FIFA 23 Career Mode: Best Young Centre Backs (CB) to Sign

You can find the predicted best young centre backs to sign for your FIFA 23 Career Mode right here.

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Tim is an avid football and basketball fan supporting West Ham and Toronto Raptors respectively. He also enjoys playing their digital counterparts FIFA and NBA 2K. When he’s not watching or playing, you’d find him relaxing in front of the tv with his fiancee and a glass of wine.

Published on: Sep 13, 2022 | Updated on: Aug 1, 2023

Contents

1 Matthijs de Ligt (85 OVR – 90 POT)
2 Alessandro Bastoni (84 OVR – 89 POT)
3 Éder Militão (84 OVR – 89 POT)
4 Joules Koundé (83 OVR – 89 POT)
5 Cristian Romero (82 OVR – 87 POT)
6 Dayot Upamecano (81 OVR – 89 POT)
7 Edmond Tapsoba (81 OVR – 88 POT)
8 All of the best young centre backs (CB) on FIFA 23

Leading from the back is the centre back’s mantra, and we’ve got the best young players at this key position to sign for your Career Mode in FIFA 23.

Choosing FIFA 23 Career Mode’s best young centre backs (CB)

In this article, we will be looking at the best young, up-and-coming talent in the centre back position, featuring players like Joules Koundé, Matthijs de Ligt, and Éder Militão.

All of the players featured have been selected because of their predicted overall rating, as well as the fact that their primary position is centre back, and that they are all 24 years of age or younger.

At the foot of the article, you’ll find the full list of all of the predicted best CB in FIFA 23.

Matthijs de Ligt (85 OVR – 90 POT)

Team: Bayern München
Age: 23
Wage: £69,000
Value: £64.5 million
Best Attributes: 93 Jumping, 93 Strength, 85 Sliding Tackle

Matthijs de Ligt is the starting centre back for Bayern Munich, and boasts an impressive 85 overall rating on FIFA 23 with a predicted potential rating of 90.

The aerial threat of De Ligt is mammoth, with 93 jumping, 93 strength, and 85 heading accuracy in last year’s game. His 85 standing tackle and 85 sliding tackle, to go along with 84 reactions, help to make him a world-class defender.

The Dutchman moved from Ajax to Juventus for £76.95 million in 2019 – a huge fee for a 19-year-old. Since then, De Ligt has grown to be one of the finest young centre backs, having played 117 games for Juventus over the course of three seasons and scoring eight goals.

In the summer of 2022, he secured a big €67m move to Bayern Munich, a move that made him one of the most expensive Bundesliga signings of all time. He has already made six league appearances as at the time of writing and has registered a goal.

On the international front, Euro 2020 was De Ligt’s first international tournament. After missing the first game with a groin strain, he played the following three, including the Netherlands’ loss to the Czech Republic in the Round of 16, giving him valuable experience at the international level. He now has 38 appearances for his national side and will add to that tally at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Alessandro Bastoni (84 OVR – 89 POT)

Team: Inter Milan
Age: 23
Wage: £66,000
Value: £38 million
Best Attributes: 84 Standing Tackle, 83 Interceptions, 81 Stamina

Bastoni’s current overall rating of 84 has seen an increase over last year’s game and a potential of 89 means that he could be a great player going forward.

With an 84 standing tackle, 80 marking, and 80 sliding tackle, Bastoni is also a good short-term option, and his 89 potential will see those defensive ratings ultimately reach the upper-echelon of players in his position. The Italian is also strong in the air with 81 heading accuracy.

Inter Milan paid €31.10m for Bastoni before loaning him out to Atalanta and Parma. Since his return to Milan in 2019, the 22-year-old has cemented a first-team position at centre back.

In the 2021/22 season, he enjoyed his best individual campaign with the Nerazzurri, scoring once and assisting three times in 31 Serie A games. In the current campaign, he already has seven appearances across all competitions, including two in the Champions League.

Still only 23, he has his best years ahead of him and already boasts a massive potential to be a top name in coming seasons.

Éder Militão (84 OVR – 89 POT)

Team: Real Madrid
Age: 24
Wage: £115,000
Value: £48.5 million
Best Attributes: 86 Jumping, 85 Stamina, 84 Sprint Speed

Stellar performances for Spanish giants Real Madrid have earned Éder Militão an 84 rating on FIFA 23, with an 89 potential rating suggesting that he still has plenty of room for improvement.

