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Player attributes in Football Manager

Lazy Nov 9, 2020 Last modified: 17 Oct 37,202 views

This guide will explain all the player attributes and what they do.

A player's profile in Football Manager is build-up by 'Attributes'. These are the most important factor in determining a player's quality, his best abilities and his performances. You can view the attributes on each player's profile screen. In this basic Football Manager Guide we will explain all the different attributes a player has.

Attributes

The attributes that build a player's profile are split into five different categories.

  • Technical (Only for field players)
  • Goalkeeping (only for Goalkeepers)
  • Mental
  • Physical
  • Hidden attributes (only visible in editor or scouting tool)

All attributes are rated 1 to 20, with 1 being the lowest and 20 being the highest. In most situations you want a player to be at or be as close as possible to 20. However, there are some attributes where a lower or even the lowest rating may be preferable.

We will be discussing all different attributes, starting the technical attributes.

Also have a look at our guide on Backroom staff Attributes

Technical

These are the basic attributes that every field player in Football Manager has. There are a total of 14 attributes in the technical category.

Corners

How well a player is at taking corners.

Crossing

How accurately a player is able to cross the ball from the wide areas on the pitch.

Dribbling

How well a player can run with the ball in his feet.

Finishing

How well a player can shoot the ball at the target area of the goal.

First Touch

How well a player is able to control a ball when he receives it and then set it up for his next action.

Free Kick Taking

How accurate a player can take a free kick either directly, indirectly or into the goal.

Heading

How well a player can head the ball and how well he can head the ball into his intended area.

Long Shots

How well a player can shoot at goal from outside the penalty area or longer distances.

Long Throws

How well and how far a player can throw the ball when taking a throw-in.

Marking

How well a player is able to cover an opponent to make him a less viable option to pass the ball to.

Passing

How accurately a player can pass the ball.

Penalty Taking

How well and how accurately a player can take a penalty.

Tackling

How well a player can win the ball from an opponent without committing a foul.

Technique

How good a players basic technique is. The higher this attribute, the better the player is at controlling the ball after a pass or keep the ball when making a dribble. But, this area also includes the quality of passing, long passes, shooting, volley's and traits.

Goalkeeping

These are the basic attributes that every goalkeeper in Football Manager has. There are a total of 13 attributes in the goalkeeping category.

Aerial Reach

This is the goalkeeper version of Jumping Reach, meaning how high he can reach when jumping. A goalkeeper also has Jumping Reach set in his profile, which means how well he can head a ball, for example, when he leaves the penalty area and can't catch the ball.

Command of Area

How likely a goalkeeper will attempt to claim high balls played into the box. This attribute, however, will not define the likelihood of an attempt being successful. This is affected by attributes such as Aerial Ability, Handling, Anticipation, Decisions and Positioning.

Communication

This attribute shows how well a goalkeeper is able to communicate with his defenders and organise the defence in front of him. A higher rating for this attribute will minimise flaws and mistakes, while improving stability in your defence.

Eccentricity

How likely a goalkeeper will perform risky actions or do the unexpected, for example, move up the pitch to join an attacking corner when your team is trailing.

Eccentricity is one of the attributes where a high rating is not necessarily good. You don't want your goalkeeper to dribble out of his area while under pressure and you don't want your goalkeeper to take on opponents while he has the ball in his feet.

First Touch

How well a goalkeeper is able to control a ball when he receives it and then set it up for his next action. The higher this rating, the less likely it will be a goalkeeper will make a mistake when he is being put under pressure by an opponent.

Handling

This attribute reflects the goalkeeper's ability to hold onto a ball when he is attempting to catch it. The higher this attribute, the less likely a goalkeeper will drop or parry the ball. This reduces the risk of the goalkeeper giving away a goal-scoring opportunity or corner.

Kicking

How well and how far a goalkeeper is able to kick the ball. This attribute does not reflect a goalkeeper's accuracy when kicking a ball. Instead, the accuracy is affected by attributes such as Passing and Technique.

One on Ones

This attribute shows how well a goalkeeper is able to deal with a one-on-one situation against an opponent.

Passing

How accurately a goalkeeper can pass the ball.

Reflexes

How quick a goalkeeper can react. This will help him save shots from close range.

Rushing Out

This determines the quality of a goalkeeper's decision whether to run for a loose ball behind his defence close to his penalty area. This attribute will not determine a goalkeeper's speed, this is determined by Acceleration and Pace.

Tendency to Punch

How likely it is a goalkeeper will decide to punch the ball rather than catching it. A high rating for this attribute can cause extra pressure on your defence. Also; if a goalkeeper has low ratings for Handling, Anticipation and Decisions then a higher Tendency to Punch can be useful. If those attributes have high ratings, it is better to have a low Tendency to Punch.

Throwing

How accurately a goalkeeper can throw a ball to a fellow teammate. This attribute will not alone determine the length of a throw. This is decided in combination with Strength.

Mental

These are the basic attributes that every player and goalkeeper in Football Manager have. There are a total of 14 attributes in the Mental category.

Aggression

This attribute does not determine if a player is aggressive towards other players, but it will determine how likely a player will choose to get involved in a physical situation. These include tackling or marking an opposition player and competing with an opposition player to get the ball.

The likelihood of foul play is determined by the hidden attributes Dirtiness and Sportsmanship.

A high aggression can, however, increase the number of fouls a player makes in a match if he does not have high ratings for Tackling, Anticipation, Concentration and Decisions.

Anticipation

How well a player can predict movements of his teammates and his opponents. A higher rating will help a player react more quickly to sudden events. This attribute is used in combination with Off the Ball and Positioning, which both determine how well a player positions himself off the ball.

