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EAFC 24 Best centre-backs to sign in Career Mode

Your rock at the back, here are the best EAFC 24 centre-backs to sign for your team!

Marquinhos, one of the best centre-backs in EAFC 24, shaping to hit a long ball for PSG
Image credit: EA Sports/VG247
James Billcliffe avatar
Guide by James Billcliffe Guides Editor
Updated on
Update: Now that the Champions League group stage is hotting up and international breaks are finished for this calendar year, the best CBs in EAFC 24 are starting to make themselves known. We've fixed the updated potentials of each player and added new ones like the British duo Leon King and Levi Colwill.

In EAFC 24, stacking your team with the best centre-backs in world football is more important than ever.

Back in the day, you used to get fast players, strong players and tricky players, but rarely a combination of all three. But as the physical demands of top-level football increases further-and-further, we’re seeing more-and-more players with rapid pace, immovable strength and incredible technical ability all in one.

To counter that threat, you need solid CBs who are either quick enough to keep up, tactically aware enough to make sure they’re always in the right position, or elite tacklers who can recover even the most difficult defensive situations.

However, while there are plenty of star names to choose from in EAFC 24 Career Mode, with a little digging you can also uncover tons of hidden gems who have incredibly overpowered stats in specific areas, or the potential to develop them across multiple areas of their game.

So whether you’re looking for a physically dominant centre-back who commands the area, or someone with enough recovery pace to snuff out counter attacks before they’re even a problem, there’s a perfect player out there for you to sign to your Career Mode team.

We're constantly updating this page with different players we find when new patches drop or players transfer teams. Check back soon for more picks!

Highest Rated centre-backs in EAFC 24

  1. Ruben Dias - 26 - Man City - 89 OVR/90 POT
  2. Virgil van Dijk - 31 - Liverpool - 89 OVR/89 POT
  3. Marquinhos - 29 - PSG - 87 OVR/88 POT
  4. Ronald Araujo - 24 - Barcelona - 86 OVR/91 POT
  5. Eder Militao - 25 - Real Madrid - 86 OVR/89 POT
  6. Matthijs de Ligt - 23 - Bayern - 86 OVR/89 POT
  7. Jules Kounde - 24 - Barcelona - 85 OVR/89 POT
  8. Alessandro Bastoni - 24 - Inter - 85 OVR/90 POT
  9. Aymeric Laporte - 29 - Al Nassr - 85 OVR/86
  10. John Stones - 29 - Man City - 85 OVR/86 POT
  11. Antonio Rudiger - 30 - Real Madrid - 85 OVR/85 POT
  12. Raphael Varane - 30 - Manchester United - 85 OVR/85 POT
  13. David Alaba - 31 - Real Madrid - 85 OVR/85 POT
  14. Fikayo Tomori - 25 - AC Milan - 84 OVR/88 POT
  15. Bremer - 26 - Juventus - 84 OVR/87 POT
  16. Lisandro Martinez - 25 - Manchester United - 84 OVR/87 POT
  17. Kim Min Jae - 26 - Bayern - 84 OVR/86 POT
  18. Gabriel Magalhaes - 25 - Arsenal - 84 OVR/86 POT
  19. Niklas Sule - 27 - Dortmund - 84 OVR/86 POT
  20. Lucas Hernandez - 27 - PSG - 84 OVR/85 POT

Lower overall, high potential centre-backs in EAFC 24

  1. William Saliba - 22 - Arsenal - 83 OVR/89 POT
  2. Nico Schlotterbeck - 23 - Dortmund - 83 OVR/88 POT
  3. Josko Gvaridol - 21 - Man City - 82 OVR/88 POT
  4. Antonio Silva - 19 - Benfica - 78 OVR/88 POT
  5. Sven Botman - 23 - Newcastle United - 83 OVR/87 POT
  6. Robin Le Normand - 26 - Real Sociedad - 82 OVR/85 POT
  7. Ibrahima Konate - 24 - Liverpool - 81 OVR/87 POT
  8. Jorrel Hato - 17 - Ajax - 70 OVR/87 POT
  9. Dayot Upamecano - 24 - Bayern - 82 OVR/86 POT
  10. Goncalo Inacio - 21 - Sporting - 79 OVR/86 POT
  11. Piero Hincapie - 21 - Leverkusen - 79 OVR/86 POT
  12. Jurrien Timber - 22 - Arsenal - 79 OVR/ 86 POT
  13. Wesley Fofana - 22 - Chelsea - 79 OVR/84 POT
  14. Mohamed Simakan - 23 - RB Leipzig - 79 OVR/86 POT
  15. Alessandro Buongiorno - 24 - Torino - 77 OVR/85 POT
  16. Giorgio Scalvini - 19 - Atalanta (Bergamo Calcio) - 75 OVR/86 POT
  17. Josip Sutalo - 23 - Ajax - 79 OVR/85 POT
  18. Ousmane Diomande - 19 - Sporting - 76 OVR/85 POT
  19. Jorne Spileers - 18 - Club Brugge - 69 OVR/85 POT
  20. Leon King - 19 - Rangers - 66 OVR/85 POT