Militão is going to be physical presence on FIFA 23 with 86 jumping, 85 stamina, and 84 sprint speed. As expected, he also excels defensively with 84 interceptions, 83 marking, 83 standing tackle, and 82 sliding tackle.

A single season for FC Porto was enough for Real Madrid to swoop on the Brazilian in 2019. Since a €50m move to Spain, he has struggled to earn himself a starting spot, but with Sergio Ramos now gone, things are looking positive for the Brazilian star.

In the 2021/22 season, he was a regular for the Spanish giants, featuring 50 times and playing a key role as Real Madrid claimed the La Liga title. In the current campaign, he has already made five appearances for Los Blancos and will surely make more in the course of the season.

Joules Koundé (83 OVR – 89 POT)

Team: Barcelona
Age: 23
Wage: £73,000
Value: £45.5 million
Best Attributes: 88 Jumping, 86 Interceptions, 85 Reactions

Joules Koundé has recently thrown his hat into the ring as France’s future centre back, and with a predicted overall rating of 83 with a potential of 89 on FIFA 23, it’s easy to see why.

Koundé excels at defending with 86 interceptions, 85 marking, 85 standing tackle, 85 reactions, and 83 sliding tackle. His 81 acceleration and 81 sprint speed help him to stand out amongst centre backs.

A key part of Sevilla’s 2020 Europa League win, Koundé has settled well in Spain since moving from Girondins Bordeaux in 2019. It was his work in Spain which helped him to earn him his first international cap this summer with France in the summer of 2021. Koundé has played 11 times for his country, including a game in Euro 2020 in the final group match against Portugal.

The France international was subject of a transfer tussle between Chelsea and Barcelona but opted to go with the Catalan giants, having joined them in a €50m deal in the summer of 2022. He already has three assists from five appearances for the La Liga club.

Cristian Romero (82 OVR – 87 POT)

Team: Tottenham Hotspur
Age: 24
Wage: £44,000
Value: £37.5 million
Best Attributes: 89 Aggression, 86 Jumping, 84 Standing Tackle

Cristian Romero has a predicted 83 overall rating on FIFA 23 with a potential overall rating of 87, making him one of the best young centre backs in the game.

The Atalanta loanee has 89 aggression on last years’ game, along with 84 standing tackle, 83 marking, and 83 sliding tackle – all numbers which highlight his defensive prowess. His 86 jumping and 83 heading accuracy also make him a viable aerial threat.

Romero’s high aggression on FIFA is reflective of his tendency to accumulate yellow cards over his career. Last season, he picked up ten of them in 30 games, earning him three suspensions throughout the campaign.

In his debut season at Tottenham, he made 30 appearances across all competitions for the North London club and with six games played in the current campaign, he is already proving to be a key man under Antonio Conte.

Since making his debut for Argentina in 2021, he has made 11 appearances for his national side, scoring once in that time.

Dayot Upamecano (81 OVR – 89 POT)

Team: Bayern München
Age: 23
Wage: £60,000
Value: £55 million
Best Attributes: 90 Sprint Speed, 90 Sliding Tackle, 88 Strength

The big-money move to Bayern Munich in the 2021 summer transfer window has earned Upamecano an 81 rating on FIFA 23, with a huge predicted potential overall rating of 89.

Though Upamecano only has 70 acceleration on last year’s game, his 90 sprint speed is what separates him from the pack. Partner that speed with a 90 sliding tackle and he’s adept at tracking back and making a tackle. His 88 strength, 87 jumping, and 83 aggression all demonstrate that he is a great physical defender.

Upamecano took his form at Red Bull Salzburg, where he won two consecutive league titles, to RB Leipzig in 2017, helping to propel the side into Europe for the first time in their history.

After moving to Bayern Munich for a €42.50m fee in the summer of 2021, he enjoyed his best season with the Bundesliga giants, scoring once and assisting six times in 28 league appearances, as the Bavarians claimed yet another league title. In the current season, he has already made 10 appearances for the club under Julian Nagelsmann.

After making his debut for France in 2020 and playing six games, injuries have prevented the talented defender from playing further minutes in the national team. That said, at just 23 years of age, he still has plenty of time to make an impact for his country.

Edmond Tapsoba (81 OVR – 88 POT)

Team: Bayer Leverkusen
Age: 23
Wage: £42,000
Value: £42 million
Best Attributes: 84 Standing Tackle, 83 Interceptions, 82 Heading Accuracy

Edmond Tapsoba finds his way onto this list courtesy of an 81 overall rating and an impressive 88 potential overall rating.

