The world of FIFA is full of a myriad of different player types. Some prefer a more Jose Mourinho-inspired defensive setup, while others like the gung-ho Marcelo Bielsa approach for their teams. Wherever you place on the spectrum of great tactical minds, you’re going to be incorporating some sort of strategy behind your play.
Many strategy-related choices may seem arbitrary, yet it’s highly probable that behind the scenes, there’s a subconscious motivation.
Decision-Making Under Pressure
One thing that’s going to set you apart from FIFA noobs knocking around in the lower divisions of the online game is your ability to make quick decisions under pressure. The best in the business know exactly how long to hold a run before making that last split-second pass. They can rapidly weigh up the risks involved with sliding in for a challenge.
They can assess a goal-scoring opportunity at lightning speed and select where to place the ball. All of these are examples of high-pressure situations, and players need to be able to deal with the momentary stress they can cause.
In many ways, FIFA draws comparisons with some of the world’s other famous games that involve intense pressure. When players play blackjack for real money online, for instance, they are faced with tense situations that have a lot riding on them.
One single choice could make the difference between winning and busting. Just like in FIFA, players can prepare themselves by learning the rules and trying a diverse range of games. However, the key decisions still come in the heat of the moment.
Adaptation and Learning
The cognitive processes involved with mastering FIFA are complicated, and there’s a lot of adaptation in the course of learning. The more FIFA games you play, the wider the range of opponents you’re going to encounter. All of these people have different playing strategies and styles, meaning that you need to mix up your approach to get the better of different people.
This is one of the highly psychological parts of the EA Sports title. You don’t just need to think about your own game, but you also need to analyse the other team’s set-up and anticipate what they might be trying to do. FIFA is similar to chess in this way, a battle of wits between two tactical minds.
Emotional Control
Anyone who’s ever fired up FIFA knows that emotions run high in these games. When you’re battling for promotion in online divisions, the matches can get particularly intense.
Have you ever felt like smashing the remote on the ground? Psychologist Daniel Kahneman would say your ‘System 1 Brain’ is reacting instantly in anger. Players need to ensure that they don’t let these reactions get the better of them and keep them under control.
It’s clear that there are numerous psychological processes happening during a game of FIFA. Players who can understand these and practice mastering them can give themselves an edge in the game. Ultimately, this could be the difference between being a good or great player.