BEST FIFA 22 CENTRE-BACKS
BRIEF PROFILES ON SOME OF THE BEST YOUNG CENTRE-BACKS IN FIFA 22 CAREER MODE
We cover youth football. For all you FIFA players, we’ve picked out a few of our favourite young centre-backs that would be suitable signings on your Career Mode saves. From Matthijs de Ligt to Tanguy Nianzou, these are some of the best young CBs in FIFA 22.
You can find our best and most detailed reports in the Scouted Football Handbook, our quarterly magazine in which we profile 25 of the world’s best up-and-coming talents, with additional features and interviews also included.
Of course, if you are looking for older players, we have you sorted too, with a collection of the ten highest overall CBs at the start of your save.
OUR LISTS OF THE BEST FIFA...
OUR LISTS OF THE BEST YOUNG TALENTS
WHO ARE THE BEST CBs IN FIFA 22?
| NAME | AGE | CLUB | OVERALL | POTENTIAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgil van Dijk | 30 | Liverpool | 89 | 89 |
| Rúben Dias | 24 | Manchester City | 88 | 91 |
| Marquinhos | 27 | Paris Saint-Germain | 88 | 91 |
| Milan Škriniar | 26 | Inter Milan | 86 | 87 |
| Aymeric Laporte | 27 | Manchester City | 86 | 88 |
| Giorgio Chiellini | 37 | Juventus | 86 | 86 |
| Kalidou Koulibaly | 30 | Napoli | 86 | 86 |
| Sergio Ramos | 35 | Paris Saint-Germain | 86 | 86 |
| Antonio Rüdiger | 28 | Chelsea | 85 | 86 |
| Stefan de Vrij | 29 | Inter Milan | 85 | 85 |
WHO ARE THE BEST YOUNG CBs IN FIFA 22?
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FIRST-TEAM CENTRE-BACKS IN FIFA 22
JULES KOUNDÉ
- 12/11/1998
- Sevilla CF (ESP)
- France
Jules Koundé has been a wanted man for a while now, but somehow he still remains at Sevilla. While he is slightly undersized for a centre-back, Koundé makes up for that with incredible jumping reach that headline a great set of physical and pace attributes.
His ability to shift over to right back, and the comfort of which he can play there from a technical standpoint, makes him a worthwhile and versatile defensive investment. He also profiles really well as an outside centre-back in a back three.
- 83 OVERALL
- 89 POTENTIAL
MATTHIJS DE LIGT
- 12/08/1999
- Juventus (ITA)
- Netherlands
Contrary to popular belief, Matthijs de Ligt’s Juventus career continues to go from strength to strength, and it is accurately reflected in FIFA 22 Career Mode, with the defensive and physical dominance of the Dutchman reflected in his attributes. His pace means he is no slouch either.
And so while there may be some more technically proficient defenders in the game, if you are looking for a pure defensive beast, it is hard to look past the Juventus defender.
- 85 OVERALL
- 90 POTENTIAL
ÉDER MILITÃO
- 18/01/1998
- Real Madrid (ESP)
- Brazil
Fast? Check. Good defensively? Check. Physical? Check. Technical quality? Check. Decent passing? Check.
For pure well-roundedness, it is hard to look past Eder Militao as the prototypical FIFA defender. His speed allows him to track balls in behind, while his height and physicality mean he can play deep as well. Then, his on-ball quality makes him a useful asset in possession. And he has room to grow even more after a few seasons. Get him in.
- 83 OVERALL
- 90 POTENTIAL
YOUNG CENTRE-BACKS FOR THE FUTURE IN FIFA 22
NOAH MBAMBA
- 05/01/2005
- Club Brugge KV (BEL)
- Belgium
Having not yet turned 16 at the start of the season, Noah Mbamba was already starting games for Club Brugge in the Belgian Pro League. That tells you most of what you need to know about the Belgian defender, who can also play a role as a CDM.
Starting off with a 64 overall rating with a potential rating of 88, Mbamba has huge potential to improve and already starts with strong physical and pace attributes that should hit the elite level as he continues to develop into his early 20s. He may be a bit of project, but he’s a worthwhile one.
- 64 OVERALL
- 88 POTENTIAL
TANGUY NIANZOU
- 07/06/2002
- FC Bayern München (GER)
- France
Tanguy Nianzou has been a solid squad player for Bayern Munich this season, his second at the club since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2020. For a defensive player, 800 minutes in an elite team at 19 is a solid foundation to build on as he moves into his 20s.
At 6’3”, Tanguy’s skillset is defined by his physicality and strength, while his defensive foundations are also quite strong for a 19-year-old. He will not be easily to extract from Bayern, but he is a worthwhile development project for lower division teams.
- 71 OVERALL
- 85 POTENTIAL
MICKY VAN DE VEN
- 19/04/2001
- VfL Wolfsburg (GER)
- Netherlands
After an acrimonious departure from Volendam in 2021, Micky van de Ven has struggled to gain much first team experience in his first season with Wolfsburg. Nonetheless, he is a defender with a lot of promise, and a great value option, as well as a versatile one that can fill in at left-back.
Strength and sprint speed are his two most dominant attributes, though he will need to develop on the technical side in your team to reach the top level. His back seat role at Wolfsburg should make him fairly easy to sign as well.
- 68 OVERALL
- 84 POTENTIAL
WHAT ARE FIFA WONDERKIDS?
Wonderkids are what every Career Mode manager looks for in FIFA. They’re young prospects – usually aged 16 to 19 – that have elite-level potential in the game. Freddy Adu is a prominent example for older managers, while Youssoufa Moukoko is a current case. They’re the superstar youngsters that are must-buys on every save.
But it’s also subjective. A wonderkid at Accrington Stanley is completely different to a wonderkid at Manchester City. Essentially, the surroundings dictate the status.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD CENTRE-BACK IN FIFA 22?
A lot of FIFA gameplay is reliant on speed, meaning you ideally want an agile and mobile centre-back that is proficient at covering a lot of space. In a perfect world, you want a mix of speed and strength, giving you a rounded-defender that can compete in every duel.
Height is another key attribute, especially if you want to be strong in the air in both boxes. Moreover, a centre-back that is comfortable on the ball is a must in the modern game.
HOW DO YOU FIND THE BEST CENTRE-BACKS IN FIFA 22?
You can do so by utilising the player search tool, which enables you to specify the certain variables you’re looking for in your player – from age to specific attributes.
Make the most of your scouts, too. Send them to look for the best young centre-backs by defining their criteria – specifying under-23, four-start potential, etc. Alternatively, just scour the Scouted Football website.
HOW DO YOU DEVELOP YOUNG CENTRE-BACKS IN FIFA 22?
As always, pathways are paramount. You have to make sure that your youngsters have access to meaningful minutes at the appropriate levels. If you have a first-team ready talent, phase him into the team gradually, during pre-season ideally.
If your prospect needs a bit more polishing, the loan system is a valuable tool. But pathways to senior level minutes are key. Assess your youngsters on a case-by-case basis, decide what they need, and enact your decision.
The highest rated goalkeepers in FIFA 22 are Virgil van Dijk, Sergio Ramos, Marquinhos, Rúben Dias, Giorgio Chiellini, Kalidou Koulibaly, Raphaël Varane, Aymeric Laporte, Mats Hummels and Milan Škriniar.
Matthijs de Ligt is the highest-rated under-23 centre-back in FIFA 22, followed by Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé, Cristian Romero and Éder Militão. Noah Mbamba may have a low overall to start but his potential is sky-high as well.