The Burkina Faso international is an aerial threat, standing at 6’4”, boasting a Power Header trait, and 82 heading accuracy. His 84 stand tackle, 83 interceptions, and 82 marking can only get better with his 88 potential.

Since joining Bayer Leverkusen in a €20.20m deal back in January 2020, Tapsoba has established himself in the first team, playing over 99 games. The man from Ouagadougou made his international debut for Burkina Faso at just 17 years of age, but a ligament tear has prevented him from playing for club and country since July.

All of the best young centre backs (CB) on FIFA 23

In the table below, you will find a list of all of the best young centre backs in FIFA 23 sorted by their overall ratings.

Name	Predicted Overall	Predicted Potential	Age	Position	Team	Value	Wage
Matthijs de Ligt	85	90	23	CB	FC Bayern München	£64.5M	£70K
Alessandro Bastoni	84	89	23	CB	Inter	£38.3M	£66K
Éder Militão	84	89	24	CB	Real Madrid	£48.6M	£112K
Jules Koundé	83	89	23	CB	FC Barcelona	£45.6M	£28K
Cristian Romero	82	87	24	CB	Tottenham Hotspur	£37.5M	£44k
Dayot Upamecano	81	89	23	CB	FC Bayern München	£55M	£60K
Edmond Tapsoba	81	88	23	CB	Bayer 04 Leverkusen	£41.7M	£42K
Sven Botman	79	85	22	CB	Newcastle United	£21.9M	£23K
Maxence Lacroix	79	86	22	CB	VfL Wolfsburg	£28.4M	£36K
Lisandro Martínez	79	85	24	CB, LB, CDM	Manchester United	£21.5M	£14K
Fikayo Tomori	79	85	24	CB	AC Milan	£21.5M	£30K
Gabriel	79	84	24	CB	Arsenal	£20.6M	£56K
Wesley Fofana	78	86	21	CB	Chelsea	£24.9M	£49K
Dan-Axel Zagadou	78	84	23	CB	Borussia Dortmund	£17.6M	£36K
Ibrahima Konaté	78	86	23	CB	Liverpool	£25.4M	£63K
Ezri Konsa	78	84	24	CB, RB	Aston Villa	£17.2M	£43K
Ronald Araujo	77	86	23	CB	FC Barcelona	£18.9M	£74K
Ibañez	77	85	23	CB	Roma	£18.9M	£32K
Eric García	77	86	21	CB	FC Barcelona	£18.5M	£61K
Evan N’Dicka	77	84	23	CB, LB	Eintracht Frankfurt	£17.2M	£16K
Axel Disasi	77	82	24	CB	AS Monaco	£12.5M	£32K
Ben Godfrey	77	85	24	CB, LB	Everton	£18.9M	£48K
Gonçalo Inácio	76	86	21	CB	Sporting CP	£12.9M	£6K
Jean-Clair Todibo	76	84	22	CB	OGC Nice	£13.3M	£17K
Mohamed Salisu	76	84	23	CB	Southampton	£13.3M	£33K
Sebastiaan Bornauw	76	82	23	CB	VfL Wolfsburg	£9.5M	£34K
Benoît Badiashile	76	84	21	CB	AS Monaco	£13.3M	£25K
Nikola Milenković	76	83	24	CB, RB	Fiorentina	£12M	£31K
Ben White	76	85	24	CB, CM	Arsenal	£13.3M	£45K
Olivier Boscagli	76	81	24	CB, LB, CDM	PSV	£8.6M	£12K
Mingueza	75	83	23	CB, RB	RC Celta de Vigo	£10.3M	£65K
Attila Szalai	75	83	24	CB, LB	Fenerbahçe SK	£9.9M	£28K
Jurriën Timber	75	86	21	CB, RB	Ajax	£9.9M	£9K
Joško Gvardiol	75	87	20	CB, LB	RB Leipzig	£10.8M	£23K
Dávid Hancko	75	85	24	CB, LB	Feyenoord	£9.9M	£731
Mohamed Simakan	75	85	22	CB, RB	RB Leipzig	£10.3M	£31K
Juan Foyth	75	83	24	CB, RB, CDM	Villarreal CF	£9.9M	£19K
Facundo Medina	75	80	23	CB	Racing Club de Lens	£6.9M	£18K
Takehiro Tomiyasu	75	85	23	CB, RB	Arsenal	£10.3M	£42K
Harold Moukoudi	75	80	24	CB	AS Saint-Étienne	£6.5M	£20K
Kristoffer Ajer	75	83	24	CB	Brentford	£9.9M	£28K