How to defend on FIFA as the game? The best way I recommended is to jockey. Here you can react to every single change of direction the opponent’s player does. Before we continue, let’s see the difference between not using the jockey system to defend.

Defending Styles

When you move normally defending styles while controlling your Defender, he will move with his body shaped straight. He will not change direction easily and the player will change his body and turn his back towards the ball. If you move away from the ball, defending like this is very bad because it’s difficult to react to the opponent’s change of directions.

We have two defending styles on FIFA as the game, and one of them is the Legacy Defending. And, what is Legacy Defending?

Here, you use the contain button a lot of the times to press the opponent’s player. Take a look at this Defender with the cursor. If you hold X, the contain button, he will start running automatically towards the ball holder. He will be locked to him and tell you to release it. And if you hold it again, he will lock to the ball holder again running towards him. Even if you try changing directions with the left analog, he will continue to his target. And if you keep on holding the button, he will approach the ball holder and tackle the ball automatically.

Though this type of Defending is automatic, but it’s not recommended to be used and it can only be used in the offline modes. But if you’re the type of player who play online modes like FUT and I think it’s the majority. It’s by default to use the next defending style, the tactical defending.

Online you cannot change it to Legacy. Only Tactical Defending is allowed. So, what’s Tactical Defending in brief? This is the manual defending style by examples. If you hold the contain button X, your Defender will move towards the opponent’s player. He will position himself in front of him, but he will not be aggressive as when you’re using the Legacy Defending tactical. He will leave two to three yards and maintain his ground, as it seems to be good.

But I don’t recommend you guys to use the contain button. It sucks as you can’t win the ball unless the opponent moves into your Defender.

Using the contain button, the opponent will feel less pressure and this makes it very easy for him to build up. It’s like you’re letting the game to pull your players out. It doesn’t mind about spaces being left, the player focuses on the ball holder and locks to him. Containing doesn’t anticipate the opponent’s gameplay.

Also Read: I Asked ChatGPT How To Improve In FIFA 23!

The Recommended Way To Defend - Jockey

So, the recommended way to defend is to use the jockey system. How do I jockey?

First of all, when your Defender is in a jockey motion when he’s standing straight normally and you press the jockey button, you will see that he will bend his knees. He will change his standing posture, lowering his center of gravity as well as standing on his toes. This is to make movements very quick and easy and if you release the jockey button, he will go back to his normal standing position.

When jockeying, your Defender will lock towards the ball direction, meaning he doesn’t turn his back towards the ball, making it easy to defend.

Two, he can change directions very easily and effectively. Here, he can react to any change of direction the opponent’s player makes.

Three, he can make interceptions of the ball very easily because you have more control of your Defender.

Jockey Systems

But, we have two jockey systems.

L2: Slow Jockey

One is the normal or slow jockey. This is where you hold the L2. L2 only and move the left analog. Your Defender makes small quick movements. This is to maintain your ground, especially if your Defender is near the ball holder.

But in some cases, you may fail to react to certain change of directions if the opponent’s player is far away from your Defender.

L2 & R2: Speed Jockey

And that’s when you need the next system, the speed jockey where you hold both the L2 plus the R2 to the sprint button. Holding these two, your player will increase his speed of movements and this most of the times is used to approach the ball holder.

As speed jockeying, if the opponent temps to change direction, you can react very fast as there’s some little distance between your Defender and the opponent’s ball holder. Here, you need to cover up that space very quick and at the same time being ready to react to his change of directions and that’s when you need the speed jockey.

When Not To Jockey

Though jockeying is good and recommended, but still there are certain situations where you don’t need to use the jockey system at all.

*Like when chasing up a player who is sprinting here a few jockeys, you player won’t match up that speed and he will be left behind. So, here you need to let go of the Jockey button, Sprint and match the opponent’s moving speed.

*Closing up space. This is advanced. And if you’re a beginner, I don’t recommend you to use it at first place. You should first use FUT 23 Coins to improve your players. Sometimes the opponent’s ball holder will be far away from your Defender, here you need to Sprint and close up that space then speed jockey in approach.