EA FC 25: How to Improve Passing Skills, Explained

There are 29 passing techniques in EA FC 25. From normal passes to through balls, EA FC 25 contains a ton of different passes, all catering to various situations. That said, you don’t need to learn all 29 to become better at passing. 

If you just master the fundamentals of passing, you can become exponentially better at the game. And if you want to take it a step further, adding a few advanced mechanics to your arsenal will earn you a ticket to the big leagues. So, in this article, we’ll focus on how to improve your passing skills. This detailed guide will walk you through every step until you can pass like prime Kevin De Bryune. 

The Fundamentals Of Passing In EA FC 25

Before getting to the advanced passing techniques, like precision through balls, it’s essential to master the fundamentals. During an EA FC 25 match, more than 50% of your passes will be the normal ones. And while these are easy to perform in theory, actually nailing them in a match takes a ton of practice. The reason why pros can make passing look easy is that they’ve invested thousands of hours practicing these mechanics. So, let’s take a look at all the fundamental techniques of passing and how to become better at them. 

Standard Ground Pass

• A for Xbox
• X for PS

When it comes to passing, the most common and fundamental pass you can perform is the ground pass. To execute it, simply press the designated passing button on your controller. Since aiming is manual, you’ll have to aim it towards a teammate using the left-analog stick. This is the most basic form of passing, and there’s not much to it. However, one major change has been made in EA FC 25 that has affected the standard pass heavily.

To make the game more realistic, EA has added a feature that punishes passes that are unnatural. This means that you can’t just pass the ball anywhere and cross your fingers. Instead, you have to carefully determine where you want to pass before executing it. This means passing with intent is now more important than ever. The major tip to keep in mind is that the best direction to pass the ball is the direction your player is facing. For example, if your player is backward, and you try to pass the ball to the player behind you, the chances of that pass getting intercepted are higher. In this case, first rotate your player, and then pass the ball. This way, since your passes are better directed, you’ll complete them more often. 

Finally, keep in mind that the power of the pass is determined by how long you press the passing button. If you just tap it once, the power on the pass will be weak, and it’ll become easier to intercept. Make sure that all your passes have adequate power so the ball reaches your target player. While the standard pass is the most common mechanic, it requires a lot of practice to get the hang of it. You’ll need to improve your game sense to see which passing lanes are better than others and how to create more space before passing. 

To do all of this, try out the different drills, practice in free play, and experiment in matches. Also, try not to base your entire game on first-touch passes and tiki-taka. This again makes your passes much easier to intercept as they don’t have much power behind them. Instead, take your time, scan the pitch, and pass the ball around with purpose. 

Standard Lob Pass

• X for Xbox
• Square for PS

The lob pass is another fundamental technique that you can use to loft the ball above your opponents. By using the lob pass, you can cover a huge distance easily, and this is the best way to send the ball flying from one winger to another. This can be massively helpful when you’re pushing an attack from one side of the pitch and then need to change the field of play. Through the lob pass, you can pass the ball from your left winger to your right winger, and attack from the other side of the pitch. 

Once you’ve built a successful attack from the wings, you can cross the ball into the 18-yard box using the lob pass. When you execute a lob pass from either of the wings in the final third, it becomes a cross. Since the winging positions provide a ton of space to attack, you’ll be using the cross quite a lot. To perform the cross using the lob pass, simply press the lob pass button on your controller. Again, the power on the cross will be determined by how long you hold the button. If you’re unsure about how much power you should put into the cross, anything between 2 – 2.5 bars of power is the sweet spot. 

The lob pass is also a great technique to use if your player is getting pressured by the opponent. For example, if you have the ball in the midfield, and two players of the opponent rush in to pressure you, simply perform a lob pass to send the ball above their heads to your target player. While this is the most basic form of lob pass, it’s the one you’ll be using the most. So, similar to the standard ground pass, practice it in drills and matches to get a sense for it. 

