FIFA 23: Free Kick Guide | How to Make the Perfect Shot (Curved, Low Chip, Knuckle)

EA Sports have introduced a bunch of changes to the new FIFA 23 game. These changes include new gameplay mechanics as well as certain set pieces. Talking about set pieces, there are changes to the free kick system which obviously will change the way you throw a free kick.

In this guide, we’ll have a look at the new free kick system and you can master your free kick skills.

Free Kick Guide | How to Make the Perfect Shot (Curved, Low Chip, Knuckle) in FIFA 23

One of the most noticeable changes in the game is the all-new directional-based system which serves as a replacement for the old reticle-based aiming system. This change allows players to enjoy a higher degree of control when making their free kicks.

Now, instead of a reticle, you will notice a yellow line which will indicate the ball’s trajectory. You can move this line from left to right to allow you to aim where the ball is going. Aside from that, you also have a circle around the ball with a small reticle inside of it.

Just like the line, you can move the reticle around that the circle as you wish. This will dictate where exactly you’re going to kick the ball as well as the curve of your kick.

You can freely adjust these options however you like depending on the situation. For example, if you’re taking a free kick from the left, you’d want to go for an in-foot kick. Meanwhile, if you’re taking a free kick from the right, you can instead bend the ball using the inside of your foot.

Various Free Kick Setups

There are various setups that you can perform while making a free kick. These will vary depending on where you’re kicking the ball and the angle at where the ball is heading at.

All of these setups are properly outlined by the channel “THE GUIDE – FIFA 23 Tutorials, Tips & Tricks!”, so I highly recommend checking that out.

Let’s get started.

Inside Foot Curled

As the name implies, this setup involves kicking the ball from the inside of your foot. To perform this kick, you’ll want to move the reticle at the lower left side of the circle on the ball to cause the ball to curve to the right.

You can also move the reticle a little bit more to the center to provide the ball with even more spin.

Outside Foot Curled

This is essentially the opposite of the first setup. To do this, you’ll want to place the reticle on the lower right side of the circle to add more curve to the ball.

Knuckle

The knuckle is when you place the reticle in the lower center of the ball. This provides the ball with a very little spin that makes it unpredictable, even for the scorer.

Chip

If you want to make a really high arch during your free kick, then you can try the chip. To do so, you’ll want to place the reticle at the bottom center of the circle. However, it’s not really a good choice during free kicks as it makes the ball really easy for the goalkeeper to catch.

Player Stats Impact on Free Kicks

Apart from these changes in the free kick system, player stats will now also affect your free kicks. This means that you’d want to use players who have high free shooting accuracy and shooting power. With this, it’s entirely possible to replicate the moves of players like Lionel Messi in the game.

If you’re a beginner, you might find the various free kick setups above to be overwhelming. However, with practice, you should be able to improve your intuition as to how to adjust your free kick according to the situation. I highly recommend going to the training ground so you can practice your free kick shots.