Contents
Having an elite-tier centre back and a strong pairing is the cornerstone of just about every successful team in football. So, it makes sense that FIFA players continually seek the best young centre backs to develop into their future brick walls at the back.
On this page, you’ll find all the best CB in FIFA 22 Career Mode.
Choosing FIFA 22 Career Mode‘s best CB
Boasting the likes of Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix, and Joško Gvardiol, there’s an ocean of CB wonderkids to try to sign in Career Mode this year.
To narrow down the selection, for a centre back to make it onto this list of the best young FIFA 22 wonderkids, they have to be 21-years-old or under, have a minimum potential rating of 83, and have CB as their best position.
At the base of the article, you can see the full list of all the best CB in FIFA 22 Career Mode.
1. Joško Gvardiol (75 OVR – 87 POT)

Team: Red Bull Leipzig
Age: 19
Wage: £22,500
Value: £11 million
Best Attributes: 87 Sprint Speed, 84 Strength, 83 Jumping
With an 87 potential rating at the age of 19, Joško Gvardiol stands as the best CB wonderkid in FIFA 22’s Career Mode, and isn’t too bad off the bat with a 75 overall rating.
As far as starting XIs go, the 75 overall rating may seem a bit low, but the Croatian’s 83 jumping, 84 strength, 78 acceleration, and 87 sprint speed make him a very usable defender already.
To replace the lost wonderkids Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konaté, RB Leipzig reinvested in a couple more high-ceiling centre backs, with Gvardiol coming in alongside Mohamed Simakan. However, since joining the East Germany side, the versatile defender has predominantly been deployed at left back.
2. Gonçalo Inácio (76 OVR – 86 POT)

Team: Sporting CP
Age: 19
Wage: £5,500
Value: £13 million
Best Attributes: 80 Sprint Speed, 79 Defensive Awareness, 79 Stand Tackle
Boasting solid ratings in the key areas for a FIFA 22 CB, Gonçalo Ináciois a good addition for now and an even better one for the future, with his 86 potential rating him making him a high-end wonderkid.
As he develops towards his ceiling, the Portuguese defender looks set to become a stalwart centre-half. Inácio already has 80 sprint speed, 78 acceleration, 79 defensive awareness, 79 stand tackle, 78 slide tackle, and 76 reactions.
He established himself as a starting centre back just past the halfway mark of last season. Now, the Almada-native is a defending Liga Bwin, Taça da Liga, and Portuguese Super Cup champion, and will remain a core piece of the Leões in the 2021/22 campaign.
3. Jurriën Timber (75 OVR – 86 POT)

Team: Ajax
Age: 20
Wage: £8,500
Value: £10 million
Best Attributes: 86 Sprint Speed, 82 Jumping, 80 Acceleration
Already capped several times for the Netherlands, it doesn’t come as a surprise that 20-year-old Jurriën Timber makes it onto the list of the best wonderkid centre backs in FIFA 22.
The Dutchman’s already a strong player thanks to his 86 sprint speed, 80 acceleration, 78 defensive awareness, and 75 overall rating. The fact that all of these already high ratings will continue to improve makes Timber all the more appealing as a transfer target.
Timber proved himself to be a versatile member of Ajax’s defence last season, filling in at right back several times, but mostly earning his stripes at centre back. He’s very much a go-to starter now, and continues to be called up to the national team.
4. Maxence Lacroix (79 OVR – 86 POT)

Team: VfL Wolfsburg
Age: 21
Wage: £36,000
Value: £28.5 million
Best Attributes: 93 Sprint Speed, 83 Strength, 83 Interceptions
Not only is Maxence Lacroix among the very best CB wonderkids in FIFA 22 by way of potential ratings, but he also boasts the highest overall rating of the bunch.
At 79 overall from the start, the 6’3’’ Frenchman can already lay claim to a starting spot, even at some elite clubs, and he’s got the attribute ratings to back-up such a stance. His 93 sprint speed, 83 strength, 83 interceptions, 81 acceleration, 81 jumping, and 83 defensive awareness are all very user-friendly.
Lacroix is already an undisputed, every game starter in the Bundesliga. The 21-year-old has played over 40 games for VfL Wolfsburg, netting twice and teeing up another by his 43rd appearance.
5. Leonidas Stergiou (67 OVR – 86 POT)

Team: FC St. Gallen
Age: 18
Wage: £1,700
Value: £2.1 million
Best Attributes: 86 Jumping, 74 Strength, 71 Stamina
Joining the list of the best CB wonderkids in FIFA 22 is another player with an 86 potential rating, Swiss defender Leonidas Stergiou.
At 67 overall and 19-years-old, Stergiou isn’t the most serviceable wonderkid to sign from this list. His only green attributes at the start are his 86 jumping, 74 strength, and 71 stamina.
For FC St. Gallen, Stergiou has been a first-choice centre back for the last few seasons. This season, he remains a reliable face along the backline and looks set to record his 100th appearance for the club.
6. Wesley Fofana (78 OVR – 86 POT)

Team: Leicester City
Age: 20
Wage: £49,000
Value: £25 million
Best Attributes: 83 Interceptions, 80 Sprint Speed, 80 Strength
Followers of the Premier League won’t be surprised that Wesley Fofana received a huge boost for FIFA 22 and now sits among the best young centre backs in the game.
Standing 6’3’’ with a 78 overall rating, Fofana’s already a presence at the back. Add to this his 83 interceptions, 80 strength, 79 aggression, and 79 defensive awareness, and the Frenchman’s certainly a tough competitor to face in Career Mode.
The Marseille-native was very much one of the top breakout stars of last season – his first in the Premier League – with an untimely medial ligament injury stopping him from starting this campaign as one of Leicester’s starting centre backs.
7. Eric García (77 OVR – 86 POT)

