2006 FIFA World Cup Germany Game Guide & Walkthrough

Welcome to the FIFA World Cup 2006 Game guide. You'll find here information about game modes, the easiest manoeuvres and a bit more complicated actions on the pitch. Large number of pictures and detailed descriptions of every game elements are useful even for these, who aren't interested in football.

Enjoy.

The most important game mode is, of course, World Cup. This section consists of descriptions showing how to play and what you should check before starting your first match.

First of all, choose your national team. Ranking and marks (OVR - overall, DEF - defence, OFF - offence) should help you make this choice. If you want to lead a certain team, choose it (look at the picture below - I chose Brazil) and click "User/CPU". It is also possible to control several national teams, but if two of them play against each other, one of them will be controlled by computer... unless you've got more than one controller.

Now it's time to check our footballers. You have to choose (or use default settings) who'll play in your "winning eleven" - analyse abilities of your men presented by stripes next to the player's face. The lowest one shows the overall opinion, so if you don't want to get bored with details, you can always use only this little information.

If you want to know something more about a footballer, click "Player Bio". Here we've got some data about player's speed, accuracy, weight, height, preferred foot and so on. With these information you'll be able to use every advantages of your team.

A little example: a fast, tall player should collect crosses (or through balls) and score goals without problems. And another one: these, who prefer to kick the ball with their left foot, should play on the right wing of the pitch. This'll allow them to make their passes more accurate.

One more thing - you can change your players during the match (max. 3 subs) and their positions on the pitch.

Here we've got next important element - groups. As you probably know, there are eight groups in the first phase of the tournament. The first setting you'll see is just like the one in the real World Cup 2006. If you don't like it, use options "Randomise" or "Seeded randomise" to change it.

Finally, we can go to the World Cup Mode main menu.

Take a look on the World Cup main menu. There are several interesting options, we'll check "Squads".

Use arrows in the left top corner of the screen and take a look on the formation screen. According to abilities of your team, choose a good one. If you've got fast midfielders and tall forwarders, place your players on the wings (you know - crosses). But if your footballers have high accuracy, use short passes and through balls to beat your opponents.

You can also change the formation during the match. When, for example, you see that the rival team has got experienced strikers, it'll be necessary to move your players closer your own goal in order to make stronger defence. Pressing would be nice too.

Let's check if there's something else in the "Squads" menu.

Looks like we can also set our kick takers. Take a look at the picture below.

Let's start from the top: in fact, everyone can perform penalties, but it won't be bad if you choose someone who has high accuracy. In most cases, it's strikers' job.

Direct free kicks (from which it is possible to score a goal) and corners are also a "sniper" job. These should be performed by players who can shoot accurately from a long distance (you'll find that info in their bio).

With the knowledge about players, kick takers and formation, you can start your first match. In the example presented in the pictures in this game guide, Angola is the first opponent (it wasn't difficult to win, check the image below). If you want to know how to play matches, go to "Movement" and "Tactical solutions" sections. Now, we'll concern on what's after the game.

The game gives and takes points for each meeting on the pitch. Take a look at the "Performance Bonus" section in the picture above. Positives are given for:

• Goals;
• Accurate shots on target;
• Successful tackles;
• Corners;
• Nice passing;
• Possession;
• Clean sheet.

And negatives:

• Offsides;
• Fouls;
• Yellow and red cards;
• Bad passing;
• Lack of possession.

There is also an "Objective Bonus". These points are given for completing special tasks. For example, score seven goals in a match, win five matches in a row, etc.

And the last and, I think, the least - "Passport Page Bonus". You can score these points by filling a passport page with stamps from beaten countries. There are few groups of these: on one page you've got Asian stamps, on the next you'll find European ones, etc. In the picture below you can see the Africa Zone with the sign from Angola.

Collected points can be exchanged for special unlocks: new balls, shoes, shirts, footballers and so on.

Apart from World Cup, we can also run the qualifiers. Just go to the "Select FIFA World Cup Stage" menu and using arrows marked in the picture below, choose your qualification zone (Europe, Asia etc.).

Movement

This section is about performing various football manoeuvres. First of all, get familiar with buttons' basic functions (default settings):

[A] - cross / long pass / sliding tackle;

[S] - switch player / pass;

[D] - shot on target / conservative tackle;

[W] - through ball / goalkeeper charge;

[E] - sprint.

Dribbling

Good dribbling allows to increase possession during the match, so let's learn some tricks.

While sprint (remember - button [E]), you can run faster by pressing [Shift]. This is a bit risky, because it may lead to possession loss.

If you want to slow down the pace, press [C]. The footballer will walk very, very slowly.

Cross is an important play, which allows to move the whole action right into the box. We've got several kinds of crosses.

The most trivial one can be performed by pressing [A]. The longer you press the button, the stronger the shot will be.

Double-clicking [A] is just a long pass. Picture below shows it.

If you loose the possession, click [S] to switch player. Control these footballers who are close to the ball - this increases chances to get it back.

If you get close to the rival who has the ball, just run onto him to take the possession. But remember, if you play against experienced players, press [D] while physical contact to take the ball back.

Pressing [D] will result in a conservative tackle. Press [Q] to call another players for help.

