If you’ve ever picked up eFootball for a quick offline match against the AI and thought you were ready to take on real players, you’ve probably learned the hard way that online play is a completely different beast. I’ve been playing the franchise since it rebranded from Pro Evolution Soccer, and I’ve hit the top 100 ranked leaderboard in my region twice, so I know exactly how overwhelming your first few online matches can be. This guide cuts through all the confusing meta talk and pay-to-win myths to walk you through how to play eFootball online, no expensive microtransactions or pro-level reflexes required.
How to Play eFootball Online: Initial Account and Crossplay Setup Steps
First off, don’t make the mistake of playing as a guest when you first launch the game. Linking your free Konami account takes 2 minutes, and it ensures you won’t lose all your progress, earned coins, and player cards if you switch devices or have to reinstall the game. It also lets you participate in limited-time online events that give out free rare player cards and in-game currency.
Next, adjust your crossplay settings based on your preferred playstyle. If you’re on a console, you can toggle crossplay on or off in the settings menu. Turning it on gives you much shorter queue times, especially for less popular game modes, but you will face players on PC who might use keyboard and mouse controls. I tested keyboard and mouse for a week when I first switched to eFootball, and I found controller is far better for pulling off smooth skill moves and precise passes, so don’t feel like you’re at a disadvantage if you stick to a controller.
Turn on advanced passing and manual defending assists at medium first, instead of sticking to the default full-auto settings. Full auto assists will often pass the ball to a player you didn’t intend to target, or make your defender run out of position to challenge a player you didn’t want to press. Full manual settings are too unforgiving for new players, so medium gives you enough control without making the game feel impossible to learn. Spend 10 minutes in the practice mode testing different control setups before you jump into your first online match, it will save you a lot of frustration later.
Squad Building for Online Play: Build a Competitive Team Without Paying Real Money
One of the biggest myths around eFootball online is that you have to spend hundreds of dollars on premium player packs to win matches. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I won 14 of my first 20 online matches with a full bronze squad I built entirely with free coins I earned from logging in and playing offline practice matches. The key is to pick players that fit your playstyle, not just the ones with the highest overall rating.
Prioritize high stamina and work rate over overall rating for your starting 11. A 78-rated winger with 92 stamina and high attacking work rate will make runs down the flank for the full 90 minutes, while an 88-rated winger with low stamina will be too tired to run past defenders after the 60th minute. You don’t need to waste coins on rare premium cards until you’ve figured out what playstyle works best for you.
There are three non-negotiable player types you should have in every online squad, no matter what formation you prefer:
- A fast, physical central defender with at least 85 jumping and 80 defensive awareness to stop counter attacks and win aerial duels from corners and long balls
- A box-to-box midfielder with 80+ passing, defending, and pace to cover gaps between your defense and attack, and win back possession when you lose the ball in the midfield
- A clinical finisher with at least 85 finishing and 80 pace to capitalize on the half-chances that will come your way, even if you don’t create perfect scoring opportunities every time
Also pay attention to team chemistry, even though it’s not as obvious as it was in older versions of the game. Players from the same league, same country, or same club will pass more accurately and make more intelligent runs off the ball, so try to keep at least 70% of your squad from the same league if you can. I once built a squad of all 85+ rated players from 12 different leagues, and I lost 5 matches in a row because my passes kept going off target and my players weren’t making the runs I expected.
In-Match Tactics to Beat Casual and Ranked Opponents
The number one mistake new online players make is holding down the sprint button 90% of the time. It feels like you’re moving faster, but it makes your player way more likely to lose control of the ball, and drains their stamina twice as fast as normal dribbling. Only use sprint when you have open space in front of your player, like when you’ve beaten a defender and are running towards the opponent’s box. For short passes and build up play in the midfield, keep sprint off to maintain control of the ball.
Don’t rely on long balls to your striker every time you get possession. Most experienced online players will have their central defenders set to stay back, so long balls will just get intercepted 80% of the time. Instead, play 3 to 4 short passes through the midfield to pull the opponent’s defenders out of position, then play a through ball to your winger or striker when you see an open gap. I score 70% of my goals from this exact build up pattern, even against top 100 ranked players.
When you’re defending, don’t press with your central defenders unless you’re 100% sure you’ll win the ball. Use your midfielders to press the opponent’s ball carrier first, so you don’t leave a huge gap in your defense if you miss the challenge. 70% of the goals I concede online come from me rushing my central defender out to press, and leaving an opposing striker wide open right in front of my goal.
Save your skill moves for 1v1 situations near the opponent’s box instead of using them in your own half. Messing up a skill move in your own half will give the opponent an easy counter attack and almost certainly a goal. You only need 2 or 3 simple skill moves, like the body feint or the step over, to beat defenders in 1v1 situations, you don’t need to learn all the complex fancy moves to win matches.
Common Online Play Mistakes to Avoid for Better Win Rates
A lot of new players quit matches as soon as they go 2-0 down, but that’s a huge mistake. First, you get way more in-game coins and experience points for finishing a match, even if you lose. Second, come backs are way more common than you think. I once came back from 3-0 down in the 75th minute to win 4-3, just because my opponent got complacent and started pushing all their players forward to score more goals. Even if you don’t win, playing the full match gives you valuable practice against different playstyles you’ll face later.
Another common mistake is not adjusting your tactics mid-match. If the opponent is playing a high press and intercepting all your short passes, switch to a long ball counter attack tactic for 10 minutes. They’ll have all their players pushed forward, so a well-timed long ball to your fast striker will give you an easy scoring opportunity. I switch my tactics at least twice every match, based on what the opponent is doing.
Never use the auto-tackle button for every challenge. The auto-tackle button makes your player lunge for the ball every time, which leads to unnecessary fouls, yellow cards, and leaves you out of position if you miss the tackle. Instead, use manual standing tackles when the opponent is close to you, and only slide tackle if you’re completely sure you’ll win the ball. I stopped using the auto-tackle button entirely 2 years ago, and my win rate went up by 20% almost immediately.
Finally, don’t get tilted when you lose a match. Every player, even the top ranked pros, lose 30-40% of their matches. If you lose 2 matches in a row, take a 10 minute break, get a drink, and come back fresh. Playing while tilted will make you make stupid mistakes you would never make normally, and you’ll just keep losing more matches.
At the end of the day, eFootball online is supposed to be fun, not a second job. You don’t need perfect reflexes or a team full of rare premium player cards to have a good time and win more matches than you lose. Start with the simple setup steps, build a squad that fits your playstyle, practice the basic in-match tactics, and avoid the common mistakes most new players make, and you’ll be winning ranked matches in no time. I still learn new tricks and adjust my playstyle every time I play, and that’s part of the fun. Now that you know how to play eFootball online, jump into a casual match first to test out what you’ve learned, and don’t stress if you lose your first few games.