If you’ve ever found yourself stuck against a stubborn backline with no clear passing lane or shooting opportunity, learning how to do skill moves in eFootball 2023 Mobile can completely change how you play the game. I’ve been playing mobile football games for 7 years, and I used to skip skill moves entirely because I thought they were too complicated to pull off on a touchscreen. But once I mastered the basic ones, my win rate jumped by almost 30% in ranked matches, and I stopped getting frustrated by players who parked the bus. This guide breaks down everything you need to know, from basic inputs to when you actually should use a skill move instead of passing.
Core Controls for How to Do Skill Moves in eFootball 2023 Mobile
Before you start practicing specific moves, you need to get familiar with the core control scheme that powers all skill moves in the game. Most players use either classic or gesture controls, and I recommend classic for more consistent skill move inputs, especially if you’re new. The small, flick-shaped skill button on the right side of your screen is what triggers all moves, and the direction you drag or flick it determines which move your player pulls off. Timing is just as important as input accuracy when you’re figuring out how to do skill moves in eFootball 2023 Mobile, so don’t rush your inputs at first.
You don’t need to learn 10+ fancy moves to be effective. The three basic moves below are what 80% of top ranked players use in 90% of their matches, and they’re easy to master with a little practice:
- Body feint: Flick the skill button left or right quickly while moving forward. This is the easiest move to pull off, and it works to make defenders shift their weight the wrong way, giving you space to run past or cut inside.
- Drag back: Flick the skill button down (opposite to the direction your player is facing) while holding the sprint button. This creates instant space between you and a defender pressing from the front, and it works perfectly to set up a shot or cross.
- Roulette: Swipe the skill button in a half-circle (left to down, or right to down) while moving at walking speed. This is perfect for beating a single defender who’s standing directly in your path, especially in the final third of the pitch.
One important thing to note before you start practicing: skill moves only work if your player has at least a 70 skill move rating. If you’re using a low-rated silver or bronze player, their animations will be slow and clunky, making it easy for defenders to tackle them mid-move. Always check your player’s skill star rating before you try to pull off more complex moves with them.
When to Use Skill Moves (And When to Avoid Them)
The biggest mistake new players make is using skill moves every single time they get the ball, and that’s the fastest way to lose possession over and over. I used to try to do a roulette every time I got the ball on the wing, and I’d end up getting tackled before I even finished the animation 70% of the time. Skill moves are only useful in very specific scenarios, and learning when to skip them is just as important as learning how to do them properly.
The best times to use a skill move are when you’re in a 1v1 situation with a defender on the wing with no supporting teammates nearby, when you’re in the final third and a defender is rushing you before you can shoot, or when you’re trying to kill time late in the game when you’re leading. In these cases, a well-timed skill move will create space that you can’t get from a simple pass or sprint.
There are also times you should never use a skill move, no matter how confident you are. Never use skill moves in your defensive third, especially in your own penalty area, because a single missed input will give the opponent an easy scoring chance. If you have two or more defenders around you, skill moves almost never work, so just pass to an open teammate instead. And if you have a teammate wide open with a clear path to goal, don’t waste time doing a skill move—pass the ball immediately.
Tips to Pull Off Skill Moves Consistently on Touchscreens
Touchscreen inputs can be finicky, even for experienced players, so there are a few small adjustments I’ve made that make skill moves way more reliable. One common mistake new players make when learning how to do skill moves in eFootball 2023 Mobile is trying to pull off advanced moves before they’ve mastered the basics, but small setting changes can make a huge difference too.
First, adjust your skill button size in the control settings. I set mine to 110% of the default size, so I don’t miss it when I’m playing fast, high-pressure matches. You can also move the button slightly closer to the edge of the screen if you find your thumb is stretching too far to reach it during play. Second, don’t rush your inputs. If you flick the skill button too fast or at the wrong angle, you’ll trigger a random pass or shot instead of the skill move you wanted, so take a split second to make sure your flick is in the right direction.
Third, practice in training mode first before you try skill moves in ranked matches. Spend 10 minutes a day just practicing the three basic moves against a dummy defender, and you’ll build muscle memory in less than a week. I also recommend turning off match commentary and crowd noise when you first start practicing, so you can focus entirely on your inputs without distractions. If you play with a slippery phone case, consider adding a small grip tape strip to the side of your phone, so your hand doesn’t slip mid-input during tense moments.
Advanced Skill Moves to Unlock Once You Master the Basics
Once you can pull off the three basic moves 9 out of 10 times in training and in casual matches, you can start adding a couple advanced moves to your arsenal. You don’t need more than 2 advanced moves at a time, because adding too many will lead to input confusion during fast matches. These moves are especially useful if you play with wingers or attacking midfielders with high skill ratings.
The first advanced move to learn is the elastico. To pull it off, flick the skill button right then left (or left then right) quickly while moving forward at sprint speed. This move is perfect for cutting inside from the wing to take a shot, and it catches most defenders off guard because of how fast the direction change is. You need a player with 4-star skill moves or higher to pull this off, so it works great for high-rated wingers like Mbappe or Saka.
The second advanced move worth learning is the heel chop. To do it, flick the skill button diagonally down left or down right while holding the sprint button. This move lets you change direction extremely fast without slowing down, making it perfect for beating defenders who are trying to block your cross or shot. But remember, these advanced moves have longer animations than basic ones, so only use them when you have enough space to finish the animation before a defender reaches you. If a defender is right on your back, stick to basic moves like the drag back instead.
At the end of the day, learning how to do skill moves in eFootball 2023 Mobile doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need to be a pro player to pull off moves that help you win more matches, you just need to master a small set of moves, know when to use them, and practice consistently. I still only use 4 skill moves regularly in my ranked matches, and I’ve climbed to the top 10% of players in my region without any fancy, hard-to-pull-off inputs. Start with the basic moves first, spend a little time practicing every day, and you’ll notice a big difference in your gameplay within a week. Don’t get discouraged if you mess up a few times at first, everyone does, the key is to keep it simple and focus on consistency over flashy moves.