The new tactics system in EA FC 25 introduces Player Roles, which drastically alter the way your team plays. However, knowing exactly which one to pick for your setup isn’t always easy.
Player Roles make formations and tactics deeper than ever before, allowing you to tailor each individual position to suit your needs. But if you want to be competitive in Ultimate Team, Career Mode, or Pro Clubs, then you’ll need to make sure that the instructions you give out to your players are on point.
So, we’ve broken down the best EA FC 25 Player Roles to use in each position.
Best EA FC 25 Player Roles
Goalkeeper
- Goalkeeper
The standard Goalkeeper Player Role should be your go-to in EA FC 25, no matter which mode you’re playing. This will ensure that your keeper focuses on their main objective – stopping the other team from scoring.
While modern football leans towards the Sweeper Keeper role, since the goalkeeper is the one position on the pitch you don’t have full control over, it can spell disaster if you’re not careful. Seeing your last line of defense come bombing out of their goal makes for some nervy moments, and I’ve seen them come and miss the ball far too many times to recommend it.
With this in mind, stick to the Goalkeeper option unless you absolutely need to change it to fit your style of play.
Center-backs
- Defender
- Ball-Playing Defender
If you prefer a no-nonsense center-back, then Defender should be your preferred Player Role. Much like Goalkeeper, this asks your backline to concentrate on stopping the opposition by marking and putting in tackles, without being concerned by anything else.
It’s easily the best pick for more defensive-minded players, but to strike the perfect balance, it’s best to have one of your center-backs as a Ball-Playing Defender too. This works extremely well with high-rated players like Virgil van Dijk, who has the Player Role++, as it encourages them to get on the ball and start the attack.
However, I wouldn’t advise having both set to this tactic, as it could leave you exposed if they push forward at the same time.
Fullbacks
- Wingback
- Fullback
The best full-back tactics largely depend on what type of formation you like to play. If you’re someone who wants their left and right backs overlapping the wingers, then Wingback is the ideal choice.
With this Player Role, they won’t be afraid to bomb forward when the time is right, giving them the chance to overload the other team’s defense and get a cross into the box. Then, once you lose the ball, they also track back to help the defense.
But if you prefer to leave the attacking play to your forwards, you could also go for the traditional Fullback role. This makes defending their number one priority, and they’ll only make a forward run if you do it manually using L1/LB passing.
Midfielders
- Holding (CDM/CM)
- Box-to-Box (CDM/CM)
- Shadow Striker (CAM)
Midfield is the most important area of the pitch, but it’s also where you have the most flexibility in FC 25’s new tactics system. First of all, it’s crucial that you protect your defense by setting at least one of your midfielders to Holding.
This forces them to sit just in front of your backline, even when you’re attacking, allowing them to quickly put a stop to any counterattacks. There’s no shortage of players who excel in this Player Role, but the likes of Declan Rice or N’Golo Kante are the cream of the crop.
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Then, to achieve some balance in the middle of the park, you’ll need a Box-to-Box to partner with them. As the name suggests, this tactic instructs a player to bomb between both attack and defense, getting involved in all aspects of the game.
This is a high-energy position, so it’s best filled by someone with high stamina and strong all-round stats. I’ve found Alexis Mac Allister to be the man for the job, but the likes of Homare Sawa and Roy Keane should be the goal if you have the coins.
Many of the meta formations in EA FC 25 have three in midfield, including a CAM. If this is the case for you, then Shadow Striker is the ideal role, as they fill in the gap behind your strikers and pull the strings.
But the main difference between this and Playmaker is that they’re given more freedom to make late runs into the box, allowing them to grab a goal for themselves instead of just creating them.
Wingers
- Inside Forward
There are plenty of winger options to choose from, but none come close to Inside Forward. Anyone who played the previous EA FC or FIFA games will know that setting your wide players to “Cut Insider” has always been the meta tactic, and this Player Role brings it to EA FC 25.
All of the other options instruct wingers to hug the touchline and look for crossing opportunities, but with Inside Forward, they become more of a goal threat. They stay much narrower, allowing them to link up with the CAM or striker with ease, and you’ll often find them making bombing runs in behind or cutting in to shoot.
You could also go for the regular Winger option if you’re playing 4-4-2 and want something a little more old-school, but when it comes to the higher tiers in Division Rivals or FUT Champs, IF is the best way to maximize your attack.
Strikers
- Advanced Forward
- Poacher
Advanced Forward is the best Player Role for strikers, as it’s the most balanced tactic on offer. With this active, the player will try and do a little bit of everything you’d expect from a forward, whether it’s making runs in behind or dropping short to bring teammates into play.
This is the tactic where the vast majority of strikers shine, especially in a formation with two up front, as one can drop short and the other can make a run.
However, for those who play with a more counterattacking style, Poacher is the choice for you. This removes any other responsibilities and asks the striker to do nothing but play on the shoulder and make attacking runs.
Of course, this is a tactic that’s best suited to players with plenty of Pace, but it can be truly frightening when used on someone like Kylian Mbappe.
Now that you know all of the meta Player Roles in EA FC 25, make sure you also check out the best Styles for each position and some cheaper players to get you started,