Standard Through Balls

• Y for Xbox
• Triangle for PS

The through balls are the bread and butter of attacking in EA FC 25. In my opinion, mastering through balls in the game can transform you into an attacking pro. Through balls are when your player passes the ball towards the teammate’s running lane, instead of directly at their feet. This can create crucial chances of scoring and exploit the defensive mistakes of the opponent. 

A well-placed through ball can easily set you up for a goal, without doing a lot. To execute a through ball, simply press the assigned button on your controller. By default, this is Y for Xbox and Triangle for PS. Once executed, your current player will send the ball in front of your aimed teammate. This is best used in the midfield, with a player who has the incisive pass playstyle. However, you can also perform through balls outside the penalty box and set your attackers up for a finish. 

By using a combination of these 3 standard passes, you can easily build a successful attack. All you need to figure out is when to use each one, and that sense will come with practice. If you master these 3 techniques, you’ll automatically become better than most players in EA FC 25. However, if you want to reach higher ranks in division rivals, you’ll need to go a step above standard. For that, here are some of the best advanced passing techniques in EA FC 25. 

Advanced Passing Techniques

While the fundamentals are enough to get you through the casual lobby in EA FC 25, you’ll need to master a few advanced passing techniques if you want to shine in the big leagues. The question is, with 29 available techniques to choose from, which ones are the most useful? Well, here are the only ones you’ll need. 

Driven Pass

• RB + A for Xbox
• R1 + X for PS

The driven pass is a step above the standard grounded pass. By using the driven pass, you can add more precision and power to your ground passes, making them harder to intercept. This is the most common advanced pass used by the pros. A lot of the pros use the driven pass more than they use the normal grounded pass. In EA FC 25, this has been a meta if you want to make sure your ground passes are always complete. 

To execute a driven pass, hold the right bumper on your controller and then press the passing button. Similar to the normal pass, the aiming is manual, and you’ll have to aim with the left stick. The power is already bumped up on the driven pass, so you can hold back on the manual power. That said, the driven pass is a great option to use if you’re passing to someone far up the pitch, and for that, we recommend adding a good bit of power. 

To make the most out of the driven pass, use it with your midfielders. Since the midfield has a ton of pressure, your passes need to be fast and precise, and driven passes are your best bet. Make up combinations of driven passes and through balls, and you’ll be able to exploit your opponent’s defense. 

Driven 1-2 Pass

• LB + RB + A for Xbox
• L1 + R1 + X for PS

This is another variation of the driven pass, which combines the 1-2 passing mechanic with the precision of the driven pass. Basically, your player will execute a 1-2 pass if you hold the left bumper of your controller and press the passing button. In this pass, your initial player who executes the pass goes off on an attacking run after passing the ball. This makes them a viable passing option as you can pass the ball back to them once they’re in an attacking spot. 

Building on this mechanic, the driven 1-2 pass is essentially just a 1-2 pass, but the executed pass will be driven. This way, you can get the best of both worlds. Similar to the standard driven pass, you can use this variation with your midfielders, making them join the attack rather than falling behind after passing the ball. When you’re in attacking situations and need the extra numbers, the driven 1-2 pass can become lethal. 

Driven Lob Pass 

• LB + RB + X for Xbox
• L1 + R1 Square for PS

Similar to the ground pass, the lob pass has a driven variation as well. This adds more speed to the lob pass, making it lower and faster. Since it’s a driven pass, it’s also more precise. The driven lob pass is best used when you want to switch sides while attacking, without breaking momentum. For example, suppose you’re attacking from the right wing, where your teammates are outnumbered. Instead, you want to send the ball to the left winger and push the attack from the left side. 

In this case, using the driven lob pass is a game-changer. By using it, you can instantly send the ball to the other side of the pitch, without gaining any pressure from the opponent. To execute this pass, hold the left and right bumpers of your controller, and press the lob pass button. Like all other passes, the power will be dependent on how long you hold the button. Keep in mind that while this pass is faster than a normal lob pass, it’s also lower. So, the trajectory of the ball will be much lower than a normal lob pass, and it can be intercepted if there’s a defender in between. 

