teammate, who can then take it in his stride to attack the opposing goal. The aerial nature of this through pass means that you bypass lines of defenders that you otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do. It is, however, difficult to get the hang of, and you will preferably need pacy forwards to run in behind the defense. You can increase your chances of pulling this off by adjusting your tactics; set your build-up play to long ball and chance creation to forward runs. Furthermore, set your fastest forward’s instructions to run in behind the defense.
How to add flair to your passes
Flair passes in FIFA 23 are not just for showboating; they can be a real asset when it comes to short linkup play and for beating the opposition press in your own half. Press L2/LT + X/A to execute this fancy pass. Depending on the player in question, their positioning, and the speed of the ball, he will perform different actions such as backheels, rabona pass, side heel, and more. The major advantage of the flair pass, even if it is less accurate than most other passes, is the speed and deception with which it is performed. It really keeps the game and tempo of your gameplay flowing.
How to cross?
So you are playing FIFA 23 and gotten your winger into the perfect crossing position by dribbling through a horde of players, but then he goes ahead and smacks the cross straight into the opposition player? We have all been there before. You may think you need to learn all sorts of crossing techniques, such as low-driven crosses, high crosses, etc., but you just need to master the normal crossing technique. Let me explain.
What’s probably happening right now with you is that your attacking players are standing static in the box, waiting for the cross. The problem is that they will be marked by 2-3 players, making it very unlikely for the ball to reach them. You need to make your game more dynamic; you need to put in the cross when your teammates are making the run into the box and free from their markers. This will give them more space and time to get their head/foot on the shot and use their body momentum to generate some real power on the shot. I advise loading up your cross to 2.5 bars when you are on the flanks, and your teammate is at the edge of the box, like in the picture below; chances are you will score.
Release the cross when your striker is charging into the box for best results
Combine with pass and go
One other trick to combine here is the pass and go. When your player is near the opposition box, use pass and go, which will cause him to run into the box unmarked. In the meantime, quickly get the ball to one of your wide men, then follow the exact instructions as before to greatly improve the probability of scoring.
While it’s great to know all the tricks in the book, like low and high crosses, I have found the typical crossing technique to suffice. My advice would be to master this first, as it is pretty effective in FIFA 23.
Conclusion
That’s about it for this FIFA 23 passing guide. Remember that practice makes perfect, so be sure to spend some time in the skill games menu to master these different kinds of passing techniques to get the hang of them before you attempt them in an actual competitive match.
