Taking a penalty in FIFA 22 will test your nerve, so you'd better be prepared with every trick in the book to smash the ball into the back of the net.
It could get you a last-minute winner in Ultimate Team or earn you a trophy in Career Mode, so make sure you've mastered the art of taking a spot-kick.
It's never too late to learn, so raise your game with our top tips for taking the best penalties in FIFA 22.
Trouble against the AI?
When it comes down to a penalty shoot-out against the computer, we can't help but feel they have a distinct advantage - after all, it knows where you plan to go!
Well, this Reddit user thinks they've found the answer to bamboozle the CPU.
It seems the way to score against the AI is to aim as late as possible.
Charge up your shot down the middle, then pick a side as your player makes their run-up.
This is the same way to improve your chances against a human opponent, something we will get into late.
We're not sure if we agree with the ethics of the user's tip to save against the computer, but they suggest pausing the game just as the AI shoots.
Then you can work out what direction they've gone, unpause, and - if you're quick enough - dive the right way.
Give it a try, and let us know how you get on!
Secret save trick
We will touch on it briefly later in this article, but if you want a more in-depth look at the player head movement then take a look at this article on saving penalties.
This trick should definitely improve your save rate with penalties, and could also prove useful to scoring more too!
Learning all the tricks of the trade will only make you a better FIFA player, so make sure you keep finding out as much as possible to take your game to the next level.
Harder than 21?
In FIFA 22 we have noticed that penalties that would have gone in on FIFA 21 are being skewed wide.
Even when the power is just right, and the aim is steady, kicks can be hooked past the post.
With that in mind, it's probably best to get practising your timed finishing.
To do this takes a bit more skill, but will be worth mastering.
Just as your player is about to make contact with the ball, tap shoot again, and if you time it right the player will hit the ball sweeter.
However, mistime it and you could be in trouble.
The Right Player
Unlike on the free-kick guide, we would advise you to always go for someone with a high rating on Penalties, the rest is just a bonus.
It's best to hit an accurate penalty, and you don't want the target moving about all over the place!
The next best attribute to have is probably Power, as you want to lash it past a helpless keeper.
Where to Aim
It's probably best to keep it low. If you start aiming high then any slight overpowering of the shot could see you blasting it into the stands!
Our advice, pick a bottom corner and practice always hitting that spot. Even if the keeper dives the right way, an accurate shot can sneak past.
Keep it Steady
It's not just important to aim well, you need to keep the aim as still as possible during the run-up.
Any slight movements can be the difference between slotting it into the bottom corner and hitting it wide.
Not only that, but as soon as your aim changes slightly you then need to work to correct it, which can cause over-adjustment.
Don't be afraid to keep the target on when taking penalties, any help you can get is a bonus.
Head movement
Once again players are looking the way you aim when taking a pen.
This can lead your opponent to save many of your kicks, or just for some mind-games to commence.
To take the head movement out of the equation, try taking a penalty by powering up the shot down the middle, then moving the aim during the player run-up.
For added bonus, give it a timed finish to take your game to the next level.
For a more in-depth look at this technique, take a look at this tutorial from NealGuides:
Mind-Games
At the end of the day, saving and scoring penalties can just be down to guesswork.
If you've got a second penalty in the game should you go the same way or different?
If you've always practised hitting it one way, stick to it. Don't change things up and ruin your routine, which could result in a miss.
Top Tip: Don't let your mate see your controller! Even the most honourable friend can become a scumbag when it comes to penalties. They will do anything to get an edge!