If you’ve ever loaded up a new football sim and got destroyed by random opponents in your first 10 matches, you know how frustrating it can be to pick up a new game. I went through the exact same thing when I first started learning how to play eFootball 2024, losing 8 out of my first 10 ranked matches before I realized I was skipping all the basic steps that set players up for success. This guide pulls together all the lessons I picked up over 100+ hours of play, no fluff or vague advice, just actionable steps you can use to win more matches as soon as you finish reading.
Master Basic and Advanced Controls Before Jumping into Ranked Play
It’s tempting to jump straight into ranked matches as soon as you install the game, but simple pass and shoot mechanics aren't enough to win even low-level matches. You have two core control schemes to choose from: classic, which uses a button layout similar to older football sims, and advanced, which lets you control pass power, direction, and shot type with far more precision. If you’re new to football sims overall, start with classic controls to get comfortable, but plan to switch to advanced after 10-15 practice matches. Advanced controls unlock 30% more tactical options for creative play, so they’re worth the small learning curve.
You don’t have to spend hours in practice mode, but doing a few short drills every time you log on will build muscle memory far faster than playing random matches. Here are the three drills I do for 15 minutes before every ranked play session:
One mistake I see new players make all the time is ignoring defensive controls entirely. You don’t have to be a defensive master, but learning how to jockey instead of spamming tackle buttons will cut the number of fouls you give up by half, easy.
Build a Balanced Squad That Fits Your Playstyle, Not Just Meta Players
It’s easy to get sucked into chasing the highest-rated meta players everyone talks about online, but that’s a waste of coins if those players don’t fit how you like to play. If you prefer slow, possession-based tiki-taka, a 92-rated striker with 72 passing and 95 pace is going to be useless for your squad, no matter how high his overall rating is. Player chemistry is far more important than overall rating for in-game performance, so prioritize players from the same league, club, or nation to get those bonus stat boosts.
You also don’t need to spend real money to build a competitive squad. Weekly objective rewards give you more than enough coins to pick up high-rated players that fit your playstyle, as long as you don’t waste coins on random player packs. I built my current top 1000 ranked squad entirely from free objective rewards, no money spent at all.
Make sure you leave room for flexibility in your squad too. Have at least one pacey winger on your bench if you usually play possession, so you can switch to counterattacks if you go down a goal late in the match. Avoid stacking your squad with only attacking players, even if you love to score goals. A weak defense will leave you giving up cheap counterattack goals every single match.
In-Match Tactics to Outsmart Opponents Even If They Have a Higher-Rated Squad
You don’t need a squad full of 90+ rated players to beat opponents who spent hundreds on their team. Tactics beat raw squad quality 9 times out of 10, especially at lower ranks. The first thing you need to learn is how to adjust your tactics mid-match instead of sticking to the same setup the entire 90 minutes. If you’re up 1-0 in the 70th minute, drop your defensive line a little deeper and turn up your defensive pressure to hold the lead, instead of continuing to push everyone forward.
Adjusting your pressure intensity based on the match state is the easiest way to win more close games. For example, if the opponent is passing around their own half, don’t send all your players forward to press, you’ll just leave gaps behind your defense for through balls. Wait for them to make a mistake in the middle of the pitch, then press hard to win the ball back and launch a counterattack.
Another trick I picked up is to mix up your attack patterns. Don’t just spam through balls down the wing every time you get possession, because opponents will catch on quickly and shift their defense to cover those runs. Alternate between wing play, through balls down the middle, and short passing builds to keep your opponent guessing. I noticed my win rate jumped 22% after I started mixing up my attack style instead of relying on the same two moves every match.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Learning How to Play eFootball 2024
Even if you get all the controls, squad building, and tactics right, small common mistakes can tank your win rate without you even noticing. The first mistake almost every new player makes is spamming sprint for the entire match. Sprint drains player stamina extremely fast, and makes it much harder to control the ball in tight spaces. Only use sprint when you have open space to run into, not when you're dribbling past defenders in tight areas.
Another common mistake is rage quitting as soon as you concede the first goal. I’ve come back from 2-0 down in the 80th minute more times than I can count, and most opponents start making careless mistakes as soon as they get a lead, even if they have a much better squad. Even if you don’t think you can win, playing out the full match gives you valuable practice dealing with high-pressure situations.
Stamina management is another area where most new players slip up. It’s tempting to use all your subs early to replace underperforming players, but you’ll end up with tired key players in extra time if you do that. Save at least one sub for the 80th minute or later to replace tired attacking players, so you have fresh legs to chase a late goal or hold a lead.
The last mistake to watch out for is ignoring custom tactics entirely. The default tactics that come with your formation are generic, and they don’t fit any specific playstyle. Spend 10 minutes adjusting your custom tactics to match how you like to play, and you’ll immediately have an edge over 70% of opponents who don’t bother changing their default settings.
You don’t have to be a pro player to have fun and climb the ranks when you’re learning how to play eFootball 2024. The biggest wins come from small, consistent improvements: 15 minutes of practice a day, adjusting one tactic per match, and cutting out one common mistake at a time. I used these exact steps to climb from Division 10 to Division 2 in just three weeks, and you don’t need to spend a single cent on the game to get the same results. The most important thing is to not get discouraged by losses, every match gives you a new lesson you can use to win the next one.