EA FC 25: How to Score on Headers, Explained

After the live tuning update for EA FC 25 back in December, fans complained about not being able to score on headers. Due to being too overpowered on release, EA nerfed headers in the patch update to make the gameplay in Ultimate Team more competitive. As a result, scoring headers in the game became nearly impossible for some. 

However, with a bit of practice you can get back to scoring those lethal 90-minute headers.

How To Score On Headers In EA FC 25

The Header Nerf: What Changed In EA FC 25?

Since the aforementioned tuner update in December, scoring on headers in most situations has become harder. The ball either goes directly into the hands of the keeper or flies wide above the crossbar, with no in-between. So, what are you supposed to do? Well, firstly, let’s take a look at what exactly has changed ever since the patch. 

• Reduced Heading Accuracy: As we mentioned before, EA considerably reduced the accuracy of the headers. So, while previously you were guaranteed a goal with a header, now it requires more precision. 
• Decreased Power: Along with the accuracy, EA completely messed with the power of the headers. As a result, even if your player has a Power Header playstyle, your headers will be weak. 
• Aerial Duels: Ever since the patch, contested headers have become one of the hardest situations to score from. Even if your player has good physical attributes, the chances of winning a contested header have been considerably reduced.  

So, with headers completely nerfed into the ground, how are you supposed to score with them? Well, while it’s hard, you can still consistently score with headers if you know the basics. 

Understanding How Headers Work In EA FC 25

Before getting into the actual set pieces, it’s essential to know what factors impact your heading ability in the game. So, here are all the components that affect the headers in EA FC 25. 

Player Attributes And Playstyles

Since we’re talking about headers, the relevant attributes to look for are Heading Accuracy, Positioning, Jumping, and Strength. If your player is highly rated in all of these departments, then they’ll be a good choice for taking the headers. 

On top of that, Playstyles play a huge role in the heading ability of your player. Someone with an Aerial+ or a Power Header Playstyle will score better on headers than others. Some good examples are Virgil van Dijk, Erling Haaland, and Sam Kerr. 

The Importance Of The Cross

While finishing is important, you won’t be able to score a header if the cross itself is bad. So, before practicing the headers, it’s essential to master the crosses. If you want to execute a cross from the wing positions and score a header, perform it with players who have the Deadball+ or Whipped Pass Playstyle. If possible, you want the same players taking your corners.

If you’re struggling to take corners, we recommend reading our guide that covers in detail how to become better at corners. This will make sure that all your passes are accurate and ready to be converted into goals. 

Timing

This is the most important factor when it comes to headers. If you don’t time your headers correctly, they will either be too slow or too far off. While this may sound daunting, we’ll explain how to perfectly time your headers later in this guide. Now that you know everything that makes up a good header, let’s explain how to score them. 

Basic Controls For Scoring Headers

While the controls for executing the header are simple, they require some practice to get used to. So, here’s a quick refresher on how to perform a header in EA FC 25. 

• To Perform a Header
  • PS5/PS4: As an aerial ball approaches your player, simply press the shoot button, Circle, to perform a header. 
  • Xbox: Press the shoot button (B) to perform a header. 
• To Aim The Header
  • Headers are manually aimed in all EA FCs. So, use your left stick to aim the header towards the goal. 
• To Add Power
  • To add power to your header, hold the Circle or B button depending on whichever console you’re on. The longer you hold the shoot button, the more power will be added to your header. However, don’t overdo it as too much power will send the ball off target. 

While these are basic controls for performing a header, if your player keeps taking volleys instead of headers, use this combo: 

• For PS5/PS4: Hold L2 + R2 and then press Circle. 
• For Xbox: Hold LT + RT and then press B.

These are the designated buttons for performing a header and will ensure a header every time. 

Perfecting The Timing 

As mentioned, timing is crucial for converting your headers into goals. So, here’s how to perfect the timing of your headers. 

Turn On Timed Finishing

Turning on timed finishing is one of the best ways to convert your headers more often. While it can be a little daunting at first, it takes your game to the next level. Once turned on, you’ll have to manually time all your shots. And if you time them perfectly, you’ll get extra power and precision on your shots. This means everything from headers to kicks will become more accurate and powerful. 