Best CBs in EAFC 24 Career Mode

Leon King - 19 - Rangers - £1.8m value - 66 OVR/85 POT

A mighty boost to both overall and potential has turned Leon King into a really nice Road to Glory player, although low strength means he'll be relying on his Anticipate Playstyle to win the ball initially.

Decent pace and passing, as well as the Long Ball Passer Playstyle, means he'll be good at progressing the ball too.

Leandro Morgalla - 18 - RB Salzburg - £1.7m value - 66 OVR/84 POT

Speaking of good pace and Playstyles, Leandro Morgalla is another excellent Road to Glory style player who's cheap but plays better than their stats suggest.

With both Jockey and Anticipate, Morgalla is a really nice pick-up for lower-rated teams.

Levi Colwill - 20 - Chelsea - £13.2m value - 76 OVR/85 POT

For a more expensive, but really impressive, option, Levi Colwill has great stats and potential, alongside a ton of advantageous defensive Playstyles like Block and Slide Tackle.

With solid pace, good strength and tackling, Colwill's potential growth ceiling means he could turn into a physical and technical wizard rather quickly. 77 short passing and the Long Ball Passer Playstyle also make him the ideal ball-playing CB.

Fikayo Tomori - 25 - AC Milan - £45m value - 84 OVR/88 POT

One fateful autumn morning, when the sky was overcast and the air chilly, Fikayo Tomori kicked a football over Gareth Southgate’s garden fence, smashing a window and knocking over his favourite vase, spilling water all over his prized collection of penalty miss merchandise from that Pizza Hut advert he did in the ‘90s. Probably.

I can’t think of any other reason why Tomori isn’t a stalwart of England’s defence. With exceptional pace, strength, rock-solid one-on-one defending and imperious jumping to win balls in the air, he’s a fantastic all-rounder that’s also the right age to slot into any top team’s back line and grow into one of the world’s best.

He also has a high defensive workrate and a 4-star weak foot from the start, giving you freedom to focus on training his stats rather than fixing those first.

Bremer - 26 - Juventus - £42m value - 84 OVR/87 POT

Another expensive option for teams already in the upper echelons of European competition, Bremer has been quietly excellent for the last couple of years in Serie A, winning the award for the league’s best defender at Torino in a league that really knows what a good defender looks like.

With the physicality and mobility to be a commanding presence against the deluge of overpowered pace and strength merchants you can get up front in EAFC 24, Bremer is a great “win now” player who still has some potential to grow as he continues into his true prime years.

Kevin Danso - 24 - RC Lens - £23m value - 80 OVR/84 POT

It remains to be seen just how powerful the Lengthy running style will remain in EAFC 24, but if it’s anywhere near the highs we’ve seen in the past then Kevin Danso will be a force to be reckoned with.

With 87 sprint speed, 90 strength and 90 jumping, Danso is the ultimate physical centre-back. But not only that, he’s also young enough with high enough potential to round out his weaker technical areas into a really powerful package.

Paired with a nippier partner, or as the central stopper in a back three, the tall Austrian is a credit to any defence.

Goncalo Inacio - 22 - Sporting - £28m value - 79 OVR/86 POT

Brilliant, young, Portuguese defenders are popping up all across Europe’s top five leagues, but one of the brightest stars that’s long been linked with a move is Goncalo Inacio. He was hotly tipped to join Newcastle this summer, while Liverpool have also apparently been in talks with the 22-year-old’s representatives.

