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In the real world, most of the time people tend to concentrate on the tactical or strategic aspects of what makes managers great. In FIFA Career Mode however, knowing your player strengths and what their future holds is as important as the tactical aspect.
When you play career mode as a manager, a huge part of your duties requires you to scout and sign players. Finding players who have a decent rating to start with, realistic eligibility for the upcoming transfer period and a high potential rating is ideal. However, the job isn’t as simple as it seems. If you are new to career mode, everything can feel a bit overbearing at first especially understanding how player potentials and traits operate.
Fear not! This guide will help you become an expert on all player status tags and traits like their meaning, operations and gameplay impact.
PLAYER POTENTIAL STATUS
Player Potential in FIFA Career Mode is a pre-programmed player growth mechanism that determines your player’s destined growth peak.
Please note that you cannot see potential status tags for 59-rated players and under or over the age of 22. In other words, a player has to be under the age of 21 and rated at least 60+ in order for you to see their potential status.
Player Potential can be influenced by Dynamic Potential meaning their original status isn’t their ultimatum. Dynamic Potential applies only to the team you manage!
The AI on the other hand depends solely on pre-programmed player potential. Here’s what the 4 available Player Potential Status tags mean in-game:
Has Potential to be Special
This status tag means that a player has 91+ potential. Examples of players with this status tag in FIFA 22 Career Mode: Erling Haaland (93 Potential), Phil Foden (92 Potential) or Jadon Sancho (91 Potential).
An Exciting Prospect
This status tag means that a player has a potential between 86 – 90. Examples of players with this status tag: Florian Wirtz (89 Potential), Noni Madueke (88 Potential) and Kayky (87 Potential)
Showing Great Potential
This status tag means that a player has a potential between 80 – 85. Examples of players with this status tag: Jayden Braaf (84 Potential), Liam Delap (85 Potential) and Osame Sahraoui (80 Potential)
At Club Since…
This tag happens for a number of reasons:
- Player’s potential is 79 or lower.
- Player is over the age of 22. This occurs because the game recognises only players under the age of 21 as wonderkids.
- Player’s overall rating is 59 or lower. As alluded earlier, players need to be at least 60 or higher rated in order for you to see their potential status.
PLAYER STATUS
The following player status tags have nothing to do with player potential however they are related to traits, age and quality:
Has That Something Special: This status tag means that a player has a Flair Trait.
One of the World’s Best: This status tag means that a player has 90 or higher overall rating.
A Leader of Men: This status tag means that a player has a Leadership Trait.
A Great Veteran: Players aged 36+ but still rated over 80.
A Player for the History Books: Players aged 36+ but rated 79 or below.
A Great Showman: Players with Skilled Dribbler Trait.
PLAYER TRAITS
Traits in EA Sports FIFA are used to provide players with unique skills and play styles in the game that match their real-life counterparts.
Each Trait impacts some aspect of the player’s behaviour on the pitch or in some cases, off of it. However, not all Traits function the same way; some may change the way the player performs on the pitch, another may influence how often they are injured and others may only have an impact when that player is being controlled by the CPU AI.
Here’s the full rundown of all available Player Traits in FIFA 22:
PHYSICAL TRAITS
Injury Prone: A player with this Trait has an increased chance of getting injured when a collision occurs.
Dives Into Tackles (CPU AI): A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait will be more likely to use a sliding tackle instead of a standing tackle.
Solid Player: A player with this Trait has a reduced chance of getting injured when a collision occurs.
MENTAL TRAITS
One Club Player: Players with this Trait are known to be loyal to their current club, which will drive storylines in Career Mode.
Team Player: Players with this Trait put loyalty to their club above their own personal interests, which will drive storylines in Career Mode. This has no effect on gameplay.
Leadership: Used, along with One Club Player and Team Player, as part of the decision-making process in choosing a captain for a team if the designated captain is not in the lineup or is removed mid-game via a substitution or red card.
SKILL TRAITS
Finesse Shot: A player with this Trait will get the full amount of curl when he takes a finesse shot when the ball is on the ground. This can change how the ball will get to the target, but it does not change the target itself.
Outside Foot Shot: A player with this Trait will be able to perform an outside of the foot shot regardless of their Finishing attribute value.
Power Header: A player with this Trait will have more powerful headers. A player with this Trait is also more likely to be selected to fill a target position in the opposing penalty area during an attacking corner kick, and is less likely to be selected as the support player when the kick taker requests support for a short corner.
Long Throw-In: When a player with this Trait performs a throw-in using the X/Square button, the maximum distance of the throw is longer than that of a player without the Trait. If the opportunity for a quick throw-in has passed, players with this Trait will be more likely to be considered the optimal selection for taking a throw-in where executing a long throw could boost the chance for a scoring opportunity.
Giant Throw-In: When a player with this Trait performs a throw-in using the X/Square Button, the maximum distance of the throw is longer than a player without this Trait or with just the Long Throw-In Trait. If the opportunity for a quick throw-in has passed, players with this Trait will be more likely to be considered the optimal selection for taking a throw-in where executing a long throw could boost the chance for a scoring opportunity.
Early Crosses (CPU): A CPU AI player with this Trait will be more likely to attempt an early cross
Takes Powerful Driven Free Kicks: A player with this Trait will start their free kick run-up from further back, producing a more powerful free kick.
Swerve: A player with this Trait will have reduced difficulty in executing an accurate outside of the foot shot. A player with this Trait will have the full amount of curl when passing the ball on the ground. This can change the path for how the ball will get to the target, but it does not change the target itself.
Fancy Passes: A player with this Trait will be less likely to make errors when attempting flair passes.
Flair: A player with this Trait will be less likely to make errors when attempting flair moves. A human-controlled player with this Trait will sometimes execute a flair pass or flair shot without having used the flair modifier controls. A player with this Trait will use a higher lob for their short lob passes if there are players in the way.
Chip Shot (CPU AI): A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait will be more likely to try to chip the keeper when given the opportunity.
Technical Dribbler (CPU AI): A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait will be more likely to go on a long run or attempt a zigzag dribble. A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait will also be more likely to be called as a support player for a short corner kick.
Speed Dribbler (CPU AI): A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait will be more likely to go on a long run or to attempt a zigzag dribble.
Long Passer (CPU AI): A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait is more likely to attempt long passes.
Long Shot Taker (CPU AI): A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait will be more likely to try and take long shots when running with the ball and more likely to try long volley shots.
TACTICAL TRAITS
Playmaker (CPU AI): A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait will be given the ball by their teammates more often, allowing them to dictate more of the offense. A CPU AI-controlled player with this Trait will also make faster passing decisions.
GOALKEEPER TRAITS
Rushes Out Of Goal: A goalkeeper with this Trait will be more aggressive when coming out of the box to gather over the top or long through balls.
GK Cautious With Crosses: A goalkeeper with this Trait will only try to intercept a cross when they think they can get to the ball well before their opponent.
GK Comes For Crosses: A goalkeeper with this Trait will try to intercept a cross even if they think they will get to the ball barely before their opponent.
GK Comes For Crosses: A goalkeeper with this Trait will try to intercept a cross even if they think they will get to the ball barely before their opponent.
GK Save With Foot: A goalkeeper with this Trait will frequently choose to save the ball with his feet, allowing them to save a slightly higher frequency of close-range shots than a goalkeeper with the same attributes that did not have the GK Save With Foot Trait.
GK Long Thrower: A goalkeeper with this Trait will have the ability to target players further away with thrown passes.
FIFA 22 is now available on Playstation 5, Playstation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Google Stadia and PC.