To turn on timed finishing, follow the steps below: 

• Go to Settings
• Click on Game Settings
• In the Gameplay section, you’ll see Timed Finishing under Shooting, turn it on. 

This will turn on timed finishing for all of your shots. However, before trying it, you should also turn on the timed-finishing indicator to make your life easier. To do that, make sure you’re in a match and follow these steps:

• Pause the match
• Click on the Trainer
• Here, you’ll see the Timed Finishing Indicator, turn it on. 

Now, both your timed finishing and the indicator will be turned on. This means that whenever you take a shot, a bar will be placed at the top of your player’s head, and you’ll have to press the shoot button again to time the shot. Whenever you have a header, press the shoot button to perform the header. Once the bar is in the green section, press the shoot button again to perfectly time your header. 

Using this, all your headers will become better and your chances of scoring with them will become higher. However, the timed finishing isn’t just limited to headers and you’ll have to time all your other shots too. While it may be tricky at first, we recommend learning timed finishing as it is what differentiates the good players from the pros. 

Turn Off Assisted Headers

We also recommend turning assisted headers off. The reasoning here is that ever since the patch EA has made the assisted headers terrible. Once you turn them off, all your headers will be completely manual, and you’ll be in total control of them. To turn this setting off, do the following: 

• Go to Settings
• Click on Game Settings
• In the Gameplay section, under Shooting, you’ll see Assisted Headers, turn them off.

Now, everything about your headers will be completely up to you. That said, make sure to time and aim them correctly. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll get better at taking headers. 

Scoring Headers From Different Positions

With all the settings sorted, all that’s left is to practice scoring headers from different positions. Here are the best ways to score using headers on different set pieces. 

Corners

Corners are where you’ll be scoring most of your headers. You should learn a certain routine when it comes to them. While there are many ways to score from corners, this concept is the easiest one to learn and increases your chances of scoring with a header. 

Before getting into the corner itself, make sure that you’re using all your players effectively during the corner. To do this, assign your players with specific tactics. 

• Go to Team Management.
• Go to Tactics, and then Assignments. 
• Here, you’ll find the players taking your corners. Essentially, you want someone right-footed taking your left-side corners, and someone left-footed taking your right-side corners. It also helps if that player has a Deadball+ or Whipped Pass Playstyle. Assign the corner roles to players who fit into these categories. 
• On top of that, we talked about player attributes and playstyles. In a perfect world, you want the player taking your headers to be highly rated in all physical categories. To do this, go to the target player and choose a player who has a Power Header or Aerial+ Playstyle. 

With all that handled, aim the corner towards the penalty spot and fire it with three bars of power. As the ball approaches, your target player will be ready to perform the header. Once it’s close enough, aim towards the goal and shoot. Once you press the shoot button, you’ll have to press it again for the timed finish. Make sure you achieve the green timing and you should be able to convert your contested header into a goal on more occasions. 

Crosses

For scoring with crosses, you want to deliver the cross with someone who has a similar playstyle as corners. Once you perform the cross, wait for the ball to arrive at your player so you can achieve the perfect timing.

Now, all you have to do is aim a little bit away from the center of the goal and shoot. Make sure that you press the designated shooting button for the header (L2 + R2) or (LT + RT), otherwise your player will just shoot a volley. Since timed finishing is on, you’ll have a higher chance of scoring if you’re able to achieve the green timing. While it’s not easy, with enough practice you’ll start scoring from these situations with some consistency. 

Free Kicks

Free kicks are another great set piece for scoring headers. If you’re awarded a free kick in a place where you can’t directly go for a goal, passing the ball and scoring with a header is the next best thing. To do this, make sure that you’re making the most out of playstyles and attributes. Your free kick taker and target player should both be chosen strategically. In an ideal situation, someone with a Deadball+ will take the free kick and someone with Aerial+ will execute the header. 

Once you choose the correct players, send an aerial ball towards the box with your target player ready to shoot the header. And then, similar to a cross or a corner, aim the ball towards the goal and shoot. Again, keep in mind that you’ll have to time the shot yourself due to timed finishing.

Now that you’ve learned everything there is to know about scoring a header, it’s time to put it all into action. By using the right players, timed finishing, and correct aiming, you’ll be able to efficiently score headers in EA FC 25.