That said, due to it being low, it’s a great choice for a cross. Since headers have been patched in EA FC 25, normal crosses aren’t that effective. Instead, we recommend using a driven lobbed pass to cross the ball into the penalty box. This way, the ball will land at the feet of your attacker, and it’ll be easier to convert the cross into a goal. 

Lobbed Through Ball

• LB + Y for Xbox
• L1 + Triangle for PS

While the standard through ball is enough for most scenarios, it can be tricky to place if the defenders are rushing in. In this case, you’re better off using the lobbed-through ball. This way, you can achieve the precision of a through ball and lob the ball above the defenders. This is better than a normal lob pass because it creates a better attacking chance. Even if your striker is below the defensive line and has to cover more ground than the defender, they’ll reach the ball before the defender does. This is because you’ll catch the defender off guard, gaining the upper hand.

The best time to perform a lobbed through ball is when you’re in the final third and the opponent’s defensive line is higher up the pitch. At this moment, you should execute a lobbed-through ball with your first touch. To do this, you need to do two things. 

• Make your striker initiate a run by aiming towards them with the left stick and pressing L1/LB. 
• Once they’ve started a run, pass the ball to your midfielder, and as soon as they’re about to receive it, play the lobbed through ball with the first touch. 

By doing this, you’ll lob the ball above all the defenders, and your striker will already be on the run to collect it. This tactic will earn you a 1v1 with the keeper 90% of the time. All that’s left to do then is shoot the ball into the top bins. 

Tips To Improve Passing

Create Movement 

One of the most important aspects of football is movement. If your players are stuck in a position and marked heavily, any pass you play to them will be intercepted. And when you’re in the final third, with the opponent having a numerical advantage, creating movement between players is key. While most people depend on the game’s AI to create movement, it can be faulty most of the time. 

Instead, you should take matters into your own hands and create movement yourself. To do this, make the most of the 1-2 pass and the 1-2 driven pass. Whenever you have the ball in the midfield or the final third, make your players initiate runs by playing the 1-2 pass. This will make sure that you never go into a numerical disadvantage while attacking, and that you always have a player available. By using a combination of the 1-2 pass and through balls, you can create lethal attacking chances, and convert goals easily. 

Learn The Playstyles

The one mistake that beginners make in EA FC 25 is not making the most out of playstyles. These are a huge part of the game, and knowing all the playstyles is key to becoming a better player. In the case of passing, there are 5 playstyles in total, all of which enhance different types of passes. Here’s a complete list of all of them. 

• Pinged Pass (Enhances ground passes)
• Incisive Pass (Enhances through balls and precision passes)
• Long Ball Pass (Enhances lob passes and lofted through balls)
• Tiki Taka (Enhances short passes)
• Whipped Pass (Enhances crosses)

Once you know what kind of playstyles your players have, use the passes that are enhanced by these playstyles. For example, if your midfielder has the long ball playstyle+, all of your lofted-through balls will be deadly. On the flip side, if they have a Tiki Taka playstyle, you can create scoring chances using short 1-2 passes. So, whatever playstyle your players have, make the most of it in the match. 

Think, Don’t Rush

Finally, the last and most important tip is to be careful. As mentioned, EA FC 25 has implemented a more realistic passing system compared to previous games. Due to this, you can’t just spam passes and hope for the best. While this tactic used to work before, it sadly doesn’t cut it anymore. Instead, you need to play careful football and play all passes with intent. 

Analyze the field, see who’s available, and then pass the ball. This way, you can see which passing lines are available and make sure all your passes are complete. Additionally, if you don’t rush with your passes, you’ll see your attackers making runs. You can capitalize on these runs by playing through balls. Overall, if you play your passes with intent and thought, you’ll complete your passes more often and retain possession. So, be patient and you’ll create better scoring chances.