Team: FC Barcelona
Age: 20
Wage: £61,000
Value: £18.5 million
Best Attributes: 80 Interceptions, 79 Composure, 79 Short Pass
Rounding off the 86 POT Club is Barcelona’s Eric García, whose wonderkid credentials will certainly be called upon as the club seeks to rebuild while spending as little as possible.
With a 77 overall rating from the first day of Career Mode, García is a solid rotation piece for the starting XI. His 80 interceptions, 79 short pass, 79 defensive awareness, and 78 stand tackle all set him up as a solid CB in the seasons to come.
Having been plucked from the Barça youth system in 2017, García returned to his local team as a free agent, but at its lowest point in decades. If the FIFA wages are to be taken even with a pinch of salt, the youngster’s wage of £61,000 per week is a prime example of why the club is in dire financial straits.
All of the best CB in FIFA 22
See below for all of the best CB wonderkids in FIFA 22, listed in order of their potential ratings.
Player | Overall | Potential | Age | Position | Team |
Joško Gvardiol | 75 | 87 | 19 | CB | RB Leipzig |
Gonçalo Inácio | 76 | 87 | 20 | CB | Sporting CP |
Jurriën Timber | 75 | 86 | 20 | CB | Ajax |
Maxence Lacroix | 79 | 86 | 21 | CB | VfL Wolfsburg |
Leonidas Stergiou | 67 | 86 | 19 | CB | FC St. Gallen |
Wesley Fofana | 78 | 86 | 20 | CB | Leicester City |
Eric García | 77 | 86 | 20 | CB | FC Barcelona |
Mario Vušković | 72 | 85 | 19 | CB | Hamburger SV |
Armel Bella-Kotchap | 71 | 85 | 19 | CB | VfL Bochum |
Sven Botman | 79 | 85 | 21 | CB | LOSC Lille |
Tanguy Kouassi | 71 | 85 | 19 | CB | Bayern Munich |
Mohamed Simakan | 75 | 85 | 21 | CB | RB Leipzig |
Ozan Kabak | 76 | 85 | 21 | CB | Norwich City |
Micky van de Ven | 68 | 84 | 20 | CB | VfL Wolfsburg |
Morato | 68 | 84 | 20 | CB | Benfica |
Jarrad Branthwaite | 66 | 84 | 19 | CB | Everton |
Marc Guehi | 73 | 84 | 21 | CB | Crystal Palace |
Chris Richards | 71 | 84 | 21 | CB | Hoffenheim |
Odilon Kossounou | 73 | 84 | 20 | CB | Bayer 04 Leverkusen |
Benoît Badiashile | 76 | 84 | 20 | CB | AS Monaco |
William Saliba | 75 | 84 | 20 | CB | Olympique de Marseille (on-loan from Arsenal) |
Jean-Clair Todibo | 76 | 84 | 21 | CB | OGC Nice |
Nehuén Pérez | 75 | 84 | 21 | CB | Udinese |
Rav van den Berg | 59 | 83 | 17 | CB | PEC Zwolle |
Ravil Tagir | 65 | 83 | 18 | CB | Istanbul Başakşehir FK |
Ziga Laci | 68 | 83 | 19 | CB | AEK Athens |
Becir Omeragic | 67 | 83 | 19 | CB | FC Zürich |
Marton Dardai | 69 | 83 | 19 | CB | Hertha BSC |
Nico Schlotterbeck | 73 | 83 | 21 | CB | SC Freiburg |
Eduardo Quaresma | 71 | 83 | 19 | CB | Tondela |
Perr Schuurs | 74 | 83 | 21 | CB | Ajax |
If you want to develop one of the best young wonderkid centre backs in FIFA 22, be sure to sign one from the list above in your Career Mode.
Looking for wonderkids?
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Right Backs (RB & RWB) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Left Backs (LB & LWB) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Left Wingers (LW & LM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Central Midfielders (CM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Right Wingers (RW & RM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Strikers (ST & CF) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Attacking Midfielders (CAM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Defensive Midfielders (CDM) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Goalkeepers (GK) to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young English Players to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Brazilian Players to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Spanish Players to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young German Players to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young French Players to Sign in Career Mode
FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Italian Players to Sign in Career Mode
Look for the best young players?
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Strikers (ST & CF) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Right Backs (RB & RWB) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Defensive Midfielders (CDM) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Central Midfielders (CM) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Attacking Midfielders (CAM) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Right Wingers (RW & RM) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Left Wingers (LM & LW) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Centre Backs (CB) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Left Backs (LB & LWB) to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Young Goalkeepers (GK) to Sign
Looking for bargains?
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Contract Expiry Signings in 2022 (First Season) and Free Agents
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Contract Expiry Signings in 2023 (Second Season) and Free Agents
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Loan Signings
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Top Lower League Hidden Gems
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Cheap Centre Backs (CB) with High Potential to Sign
FIFA 22 Career Mode: Best Cheap Right Backs (RB & RWB) with High Potential to Sign
Looking for the best teams?
FIFA 22: Fastest Teams to Play With
FIFA 22: Best Teams to Use, Rebuild, and Start with on Career Mode