All changes to skill moves coming to FIFA 21 – full list

Bill Cooney
FIFA 21 skill moves header

Some of the most anticipated new features when a new FIFA game comes out are the updates to skill moves, and EA has finally revealed all the changes coming for FIFA 21.

Skill moves are beloved by FIFA players, as they allow you to score some fantastic goals and make opponents look like fools. They also present a nice challenge to time and execute just right for more experienced players.

The big news, of course, is that there are three new ones we’ll be seeing added to FIFA 21 alongside all of the ones we already know and love.

Besides the fresh options, EA has also increased the number of certain types you can chain without penalty, All-Access improvements, and the ability to cancel certain ones as well.

EA has promised a hefty overhaul of attacking and defending systems in FIFA 21.
Three new skill moves will be available for players in FIFA 21.

New skill moves in FIFA 21

As we mentioned there are three brand new skill moves coming with the new game this fall, giving us new ways to show off our skills and embarrass opponents on the pitch.

These are all listed below, along with the required button combinations, though you can’t start practicing the timing just yet.

  • Feint Forward and Turn (RS back + RS back)
  • Drag to Heel (L1/LB + RS back then RS left/right)
  • Ball Roll Fake Turn (hold L2/LT + RS forward then RS left/right)
FIFA 21 on goal
The penalty for messing up while chaining skill moves has been reduced.

Along with the new options, EA has also reduced the penalty and error for chaining Skill Moves. Easy ones will still carry no risk of penalty if you fail to do them in quick succession. But, you can now safely try up to 6 normal moves in a row, much more than the limit of 3 in FIFA 20.

The number of complex skill moves, like and  that you can chain without the ball getting away has also gone up to three instead of just two.

This does change if you mix up the difficulty levels of the moves you’re pulling off, so you can chain up to six normals, but if you throw a complex one in there that will no longer apply.

Virgil Van Dijk and Vinicius jr tackle in FIFA
Certain skill moves can be canceled entirely in FIFA 21.

All-Access Skill Moves

More “easy-mode” skill moves can now be pulled off with the right joystick as well, but their effectiveness depends directly on their Skill Move Rating and Attributes. This means lower-rated players will perform slower and more error-prone versions of them. These include:

  • Low-Skill Roulette
  • Low-Skill Heel to Heel
  • Low-Skill Feint and Exit
  • Low-Skill Stop and Turn
  • Low-Skill Drag Back Spin
  • Low-Skill Simple Rainbow

Finally, some skill moves can now be canceled entirely, whether things aren’t going your way, or you want to play some 4D chess with your opponent. Either way, hitting (L2/LT + R2/RT) will halt fake shots, three touch roulettes, turns, spins and scoops.

Allan Saint-Maximin could get the best Storylines card we see all FIFA 20.
Being able to cancel skill moves will bring a whole new level of mind games to FIFA 21.

While it’s good to see one of our favorite mechanics getting a good look from EA ahead of FIFA 21’s October 6 release date later this fall, there are still plenty of details we’re waiting to get news on.

To keep up to date on all things FIFA, including the latest updates on the new game as they happen, be sure to follow us on Twitter @UltimateTeamUK.