If your rival manages to get closer to your goal, press [W] to perform a goalkeeper charge.

Fouls are also a form of defence. You can perform them in two ways. The first one consists in a push. Just run onto a player's heels.

And the second - sliding tackle. Press [A] to perform it.

Fouls often end with a yellow or red cards, but remember that there is an advantage clause. Referee doesn't give a foul when:

• You attack another footballer after he makes a pass;
• Foul won't give you the possession.

Every time this advantage occurs, a special icon appears in the left top corner of the screen.

A football match can't exist without passes. Learning this basic manoeuvre is really essential.

Press [S] to perform a simple pass. A player with the ball will kick it towards the footballer who stands in front of the one you actually control.

"Pass & run" is more interesting. Look at the picture below: a footballer performs a pass and after that, he runs towards rival's box. It is really useful while dribbling other players. Press [Q] + [S] to do it.

Long passes are also useful while dribbling rivals, but they're very inaccurate. Perform it by pressing [A].

It is also possible to simulate collecting a pass. You can do it by holding [Z] before collecting. The player will let the ball roll between the legs. Of course, you have to be sure that there is someone who will take care of it.

If you press [Z] in the same situation as presented above, the footballer will let the ball roll next to him. After that, he'll get to it and continue the run.

I must add, that by pressing [Q] you can give an order to run to the rival's goal. It works only with the player who is in front of the footballer you actually control (check the picture below).

While performing a free kick, corner kick or even a cross, you can twist the ball's trajectory. Just press left or right before the shot. The shape of the curve depends on footballer's abilities. Take a look on the image below - Ronaldinho has no problems with that.

You can make a shot on target from any distance by pressing [D]. The longer you press it, the stronger the shot will be.

It is also possible to kick the ball over the goalkeeper. Press [Q] + [D] to perform it.

During the game you can give tactical orders using your numerical keyboard.

First menu concerns team's offensive play.

• [2] - call other players for help (MR);
• [4] - order a massive attack (including forwarders and midfielders) (BO);
• [6] - give an order to play on the wings (WP);
• [8] - organise a counterattack (CA).

The second menu refers to the defence.

• [Q] + [2] - order a zone defence (ZD);
• [Q] + [4] - prepare a defence line (FB);
• [Q] + [6] - give an order to create offside traps (OT);
• [Q] + [8] - use pressing (PR).

And the last option - press [5] to change team's attitude.

If a red triangle appears, team plays more offensive.

And the green triangle symbolises defensive play.

Free kicks

There are two types of free kicks: indirect and direct.

Indirect free kicks characterises by the fact, that you can't score a goal by performing it. You can only pass the ball and continue the game.

Direct free kicks allow you to make a shot on target. The line of players in front of the ball makes the shot more difficult, but with a little practice you'll be able to perform really wonderful actions. Press [8] to call second player.

Corners

Corner kicks are trivial. First of all, set the direction of your shot. Next, press [A] to perform a cross or [S] - to pass the ball to one your the players.

If you decide to cross, watch the strength bar. The picture below shows the best power.

Penalties

To perform a penalty, press [A] or [D]. What is more, you can also press left or right to set the direction.

Pay attention to the strength bar. There's a little rectangle, right? The power you use mustn't exceed it or the ball will miss the goal.

You can also try to kick the ball over the goalkeeper. Press [Q] + [D] to do it. And don't forget about setting the direction.

While being a goalkeeper, press left or right to make a dash. You can also try to distract the shooter by pressing [W] or [D].

Crosses, just like through balls, really helps in scoring more and more goals, so it is necessary to know how to play on the wings.

Formation showed below really fits wing play.

First of all, one of your midfielders on a wing has to have the ball. Try to get closer to rival's goal.

It may be necessary to pass the ball to another player on the wing in order to keep the possession.

When you get next to the box, click (or double-click) [A] to perform the cross.

If the cross is accurate and one of your player collects it, you'll have two opportunities: immediately press [D] to score a goal with player's head or wait a moment if you want to perform a classic shot on target using strikers' foot.

Through balls are as lethal as crosses. They're not easy but better try to master this element of the game.

To perform through balls, set the formation presented below.

At the beginning, you have to create a situation in which one of your midfielders will have the ball.

Start running towards the box. When one of your strikers will stand in one line with defenders (beware of offside traps!), press [W] or [Q] + [W] to perform a through ball.

Now you control the forwarder. Run towards the goal and try to avoid defenders at the same time (press [E] to sprint or zigzag).

Now we've got chance to score a goal. Press [D] or [Q] + [D] to perform a shot.

You need to have really good reflex if you want to perform shots on target from a long distance. It is all about setting the strength (by pressing [D], of course). Start preparing to the shot when you enter the box. You can also try to shoot from a longer distance (look at the picture below), but it is possible that one of defenders will stop the ball with his own body.

Throw-in gives only the possession, nothing more.

However, what you can do after the throw depends on where it takes place. If, for example, it's near opponent's box, you'll be able to perform a cross immediately. The picture below shows such situation.

Use three buttons while performing a throw-in:

• simply throw the ball by pressing [A];
• use [S] to set who has to collect the ball;
• press [W] to perform a long but inaccurate throw.