EA Sports FC 25 Best Centre Backs to Sign for Career Mode

The days of sluggish centre-backs are long gone, and the best centre-backs in EA Sports FC 25 boast speed that rivals even the fastest strikers.

To cope with the increasing levels of physicality in football, defenders have adapted their game to prioritise physicality, meaning they can run faster, jump higher and tackle harder than all but the best strikers.

These skills come at a price, though. The transfer value of top defenders has skyrocketed in recent years, and since Harry Maguire’s £75m move to Manchester United, EA has increased the value of defensive players in the game to match their real-world prices.

To lend a hand you spend your constrained transfer budget wisely, we’ve put together a list of the best centre-backs you can sign in EA Sports FC 25 Career Mode. Each one boasts blazing pace, unmatched strength, an incredible playing style, huge potential or a winning mix of all of the above.

We’ve also gone through the 25 highest rated CBs in the game. That way you can compare your defence to the best of the best, or know who to sign if you’re working with one of the biggest budgets in world football!

If you’re interested in the best U21 defenders, check out our list of the top 25 EA Sports FC players.

Best CBs to sign in EA Sports FC 25 Career Mode

1. Micky Van de Ven – Spurs – 82 OVR
2. Goncalo Inacio – Sporting – 80 OVR
3. Ousmane Diomande – Sporting – 78 OVR
4. Jerry St Juste – Sporting – 77 OVR
5. Oumar Solet – Salzburg – 76 OVR
6. Jorel Hato – Ajax – 75 OVR – £10.5m
7. Zaid Romero – Club Brugge – 75 OVR
8. Jayden Oosterwolde – Fenerbache – 75 OVR
9. Saul Coco – Turin – 75 OVR
10. Kamil Piątkowski – RB Salzburg – 73 OGL
11. Christian Mawissa – Monaco – 73 OVR – £5m
12. Koni De Winter – Genoa – 72 OGL –
13. El Chadaille Bitshiabu – Leipzig – 68 OVR – £2.3m
14. Tobias Palacio – Argentinos Juniors – 68 OVR – £2.4m
15. Moise Bombito – Nice – 67 OVR
16. Japhet Sery Larsen – SK Brann – 66 OGL
17. Sam Sherring – Milton Keynes – 65 OVR

The key to over the top CBs in EA Sports FC Career Mode is a mix of impenetrable, dominant power and powerful defensive presence. Most people have heard of Micky van de Ven due to his Premier League performances, but it’s really worth noting how incredible his physical stats are this year. He’s also only 23, meaning you can focus on training just his technical defence to turn him into a complete wall.

Micky van de Ven will be very steep, but there are many other similar players who fit a variety of budgets. Oumar Solet has had the same mix of great pace and physical stats at Salzburg for years, but has improved his defense and some good playstyles at FC 25. Jayden Oosterwolde looks like a fantastic acquisition, especially as he has a powerful Anticipate style of play that enhances his steady attack, similar to Kamil Piatkowski.

For smaller budgets, Moise Bombito comes highly recommended with an impressive 91 pace and 82 dive at 6ft 3in, while Jorel Hato, a long-time Liverpool target, offers great stats but comes in at a mid-range price.

No list of the best center backs is complete without the legends Jeremiah St. Juste (remember the “.” when you look him up) and Saul Coco. Two brisk, solid defenders for mid-table or promotion teams who play well above their overall potential.

Or if you prefer more time-honored, powerful and slower defenders who rely on positioning, check out Zaid Romero or El Chadaille Bitshiabu’s mountain of men.

Top Rated CB in EA Sports FC 25

1. Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool – 89 OVR – Aerial+
2. Ruben Dias – Man City – 88 OVR – Bruiser+
3. Antonio Rudiget – Real Madrid – 88 OVR – Bruiser+
4. William Saliba – Arsenal – 87 OVR – Anticipate+
5. Alessandro Bastoni – Lombardia FC (Inter Milan) – 87 OVR – Intercept+
6. Marquinhos – PSG – 87 OVR – Interceptions+
7. Gabriel – Arsenal – 86 OVR – Bruiser+
8. Jonathan Tah – Leverkusen – 86 OVR
9. Bremer – Juventus – 86 OVR
10. Nico Schlotterbeck – 85 OVR – Tackling +
11. Jules Kounde – Barcelona – 85 OVR – Jockey+
12. Ronald Araujo – Barcelona – 85 OVR – Block+
13. Eder Militao – Real Madrid – 85 OVR
14. David Alaba – Real Madrid – 85 OVR
15. John Stones – Man City – 85 OVR
16. Benjamin Pavard – Lombardia FC (Inter Milan) – 84 OVR – Jockey+
17. Matthijs de Ligt – Manchester United – 84 OVR
18. Christian Romero – Spurs – 84 OVR
19. Kalidou Koulibaly – Al Hilal – 84 OGL
20. Manuel Akanji – Man City – 84 OVR
21. Nathan Ake – Man City – 84 OVR
22. Ben White – Arsenal – 84 OVR
23. Francesco Acerbi – Lombardia FC (Inter Milan) – 84 OVR
24. Lisandro Martinez – Manchester United – 84 OVR
25. Fikayo Tomori – Milano FC (AC Milan) – 83 OVR – Block+