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There's a reason Ultimate Team cards with 5-star FIFA 21 skill moves cost a premium: they offer more than two-dozen fakes and tricks than lesser-talented team-mates. That's a difference maker in Division Rivals and the weekend league, where FIFA 21 still sees overuse of the 'drop back' tactic – meaning a deft flick or pirouette can be critical when it comes to creating space for a late winner. Even the worst players in the game can nail a nutmeg though – as you'll see below. This is GR's comprehensive FIFA 21 skill moves guide.
FIFA 21 skill moves star ratings explained
In the full list of FIFA 21 skill moves below, the skills are divided by the star rating your players need to pull them off. You can check this by going into an individual players' information, then looking for the star rating, alongside their weak foot rating. As you'd expect, most defenders have lower ratings, while wingers can often be found with four stars and above.
FIFA 21 skill moves list
1 Star Skill Moves
These are the basic tricks that anyone can pull off, including goalkeepers. Though we wouldn't advise doing tricks with 'keepers, for obvious reasons...
| Skill | PS4/PS5 | Xbox One/Series X |
|---|---|---|
| Bridge | Tap R1 x2 | Tap RB x2 |
| Directional Nutmeg | Hold L1 + R1 + RS direction | Tap LB + RB + RS direction |
| Standing Ball Juggle | L2 + Tap R1 | Hold LT + Tap RB |
| Open Up Fake Shot Left/Right | Hold L1 + Tap Square then Tap X and move LS top left/right | Hold LB + Tap X then Tap A and move LS top left/right |
| Flick Up | Hold L1 + Tap R3 | Hold LB + Tap R3 |
2 Star Skill Moves
99% of outfield players have two star skills so you shouldn't have any trouble doing these ones. Note the Drag Back, which has changed execution since last year.
| Skill | PS4/PS5 | Xbox One/Series X |
|---|---|---|
| Feint Forward and Turn | Flick RS down x2 | Flick RS down x2 |
| Body Feint Right/Left | Flick RS right/left | Flick RS right/left |
| Stepover Right/Left | Roll RS front to right/left | Roll RS front to right/left |
| Reverse Stepover Right/Left | Roll RS right/left to front | Roll RS right/left to front |
| Ball Roll Right/Left | Hold RS right/left | Hold RS right/left |
| Drag Back | L1 + R1 + LS flick down | LB + RB + LS flick down |
3 Star Skill Moves
Now we're getting to the good stuff. Most midfielders and forwards will have three star skills, which includes some classics like the Roulette and Heel Chop.
| Skill | PS4/PS5 | Xbox One/Series X |
|---|---|---|
| Heel Flick | RS flick up then down | RS flick up then down |
| Roulette Right | Roll RS clockwise from bottom to right | Roll RS clockwise from bottom to right |
| Roulette Left | Roll RS anticlockwise from bottom to left | Roll RS anticlockwise from bottom to left |
| Fake Left & Go Right | Roll RS along the bottom from left to right | Roll RS along the bottom from left to right |
| Fake Right & Go Left | Roll RS along the bottom from right to left | Roll RS along the bottom from right to left |
| Heel Chop Right/Left | Hold L2 + Square then X + LS hold right/left | Hold LT + X then A + LS hold right/left |
4 Star Skill Moves
This is where you can start looking super fancy because there are a lot of four star moves, including the Rainbow Flick, a true showboating move.
