How to Win More Matches: A Pre-Match Checklist

A practical pre-match checklist for My Football Game: lineup checks, mentality, set pieces, suspensions and boosts - five minutes that raise your win rate.

By Paulo · 2026-07-06 · 4 min read

Wins are made before kickoff

The match engine simulates what you bring to it. Most losses trace back to something fixable before kickoff: a suspended starter left in the lineup, a mentality that ignored the opponent, a penalty taker who was sold last week. This checklist takes five minutes.

The checklist

Availability: any suspensions or missing players? Replace them with your best natural fit, not just the highest rating.
Positions: every starter in his natural position - no exceptions.
Opponent scan: check their record. Stronger side? Balanced or defensive mentality. Weaker? Attack for volume.
Set pieces: confirm free kick, corner and penalty takers are current squad members with strong attributes.
Boosts: is this match worth a stat boost? Rivals and leaderboard pushes - yes. Routine challenge - save it.

After the final whistle

Read the match events, win or lose. Where did chances come from? Which players underperformed? One insight per match, one adjustment next match. That feedback loop - not any single tactic - is what separates the top of the coach leaderboard from the middle.

Go deeper with the tactics guide, or fix the ten most common errors in beginner mistakes.