Sombrero
MixedChecked
In one sentence
Raises the chance of a clean sombrero flick (Ball Control +10 on its two rolls, capped at 99) and unlocks sombrero receptions.
Who does this affect?
Both: the flick and trap code runs for whoever has the ball, whether you or the CPU control him.
How it works
Every player can do a sombrero flick, but it has to pass two random checks on Ball Control. With the skill each check uses Ball Control +10, capped at 99, and the random direction error is smaller. The gain is biggest at Ball Control 75–89 and is gone at 99. The skill also unlocks some sombrero-style receiving animations, cleans up lifted first touches, and its flick is timed as if Dribbling were 20 higher.
When it applies
- Sombrero flick with the ball (in the in-game Command List: Sombrero/Flick).
- Receiving a pass: some special receiving animations are only allowed with the skill (the skill text names a sombrero on a low pass).
- Lifted first touches: smaller random error on the trapped ball.
- With Marseille Turn and Flip Flap as well, the sombrero becomes a special version (also improved by the skill).
Without it
The flick checks plain Ball Control twice, with a larger random direction error. Lifted traps get more random error and can randomly lose pace. Some receiving animations are never chosen.
Which stats it reads
Ball Control decides if it happens
The flick passes each of its two checks if a random number 0–99 is below the value: plain Ball Control without the skill, Ball Control + 10 (max 99) with it. Clean-flick chance = (value ÷ 100)². The skill adds about 16–19 points of clean-flick chance at Ball Control 75–89, 8 at 95 and nothing at 99. With booster points above 99 a player without the skill is slightly ahead (100 % vs 98 %).
Dribbling sets how strong
Sets how fast the move plays: about 2.5 points of play speed per 10 Dribbling. For this skill’s moves the game counts Dribbling 20 higher. There is no ceiling, so booster points above 99 keep making it faster. No minimum Dribbling is needed.
Ball Control sets how strong
Only matters when the ball is moving fast (over 36 km/h) as the feint starts: each point lowers the chance of a spoiled feint touch by about 0.46 percentage points, up to Ball Control 105. It also shrinks the small random error of feint touches, up to 99.
In numbers
Ball Control → · % clean
Chart values
| 60 | 49 | 36 |
| 80 | 81 | 64 |
| 89 | 98 | 79 |
| 99 | 98 | 98 |
| 120 | 98 | 100 |
Dribbling → · % of normal speed
Chart values
| 60 | 112.2 | 102.0 |
| 80 | 117.3 | 107.1 |
| 99 | 122.1 | 111.9 |
| 120 | 127.4 | 117.3 |
Common questions
Does Sombrero make the flick always work?
Short answerNo
At best (Ball Control 89 and up) about 98 % of flicks are clean.
Is Sombrero still useful at 99 Ball Control?
Short answerPartly
Not for the flick checks, which are already at 99. The receptions, lifted-trap and speed effects still apply.
Do booster points on Ball Control help the flick?
Short answerPartly
Only for players without the skill. For owners the check is capped at 99.
Does the skill let you receive a pass with a sombrero?
Short answerYes
Some special receiving animations are only allowed with the skill.
Does Balance make feints faster or safer?
Short answerNo
The feint code only reads Dribbling, Ball Control, preferred foot and Weak Foot Usage. Balance is never read.
Not yet confirmed
- What a failed flick check looks like in a match.
- Which receiving animations are unlocked; that they are the ‘sombrero on a low pass’ from the skill text is likely.
- That the quality values in the lifted-trap formula are Ball Control based.
- The skill text also names the Rainbow Flick; which move in the code that is was not identified.
- The code only sees a feint command plus a stick direction. Which buttons or screen gestures make each command depends on your Feint Command Type setting (see the in-game Command List); that link was not traced in the code.
- What exactly happens when the fast-ball check fails (a missed touch or a cut-short move) was not traced.
- That the body-size value behind the height effect is height ÷ 180 cm is likely but not fully traced.
The maths
StepClean flick = both checks pass. Each check: random 0–99 below Ball Control (without) or Ball Control + 10, max 99 (with).
LimitThe +10 stops at 99: from Ball Control 89 the skill adds nothing more, at 99 it adds nothing at all, and above 99 (boosters) a non-owner (100 %) is ahead of an owner (98 %).
DetailA failed check changes the flick: the code turns its direction round and uses different speed values. What this looks like in a match was not checked.
DetailThe random sideways error of the flick is smaller with the skill (its fixed part is halved).
DetailLifted first touches: without the skill there is extra random error and a random chance to deaden the ball; owners avoid both.
DetailSpeed gain on the flick from the skill: about 9–10 % from Dribbling 60 up.
LimitTired legs: when his sprint reserve has dropped to 80 % or less (after a long sprint), every feint counts Dribbling 25 lower, up to 50 lower when the reserve is empty. This comes before the skill’s +20.
DetailFast ball: if the ball is moving faster than 36 km/h when the feint starts, the game rolls a check that can spoil the feint touch. For a 50 km/h ball the chance is 86 % at Ball Control 40 and 59 % at 99; owning the skill of that move cuts it by a tenth (59 % → 53 %). At 36 km/h or slower this roll does not happen.
DetailBody height counts too: shorter players play every feint slightly faster (about 2.6 points of speed more at 165 cm than at 180 cm, and 2.6 less at 195 cm).
DetailNot used by this skill: Balance — the feint code never reads it; Speed, Acceleration and Tight Possession — not read by the feint moves themselves (they govern running and normal dribble touches)
Booster points per stat
Ball ControlBooster points count only partly here.
DribblingBooster points count here.
Ball ControlBooster points count only partly here.