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FIFA 21 Pro Clubs tips: How to master online co-op play
Pro clubs is an online mode in FIFA 21 that allows you to create a Virtual Pro player and see how you fare against some of the best players in the world. Here's how to get started.
Pro Clubs remains one of the most interesting yet underused game modes in FIFA, allowing you and a group of mates to get together as a team while each controlling one player, or create a single player and take them online in a match with randoms. If you’re playing with friends, you can co-ordinate who should play where, what your system will be, and which traits you want to work on. In games with randoms though, it can be a bit of a race to get to the right position.
Either way, you’ll want to make sure your player is as good as they can be. That means understanding which traits are most useful for that position, which stats FIFA 21 rewards most highly, what each base position offers in the way of stats, and what difference height and weight makes. All those and more are covered below.
Goalkeeper
Getting a good balance of height and weight is key for goalies
© EA
Key Traits: GK Handling, GK Reflexes, GK Diving
When it comes to being a goalie, size matters. A keeper who is 6ft 4” and 176 lbs offers the best balance, making a keeper with good strength and balance but terrible sprinting speed; it’s not like you’re going to be dribbling very far from between the sticks.
As a keeper, upgrading is fairly straight forward as you want to stick mainly to the Goalkeeping skill tree. Once you’ve got some stats in diving and handling, you can branch out into jumping, kicking, or passing – just don’t run before you can walk.
Defender
Defenders are an integral part of your team setup
© EA
Key Traits: Physical Specialty, Stand Tackle, Interceptions
We’re going with ‘defender’ here rather than any specific position because you want to pick either right or left full-back; even if you want to play at center-back. That’s because wing-backs get much better default pace, so don’t pick center back even if you want to play there.
Still, no matter how quick you make your defender, chances are the forwards will be nippier, so you need a mix of pace and strength to gain the upper hand without conceding too much ground. 6ft with 170 lbs gives you decent bulk, good command in the air, while not being too slow and lumbering on the deck.
Obviously, you want to put your skills in defending and tackling, as well as physical traits. Balance can be useful too, though if you want to play as a full-back, add some agility, crossing, and dribbling into the mix for the best backline defense.
Centre Attacking Midfield
The CAM will be the centrifuge on which your team pivots
© EA
Key Traits: Dribbling, Short Pass, Long Shots
The central attacking midfielder can be one of the most important players in football, with Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings there for Man City over the past few seasons. In FIFA 21 however, they get the raw end of the deal: their default pace and shot power is pretty average, so you want to choose LM, RM, or ST to build the best CAM you can.
You need a good engine to play in CAM. A player with good stamina and endurance is needed to drive the play forwards, so acceleration and dribbling are key areas to boost, along with vision, passing, and shooting. A build of around 5ft 9” offers a good boost to pace without sacrificing too much bulk, and should be paired with a weight of around 100 to 120 lbs.
Winger
A good winger makes a game so much more watchable
© EA
Key Traits: Ball Control, Sprint Speed, Agility
Wingers are the most entertaining, eccentric players in football, and trying to build a great one is a gamble. All the other positions feature checks and balances; making sure to cover weaknesses as well as building their own strengths. The best wingers, though, have to go all in. That’s why we’re suggesting a diminutive 5ft 4” at a lean weight of 110 lbs or so.
This player will get shoved off the ball. They’ll never win a header. They’d probably shatter into a million little pieces if they came up against Virgil Van Dijk. But they’re absolutely lighting. Put your stats into ball control, agility, and crossing, then watch this winger fly down the flank in the blink of an eye, too quick for anyone to ever get near to.
Striker
In FIFA 21, the strikers are back with a vengeance
© EA
Key Traits: Dribbling, Finishing, Acceleration
In 2019's version of FIFA, the strikers were similar to the wingers. Perhaps slightly taller and a bit less lean to get a strength boost in the face of big center backs. But crossing was basically off the table last year. In FIFA 21 however, crossing has been fixed and because of that, a big throwback striker in the Peter Crouch, Andy Carroll, or Rickie Lambert role is a decent option for you.
Firstly, the smaller, quicker option in the Sergio Aguero mold: a build of 5ft 6” and 121-149 lbs, combined with shooting and finishing (obviously) and acceleration will help you break down defences. Second wind is most effective with a forward too, as those sprinting bursts are most effective in this position. For a towering striker, match the big centre backs at 6ft, and go for around 170 lbs. You’ll be slow, but with stats in strength, jumping, and heading, you make an excellent target man.
