The various player attributes and what they do are described in detail below.

Handling

Handling is an important skill for goalkeepers. It is required to effectively anticipate the trajectory of shots, and get control of the balls coming towards his goal.

Reflexes

Again a must have skill for goalkeepers to react quickly and stop shots. It is most critical for saving penalties and stop unexpected shots from close positions.

Tackling

Tackling is the ability of a player to go into challenges and win the ball back from an opposition player. Tackling is critical for players playing in defensive positions, although it can be useful for midfielders and attackers too when your team is not in possession.

Heading

As indicated by the name, a higher heading ability helps a player to win aerial duels and also to guide the ball using his head. This attribute is important for defenders to clear high balls, as well as for attackers to have a shot at goal from high balls.

Marking

Marking helps a player to effectively track the movement of an opponent player and to get into positions favorable to go into a challenge. Make sure your players have good marking skills, especially in defense, and when playing Man Marking tactics.

Passing

Passing is one of the most basic skill that every player should have regardless of the position he plays in. A low passing ability means he will not be able to distribute the ball to his teammates effectively and will lead to unwanted loss of possession during a match.

Dribbling

A good dribbling ability will help a player to get past the opponent in one-on-one situations. Although more useful for wide players to run with the ball and create chances, it is a good to have skill for all attacking players.

Shooting

Goals win you matches, and hence Shooting is critical for all attacking players. The accuracy of shots are determined by a player's shooting ability.

Speed

A fast player can reach a free ball before his opponent does, and also carry the ball forward during a run faster. Speed is equally important for all players, and faster players tend to outdo their opponents in the same zone during a match.

Stamina

A player with good stamina gets tired slower during a match, and hence loses less fitness during the match. Player with high stamina perform better than those without, especially during final stages of a match, or if the match goes into extra time.

Positioning

This is the most important attribute for all players, to get into desired positions and importantly better positions than his opponent. Players with good positioning skill will perform better even if their opponents are slightly better at other skills.

Set Pieces

A high Set Pieces ability will help a player to perform better in dead ball situations, and is important for both attacking and defending players during a set piece. The players taking a set piece needs it to decide where and how to deliver the ball, and the receiving players need it to judge where the ball is going towards and react accordingly.

Experience

As the name says, a player gains experience by playing matches, and performs better as his experience improves. Experience directly have an effect on all other attributes, as a low experienced player cannot use his skills efficiently regardless of how high they are during a match.

Morale

Morale is a measure of how motivated the players are. Players gain morale when winning matches and lose morale when not winning. They also get demotivated when not selected for a match. All players get a morale boost during season change as they tend to forget about the past season's happenings.

Fitness

Tired players can never play well. And they are also more prone to injuries during a match. Players with low fitness are more likely to mistime their tackles and hence are likely to collect more cards. Fitness is regained twice every hour, make sure your low fit players are rested unless it is absolutely key to play him in the next game.