Bravery

This determines if a player is willing to perform an action that risks pain or even an injury. A lower rating for Bravery will make it more likely that a player will pull out of challenge due to the fear of possible physical consequences for himself. That could add extra pressure on his team(mates).

Composure

The extent to which a player is not affected by mental pressure when he has to make a decision or make an action. Mental pressure can be caused by the opposition but could also be about the pressure of an important game or an important situation, such as when a player has a goal-scoring opportunity.

Lower composure could cause the player to make a poor decision, higher composure will reduce the effect of mental pressure.

Concentration

How well a player is able to keep his focus during a game or training. If a player is not able to focus well enough, he is more likely to make a poor decision. A player will gradually lose his focus during a match. Higher concentration will make the loss of focus slower.

Decisions

How well and how quickly a player can evaluate the available options and then choose which action he will perform. The number of options he is aware of and will be able to choose from is affected by the Vision attribute.

Determination

How well and how good a player will try to succeed in his actions during a game and training in mentally exhausting situations. These include when a team is losing or when a player is performing badly. It also includes the situation where a player has received a knock with a potential injury. Highly determined players are less likely to give up.

Flair

The ability to do the unexpected when he is on the ball. These situations include that an opponent is less likely to anticipate on a move, dribble or trick. This makes the player harder to defend. You will see high ratings for Flair mostly on Wingers and Forwards.

Leadership

This is the most important attribute when appointing a captain for your team. This attribute determines how well a player can inspire and motivate his teammates.

Off the Ball

How well a player moves around the pitch without having the ball. This could open up space for another teammate or he will provide a passing option to exploit. Off the Ball is the attacking equivalent of Positioning.

Positioning

How well a player is able to position himself in defensive situations if your opponent has the ball.

Teamwork

This determines how well a player is able to follow tactical and team instructions. It also includes if the player is aware of the movements of his teammates. Teams with players that have high teamwork will perform better as a unit, while players with lower ratings will act more selfishly.

Vision

How well a player is able to see available options to him when he has the ball. A high rating for Vision will increase the number of available options a player will be aware of. This will increase the rate of potential effective decisions. However, this attribute will not determine the level of the decision, as this is affected by the Decisions attribute.

Work Rate

How much effort a player will put into a match or a training. The higher the rating, the more effort a player will put in.

Physical

These are the basic Physical attributes that every player and goalkeeper in Football Manager have. There are a total of 8 attributes in the Physical category.

Acceleration

How quickly a player can reach his maximum speed while starting to run.

Agility

How agile a player is, meaning how well he can start, stop and turn.

Balance

This attribute determines how well a player can stay on his feet while he is put under physical pressure. Players with a low rating will have difficulties to win challenges, while players with a high rating are difficult to get off the ball.

Jumping Reach

How high a player's head can reach while jumping. Higher players tend to have a higher Jumping Reach than smaller players.

Natural Fitness

This attribute determines the level of recovery for a player's condition when injured or not training and when recovering between matches. It will also help a player recover his fitness during a game, while avoiding jadedness caused by playing games and complete training sessions.

Players with a high Natural Fitness in combination with high ratings for Stamina and lower Injury Proneness (hidden attribute) are able to spend more time playing matches and will require less resting than other players.

Pace

How fast a player can run when he is at his maximum speed. Combined with a high rating for Acceleration, a player with high pace can be difficult to catch by an opponent. Bear in mind that a player can always run faster without the ball than with it.

Stamina

How well a player can retain his fitness while exerting during a match or team training. The higher a player's stamina, the better he will perform while on a busy match schedule or on a heavy training schedule. The more effort a player puts in, the faster his stamina/condition will drop. A high rating for Stamina will reduce the effect.

Strength

This attribute determines how well a player is able to exert physical force on an opposition player. A high rating for Strength will help a player in certain physical situations, including shielding the ball from an opponent or battling with an opponent for a loose ball.

Combine this attribute with a high rating for Balance and your player will be difficult to get off the ball.

Hidden Attributes

Every player or goalkeeper in Football Manager has a set of six hidden attributes in his profile. The levels of these attributes can only be seen through the editor or if you use a scouting tool. However, your coaches and scouts will refer to a hidden attribute if the rating is either very good or very poor in the pros and cons area shown in the player's coach or scouting report.

Adaptability

How well a player can adapt to new situations, for example, moving to a new club in a new country. A high rating for Adaptability will help a player settle in more quickly.

Consistency

This determines if a player is able to perform on a stable level instead of experiencing unexpected drops of his form. It is important to know that Consistency only affects Technical and Mental attributes and it will have no effect on a player's physical attributes.

Dirtiness

The level of 'dirtiness' a player has during a game. A high rating will have a player break the rules more often to gain an advantage. This could result in more fouls by the player, risking more yellow and red cards. It is important to know that scouts and coaches will refer to dirtiness as 'a competitive streak' in a player's report card.

Important Matches

How well a player can manage the big and high pressured matches during a season. Some players tend to have a mental breakdown when they play a big game, players with a high rating for this attribute relish the big games during a season and will flourish.

Injury Proneness

One of the most important 'hidden' attributes a player can have. This will determine how likely a player could suffer an injury. There are two ways to see if a player has high injury proneness: in the player's report card and by the amount of injuries in the Player's injury section in the History tab.

Injury proneness is one of the attributes you want your players to score as low as possible. A high rating will mean a player is likely to suffer injuries during a long and hard season.

Versatility

This determines how well a player is able to play out of his favourite position and role. It also affects if a player is able to learn to play in a new position or in a new role. Players with a high Versatility will be quicker in learning a new position, while players with low Versatility could struggle.

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