A classy, ball-playing defender with approaching 80 in almost every key speed, physical, defensive and passing stat, he also has the coveted trait of being a natural left footer - which is considered vital in real-life football for launching attacks from the back with the correct passing angle.

Antonio Silva - 19 - Benfica - £24m value - 78 OVR/88 POT

For another excellent option from the Portuguese league, take a look at Antonio Silva at Sporting’s arch-rivals Benfica. Still a teenager at the start of this season, during the last year his overall rating has shot up over and over again.

He looks the real deal, with great pace, strength and one-on-one defending as well as a decade of growth to become one of the best in the world.

Jeremiah St. Juste - 26 - Sporting - £10m value - 77 OVR/80 POT

The man, the myth, the Career Mode legend. Also at Sporting, you can pick up the fastest centre-back in EAFC 24, Jeremiah St. Juste.

This Dutch master boasts a whopping 96 sprint speed, which combined with 90 acceleration makes him easily the quickest player at the heart of any defence. Obviously, that means he relies on his incredible pace and solid positioning to win the ball rather than strength - which is admittedly low.

However, his rangy frame and high attacking work rate make him a lot of fun as a progressive defender, plus it’s no surprise that he can fill in at full-back too. His slightly lower overall and age make him more accessible to a wider variety of teams too, making him a great signing for a number of mid-table and lower teams in top divisions.

Tiago Djalo - 23 - Lille - £9.5m value - 76 OVR/82 POT

Tiago Djalo has a very, very similar skill set to Kevin Danso, but is a more affordable option for weaker starting teams with smaller budgets.

He’s the same height at 6ft 3”, with high sprint speed and strength (83 and 84 respectively). His defensive stats are all approaching 80, so they make a good platform for growth, and he’s young enough to have time on his side in that regard too.

Maxence Lacroix - 23 - Wolfsburg - £13m value - 76 OVR/84 POT

A couple of seasons ago Maxence Lacroix was an insta-buy for basically every Career Mode save, however, a couple of stagnant seasons have seen his sprint speed drop from the stratospheric heights of the mid-90s to just the exceptionally quick mid-80s.

But with that said, EAFC 24 isn’t all about pace. Lacroix is tall, strong and has good defensive stats all approaching 80, so he has plenty of positive qualities left to make him stand out from the crowd. Plus he’s still only 23, so there’s plenty of time in his career to push him to the next level with strong performances.

David Hancko - 25 - Feyenoord - £22.5m value - 80 OVR/84 POT

If you’re less interested in just using the most busted, overpowered players you can add to your roster and more into realistic signings, check out David Hancko in the Eredivisie. He’s a very solid all-rounder with a good build, natural left foot and a good passing range in addition to his defensive capabilities.

The Slovakian centre-back has been linked to a host of Premier League clubs after impressing during Feyenoord’s title-winning run last term.

Saul Coco - 24 - Las Palmas - £10m value - 75 OVR/83 POT

A new name for EAFC 24, Saul Coco has received a gigantic +10 overall upgrade since FIFA 23, buffing his defending by 10 and pace by 16!

Again, it’s not all about speed though. With good defensive awareness, strength and jumping, he’s a decent enough one-on-one defender with a good build and enough height to command aerial balls into the area.

He also has the Lengthy running style, which might be overpowered in EAFC 24 again. There’s also the nice bonus of 80 shot power hiding in the back - it’d be rude not to try a few power shots from distance based on that, wouldn’t it?

Oumar Solet - 23 - RB Salzburg - £13.2m value - 76 OVR/84 POT

Another young, physical beast with slightly raw defending stats you need to focus on in training, Oumar Solet is a great addition to the starting lineup of lower league teams or the bench of stronger ones.

His incredible speed and power mean he makes an instant impact, while he’s actually received a bit of an upgrade in the defensive awareness department - meaning he’s less likely to go walkabout while you train up his tackling.

While his physical stats are definitely the draw, Solet is classier on the ball than you might expect. Mid-70s passing is a good platform for improvement, but he’s still best deployed in defence.

Bright Arrey-Mbi - 20 - Hannover 96 - £1.6m value - 66 OVR/79 POT

Now we’re into the real “Road to Glory” picks, with interesting young players that have overpowered stats and lots of room for improvement.