| Skill | PS4/PS5 | Xbox One/Series X |
|---|---|---|
| Ball Hop (while standing) | Hold L1 + press R3 | Hold LB + press R3 |
| Heel To Heel Flick | RS flick up then down | RS flick up then down |
| Simple Rainbow | RS flick down then up twice | RS flick down then up twice |
| Spin Right | Hold R1 + roll RS clockwise from bottom to right | Hold RB + roll RS clockwise from bottom to right |
| Spin Left | Hold R1 + roll RS anticlockwise from bottom to left | Hold RB + roll RS anticlockwise from bottom to left |
| Stop and Turn Right/Left (while running) | RS flick up then right/left | RS flick up then right/left |
| Ball Roll Cut Right | RS hold left + LS hold right | RS hold left + LS hold right |
| Ball Roll Cut Left | RS hold right + LS hold left | RS hold right + LS hold left |
| Fake Pass (while standing) | Hold R2 + Square then X | Hold RT + X then A |
| Fake Pass Exit Right/Left (while standing) | Hold R2 + Square then X + LS top right/left | Hold RT + X then A + LS top right/left |
| Quick Ball Rolls | RS hold down | RS hold down |
| Drag To Heel | Hold L1 + RS flick down then flick right/left | Hold LB + RS flick down then flick right/left |
| Lane Change Right/Left | Hold L1 + RS hold right/left | Hold LB + RS hold right/left |
| Three Touch Roulette Right/Left | Hold L2 + RS flick down then flick right/left | Hold LT + RS flick down then flick right/left |
| Drag Back Spin Right/Left | RS flick down then flick right/left | RS flick down then flick right/left |
5 Star Skill Moves
These skills can only be pulled off by the very best; Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Aiden Mcgeady... that tier of player.
| Skill | PS4/PS5 | Xbox One/Series X |
|---|---|---|
| Elastico | Roll RS along the bottom from right to left | Roll RS along the bottom from right to left |
| Reverse Elastico | Roll RS along the bottom from left to right | Roll RS along the bottom from left to right |
| Advanced Rainbow | RS flick down, hold up, then flick up | RS flick down, hold up, then flick up |
| Hocus Pocus | Roll RS from down to left, then back to right | Roll RS from bottom to left, then back to right |
| Triple Elastico | Roll RS from down to right, then back to left | Roll RS from down to right, then back to left |
| Ball Roll & Flick Right/Left (while running) | RS hold right/left then flick up | RS hold right/left then flick up |
| Heel Flick Turn | Hold R1 + RS flick up then down | Hold RB + RS flick up then down |
| Sombrero Flick (while standing) | RS flick up, up, down | RS flick up, up, down |
| Turn and Spin Right/Left | RS flick up then right/left | RS flick up then right/left |
| Ball Roll Fake Right/Left (while standing) | RS hold right/left then flick left/right | RS hold right/left then flick left/right |
| Ball Roll Fake Turn | Hold L2 + RS flick up then flick left/right | Hold LT + RS flick up then flick left/right |
| Elastico Chop Right | Hold R1 + roll RS along bottom left to right | Hold RB + roll RS along bottom left to right |
| Elastico Chop Left | Hold R1 + roll RS along bottom right to left | Hold RB + roll RS along bottom right to left |
| Spin Flick Right/Left | Hold R1 + RS flick up then right/left | Hold RB + RS flick up then right/left |
| Flick Over | Hold L1 + RS hold up | Hold LB + RS hold up |
| Tornado Spin Right/Left | Hold L1 + RS flick up then flick right/left | Hold LB + RS flick up then flick right/left |
| Rabona Fake (while jogging) | Hold L2 + Square then X + LS down | Hold LT + X then A + LS down |
5 Star Juggling Tricks
When players with five star skills juggle the ball, they can also do special moves like these with the ball in mid-air.
| Skill | PS4/PS5 | Xbox One/Series X |
|---|---|---|
| Laces Flick Up | L2 + Hold R1 | LT + Hold RB |
| Sombrero Flick Backwards/Right/Left | Hold LS down/right/left | Hold LS down/right/left |
| Around The World | RS 360° clockwise or anticlockwise | RS 360° clockwise or anticlockwise |
| In Air Elastico | RS flick right then left | RS flick right then left |
| Reverse In Air Elastico | RS flick left then right | RS flick left then right |
| Flick Up For Volley | Hold LS up | Hold LS up |
| Chest Flick | Hold L2 + R3 x2 | Hold LT + R3 x2 |
| T. Around The World | RS 360° clockwise then RS flick up | RS 360° clockwise then RS flick up |
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