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Aerial Superiority
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In one sentence
In air duels his Physical Contact counts 5 higher, and an opponent with the skill counts 5 lower. He does not jump higher.
Who does this affect?
Both: the duel and accuracy formulas run for anyone heading or contesting the ball, whether you or the CPU control him. The target choice is CPU-only.
How it works
Aerial Superiority never touches jump height. It adds 5 to his side of the Physical Contact comparison in aerial situations only: the contested-header score (which sets how likely a header goes wrong), the header accuracy loss under pressure when the ball is high, body contests while the ball is above 2 m, and pushes while he is in the air. When the opponent has the skill, the same 5 is taken off. The CPU also ranks him higher as a target for crosses and set pieces.
When it applies
- Contested header: his header, or an opponent's header, with nearby challengers.
- Header or other aerial kick when the ball is at a high body level.
- Body contests (holding off, jostling) while the ball's next position is above 2.0 m.
- Pushes while he is in the air during a jump.
- CPU choosing a cross target or set-piece positions: +10 in the ranking.
Without it
The same duels use plain Physical Contact on both sides.
Which stats it reads
Physical Contact compared with opponent
Contested header score = Heading gap + Jump gap + Physical Contact gap + half the height gap in cm. Only a score between −30 and +30 changes anything. The skill's +5 is worth the same as +5 Heading, +5 Jump or 10 cm of height there.
Physical Contact (header accuracy) compared with opponent
With the ball high, the accuracy loss under pressure depends on the Physical Contact gap between −20 and +20; +5 is one eighth of that window.
Physical Contact (air contests) compared with opponent
Holding off and jostling with the ball above 2 m: +5 in a −30 to +30 window, worth roughly 0.1–0.2 s longer hold.
Common questions
Does Aerial Superiority make him jump higher?
Short answerNo
None of its code touches jump reach; Jump and Height still decide how high he gets.
Does it help attackers too, not only defenders?
Short answerYes
The header formulas run for whoever heads the ball, so a striker gains in his own headers too, and it hurts opponents heading against him.
Does it help in ground shoulder duels?
Short answerNo
Only while the ball is in the air above 2 m.
Is it worth the same as +5 Physical Contact?
Short answerPartly
Inside aerial duels yes, plus it takes 5 off an opponent who also has it; on the ground it does nothing.
Not yet confirmed
- How the duel score combines with the angle and distance terms into the final chance that a header goes wrong; only the duel part is exact.
The maths
DetailNot a stat boost: his Physical Contact on the stat sheet does not change; the +5 exists only inside these aerial formulas.
DetailTwo players with the skill cancel out (+5 and −5).
ConditionGround contests and shoulder duels with the ball below 2 m are unaffected.
DetailQuirk: the contested-header score is stored in a small number that only holds up to +127. In an extreme mismatch (for example +45 Heading, +40 Jump, +40 Physical Contact and 30 cm taller) the score wraps round and counts as a heavily lost duel; the skill's +5 can tip such a case over. Normal matchups never get near it.
DetailNot used by this skill: Jump — the jump reach formula has no Aerial Superiority term; he does not jump higher.; Physical Contact on the ground — shoulder duels with the ball below 2 m are unchanged.
Booster points per stat
Physical ContactBooster points count here.
Physical Contact (header accuracy)Booster points count here.
Physical Contact (air contests)Booster points count here.