Quick and strong with 88 sprint speed and 78 strength, Arrey-Mbi is a cheap option for your left-sided centre-back spot with a lot of potential.

The only real downside for him is 56 stamina, which is often an issue for young players. This might require some blooding off the bench, or at least plenty of cover for midweek fixtures where he’s too tired to feature. But outside of that he looks very powerful for lower-league sides.

Maxwell Gyamfi - 23 - VfL Osnabruck - £1.4m value - 66 OVR/73 POT

Cheap, but super solid. Maxwell Gyamfi is very much a defender at heart with pretty poor technical stats in dribbling and passing. It’s lucky then that he’s rapid and strong with good stamina and decent defending stats given his overall.

Kamil Piatkowski - 23 - RB Salzburg - £3.7m value - 73 OVR/79 POT

We all love super-fast overpowered defenders. Well, what if I told you there was a centre-back so fast that he sometimes gets played at right wing?

Kamil Piatkowski is a really fun physical beast with truly incredible pace, power and solid stats everywhere given his overall. He’s also young enough to grow for years and years as your club climbs the leagues and has enough stamina to play 90 minutes week-in-week-out.

Leonidas Stergiou - 20 - Stuttgart - £3m value - 70 OVR/82 POT

A long-time stand-out Career Mode player, Leonidas Stergiou finally moved on this summer to the Bundesliga, but many fans of his EAFC 24 trajectory thought he might get a switch to a bigger club.

I’m also happy to report that he’s better than ever. A speedy 84 pace is now backed by 77 strength and 80 stamina, giving him the presence to put down roots in the middle of your back line for a decade or more.

One thing to consider though is that he’s 5ft 11”, which is considered small by many for a centre-back. However, short kings in the middle are all the rage right now and it allows him to step out of defence with a bit more agility. But that does mean you will probably need a 6ft+ CDM or full-back to avoid getting dominated at corners.

Willian Pacho - 21 - Eintracht Frankfurt - £7.7m value - 74 OVR/84 POT

Willian Pacho is one of those 74-rated players who feel like their stats don’t reflect their overall, just because EA doesn’t want to make them gold in Ultimate Team. A lot of places also erroneously list his name as “William” - it’s “Willian”, like the Brazilian winger.

Another great left-footed option, with 85 sprint speed and 85 strength and tackling stats approaching 80. He’s got usable stamina from the start and plenty of potential to grow into - highly recommended.

Timi Odusina - 23 - Bradford City - £300k value - 60 OVR/65 POT

Now we’re into the players you can pick up with just about any team during those lower league Road to Glory saves. Despite the shortcomings, there are still some good players to be had.

Timi Odusina is a really solid option with amazing pace and physical stats for his level. Obviously when you’re down this low you’re making some compromises, and for Timi that’s defending stats.

However, since you can overwhelm lower league players with his physicality, he will likely grow some good ratings relatively quickly.

Tyler Magloire - 24 - Northampton Town - £500k value - 62 OVR/67 POT

For someone slightly older, but with even more pace and physical prowess, take a look at Tyler Magloire. If 89 pace doesn’t seem sweaty enough for you, team that with 80 strength and 64 standing tackle to create a nightmare trio for lower league attackers.

Nnamdi Collins - 19 - Eintracht Frankfurt - £1m value - 63 OVR/82 POT

One of the only really stand-out teenagers I’ve found so far in EAFC 24, Nnamdi Collins looks like a truly excellent Road to Glory player.

At 6ft 3” already and boasting 86 sprint speed, 78 strength and 64 standing tackle from the start, he feels like a cheap code for lower rated teams if you can tempt him away from the Bundesliga.

Jetmir Haliti - 26 - AIK Fotboll - £500k value - 64 OVR/67 POT

For when speed really is the only answer, check out the second fastest centre-back in EAFC 24, Jetmir Haliti, who you can buy from AIK in the Swedish league with just about anyone thanks to his age and overall.

Honestly, he’s another player whose stats don’t seem to make sense with his rating. With mid-60s defending, mid-70s physical and 91 pace at 6ft 2”, he looks like a bit of a bargain. And at 27 he still has a few good years before he starts to decline (I haven’t included the other speed demon Jawad El Yamiq for this reason).

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