Timid strikes from long range are fumbled too frequently, especially when the keeper has a clean line of sight and plenty of time to position himself. Too often though, they make poor decisions and fumble weak shots. Their dives are often spectacular and when they make a great save it’s impossible to not be impressed. Goalkeepers improved a lot last year, but their effectiveness has taken a step backward this season. Again, the better the player, the more impact these kinds of dribbling options have, but the real skill rests in how creative you are in stringing together the available moves. Players visibly shift their weight to change direction more suddenly and tempt defenders into making a wrong move, while a range of feints and delicate touches help make space for a shot in crowded penalty areas. This greater ability to bring the ball under control feeds into improvements to how players move both their body and the ball when dribbling, especially at lower speeds. It might not sound like much on paper, but the effect in the heat of the game is genuinely exciting to see. Playing as Real Madrid - dubbed ‘MD White’ this year, thanks to the ongoing licensing war with FIFA - I was trying to intercept a pass using Casemiro (ball control 78) when he nudged the ball with his heel to knock it away from an onrushing Antoine Griezmann. Naturally, players with the highest ‘ball control’ rating – Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, Neymar Jr – benefit most, but its influence is apparent throughout the game at every level.

It also ups the spectacle, and passing combinations such knocks and flicks, with body parts other than a foot, are flattering for even a beginner. “This diversity of interaction adds a palpable sense of visual drama to matches and goes a long way to making things look closer to what you’d expect to see on TV.

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