If you’ve played any amount of FC 26, you’ve certainly experienced this scenario: you begin defending, shuffle between players, predict where the next pass will go, press with your second man, maybe even activate team press… yet the opponent walks right through your midfield as if no one is there. They dribble freely, connect passes under zero pressure, and reach your box without ever being at risk of losing the ball.

This is one of the most common defensive issues players struggle with this year—not because they aren’t pressing buttons, but because they aren’t following any defensive concept. In the first part of this guide, we’ll fix that problem by showing you how to actually apply pressure with intention. Then, in the second part, we’ll go over an incredibly simple but underused attacking trick that will give you consistent chances on goal. Having enough FC 26 Coins can also greatly help you score points.

Let’s start by fixing that defense.

Tip #1: Apply Real Pressure — With a Clear Defensive Concept

Take a look at your opponent’s center back in a typical buildup. Often, they can dribble up the pitch calmly, never concerned about losing possession. Why? Because no one steps up to challenge them. You may be switching players, using pressure commands, or pulling defenders around the pitch—but if no one is actively containing the ball carrier or threatening to intercept the next pass, your defensive structure collapses.

In FC 26, you need to commit to one of two defensive approaches at all times:

1. On-the-ball defending

This means using your controlled player to step forward and directly pressure the opponent with the ball. You don’t need to rush wildly or dive in—just closing the gap forces the opponent to think faster and prevents them from walking forward unchecked.

2. Off-the-ball defending

This means predicting the next pass and positioning your controlled player to block or contest that passing lane. When you choose this style, you must activate R1/RB second-man press so that a teammate applies pressure to the current ball carrier. Without it, the opponent receives unlimited space and time.

Most players fail because they constantly switch between second-man press, partial team press, and manual movement without understanding what each command should accomplish. This leads to a situation where:

Your controlled player isn’t pressuring the ball.

Your AI teammate isn’t pressuring the ball.

Passing lanes aren’t blocked.

The opponent dribbles freely through midfield.

That’s the core defensive problem.

To defend properly, decide immediately which style you are using. If you anticipate a pass, position yourself to intercept and press R1/RB to ensure your teammate steps up. If you're challenging the ball carrier directly, close the gap so they can’t dictate the play comfortably.

When both you and your AI teammate are coordinated, the opponent is forced to speed up their buildup, resulting in bad touches, rushed passes, and turnovers.

Using Your Back Line to Stop Dangerous Transitions

Transition defense—when the opponent breaks quickly toward your goal—is another area where many players crumble. If your midfielder can’t catch up, the opponent gets a free runway to your box. The mistake most players make is running backward passively with their defenders and giving the opponent all the space they want.

Instead, switch early to your defender and place them in front of the dribbler—not to rush in, but to signal danger. Your presence alone forces the attacker to slow down. This delay gives your midfield time to recover and help defend.

Once the attacker hesitates, you either:

pressure them with your defender,

Or switch to the recovering midfielder and attack from behind.

This small positional adjustment completely changes the quality of chances your opponents get. Instead of sprinting straight into your box, they’re forced into awkward, delayed plays that often end in poor passes or low-threat shots.

Tip #2: Use Simple One-Two Passes to Create Easy Attacking Chances

Now that your defense is fixed, let’s talk about scoring goals—specifically, how to create simple, repeatable chances without fancy dribbling.

One of the most powerful and underused mechanics in FC 26 is the one-two pass (L1/LB + X/A). Players massively underappreciate how often defenders step forward aggressively—especially fullbacks and center backs. This tendency creates natural opportunities for one-twos.

Here’s how it works:

You pass to your winger or midfielder.

The defender steps forward to challenge.

You lay the ball off with a simple pass while pressing L1/LB to trigger a forward run.

Suddenly, your player is sprinting into a huge pocket of space behind the defender.

This works against nearly every type of opponent—even strong ones—because the defensive AI encourages manual defenders to step up. When they do, the space behind them becomes instantly exploitable.

In coaching sessions, many players consistently ignore these opportunities. They try to dribble, get stuck, slow down their play, or wait too long. But once they start deliberately looking for one or two situations, they begin creating clean breakaway chances in nearly every match.

One-two passes don’t just work on the wing—they are devastating in central areas as well. If a center back steps up even slightly, a quick layoff followed by a return pass often results in a direct run on goal.

Bringing It All Together

With these two simple fixes, the game becomes dramatically easier:

Your defense becomes structured, coordinated, and capable of controlling the opponent's buildup.

Your attack becomes fast, direct, and efficient without relying on complicated mechanics.

Master applying pressure with intention, and start recognizing one or two opportunities automatically. These two changes alone can transform your consistency in FC 26—defensively and offensively.

If the opponent can no longer dribble freely and you can repeatedly create clean attacking runs, you’ll start winning far more matches—without needing to overhaul your entire playstyle. Having plenty of Fut 26 Coins can also be very helpful.