Best defenders in FIFA 22 Career Mode: Top prospects & cheap players

Nathan Warby
FIFA 22 defenders behind logo

FIFA 22 Career Mode gives fans the ultimate freedom of building a club from the ground up, meaning managers will be looking for the top talent to keep things tight at the back. We’ve put together an in-depth guide of the best FIFA 22 Career Mode defenders you should sign.

Even though Ultimate Team remains the FIFA series’ biggest draw, Career Mode is also a favorite among the community. Taking control of your favorite team and leading them to glory has always been one of FIFA’s greatest appeals, long before packs and coins.

In FIFA 22, EA has gone even further by adding the ability to create a club from scratch, which makes picking out the right players even more important.

A team is only as strong as its defense, so here are the top defenders you sign in Career Mode.

Trent Alexander Arnold from FIFA 22 gameplay trailer

Best defenders in FIFA 22 Career Mode

While attackers get the headlines, a strong defense is vital to the success of any team – real-life or virtual.

Center-backs are about sheer stopping power and provide the foundation for the rest of the starting 11 on. Meanwhile, the full-backs can inject some much-needed pace into both defense and attack.

These are the best defenders you can buy in EA’s FIFA 22 Career Mode.

Player NamePositionAgeClubOverall Rating
Virgil van DijkCB30Liverpool89
Joshua KimmichRB26Bayern Munchen89
Rúben DiasCB24Man City88
Sergio RamosCB35PSG87
MarquinhosCB27PSG87
Andrew RobertsonLB27Liverpool87
Frankie de JongCB24Barcelona87
Trent Alexander-ArnoldRB22Liverpool87
Giorgio ChielliniCB36Juventus86
Mats HummelsCB32Borussia Dortmund86
Jordi AlbaLB32Barcelona86
Kalidou KoulibalyCB30Napoli86

Best young defenders in FIFA 22 Career Mode

The main aim of any Career Mode is to end up with the world’s best players in your club, but this doesn’t always happen overnight.

Thanks to the development system found in the mode. Sometimes it’s a better move to think long-term and sign a youngster will bags of potential, then watch them grow into a rock at the back.

These are the wonderkid defenders you should look to sign in this year’s Career Mode.

Player NamePositionAgeClubPotential Ratings
Trent Alexander-ArnoldRB22Liverpool90
Achraf HakimiRB22PSG89
Matthijs de LigtCB21Juventus90
Theo HernándezLB23Milan90
Aaron Wan-BissakaRB23Manchester United86
Alphonso DaviesLB20Bayern Munchen90
Jules KoundéCB22Sevila89
Dayot UpamecanoCB22Bayern Munchen90
Cristian RomeroCB23Tottenham Hotspur87
Éder MilitãoCB23Real Madrid89
Nordi MukieleRB23RB Leipzig85
Noussair MazraouiRB23Ajax86

Best cheap defenders in FIFA 22 Career Mode

While watching a prospect blossom into a world-beater is satisfying, it does often come at a cost. Like in the real game, teams will demand huge transfer fees for their best players and their young talent.

If you’re at a club that isn’t quite at the top just yet, or you’re just looking for a solid backup, paying big bucks might not make sense. Thankfully, there are plenty of options in defense that won’t break the bank.

Player NamePositionAgeClubPrice
Becir OmeragicCB/RB19FC Zürich€2.5M
€3K
Leonidas StergiouCB19FC St. Gallen€2.5M
€2K
Levi ColwillCB18Huddersfield Town€2.4M
€1K
Álex BaldeLB17Barcelona€2.4M
€1.5K
Jarred BranthwaiteCB19Everton€2.1M
€9K
Amar DedićRB/LB18Wolfsberger AC€2.1M
€1.3K
Julián AudeLB18Lanús€2.1M
€1.3K
Valentín BarcoLB16Boca Juniors€1.3M
€500
Rav van den BergCB16PEC Zwolle€675K
€500

Those were our guides to the very best defenders to sign in FIFA 22 Career Mode, whichever gap you’re trying to fill.

For more on all things FIFA 22, check out our similar guide to the best goalkeepers you should sign in Career Mode.

Image Credits: EA

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About The Author

Nathan is a Senior Writer for CharlieIntel and Dexerto, primarily covering FIFA and Call of Duty, as well as general gaming news and guides. After leaving university with a degree in Sports Studies and a master's degree in Magazine Journalism, he took on a role as a local news reporter before moving into games media. You can contact Nathan by email at [email protected].