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The 13 best young center backs in FIFA 19 for all budgets
Whether you've got less than a million to spend or can afford a superstar, these wonderkids will help you keep clean sheets.
There are a few key attributes you need to be looking for when scouting center backs in FIFA 19. Height and Jumping are crucial to clear the ball from crosses and corners, while having decent Strength is a necessity to be able to muscle attackers off the ball. Of course you want your center backs to be competent at both Standing and Sliding Tackles, along with Marking, Short and Long Passing, Interceptions… the list goes on.
Luckily for you, we've already done the scouting, finding 13 young center backs who will improve during Career Mode in FIFA 19. It doesn't even matter what your budget is – from the super-cheap-but-still-quite-impressive to the world-renowned youngsters who will be superstar defenders for the next 10 years, we've got you covered.
Best Young Center Backs: $0 – $1.3 million
Ben Wilmot isn't great now, but he has very good potential in FIFA 19
© EA Sports
These guys are young and still have some developing to do before they come good, but if you’ve got the patience, these will be the stars of your team in a few years.
Ben Wilmot (Watford)
With just a 59 overall currently, Ben Wilmot won’t be tearing it up in the big leagues yet. He’ll cost you $300k which isn’t much at all when you consider his impressive 82 potential, an incredible +23 growth. He’s 6ft 2” with Jumping and Stamina as his best stats, so he’s fantastic in the air and won’t stop working. Our only concern is his 51 pace – not ideal, but it’s sure to increase slowly as he develops more in training.
Lars Mai (Bayern Munich)
At 6ft 3”, Lars Mai is a giant with 79 Strength and 69 Jumping. The 18-year-old will set you back $900k, and with 65 Marking, 65 Standing Tackles, 65 Interceptions, plus 64 Sliding Tackles, he’s another player that will improve no end as the years go on. He’s currently rated 64, but has an 84 potential, an impressive +20 growth.
Ethan Ampadu (Chelsea)
Ethan Ampadu is a bargain in FIFA 19
© EA Sports
Without a doubt the best player in this category, Ethan Ampadu has already made senior appearances for Chelsea and the Welsh national team. He’s only 6ft 0”, so not quite as tall as the other two players here, but he more than makes up for it with solid stats all round – 74 Jumping, 67 Strength, 70 Short Passing, 67 Standing Tackles, and 68 Balance. There’s not much Ampadu can’t do from the center of your defense. $1.2 million will get you his 65 overall with 86 potential, and at just 17 years old, he’s undoubtedly worth it. It’s worth noting that he’s up there amidst the players in the next, more expensive category so nabbing him for under $1.3 million is a steal.
Best Young Centre Backs: $1.3 million – $6.5 million
Juan Foyth has high wages, but he's worth it
© EA Sports
These are the guys who can start getting minutes for the top teams right away, though you’ll be paying slightly more for them.
Alessandro Bastoni (Internazionale)
Coming in at just over $1.3 million, Bastoni is a 19-year-old with an incredible 87 potential. £1.7 million will get you his current 67 overall, which consists of 74 Standing Tackle, 73 Marking, 71 Jumping, 69 Heading Accuracy, and 68 Sliding Tackle. He’s 6ft 3”, too so he’s incredible in the air, but the only caveat is that he’s currently on loan at Parma from Inter, which means you may have to wait a season before you can snap him up.
Juan Foyth (Tottenham Hotspur)
Foyth is an absolutely phenomenal player. The 20-year-old is valued at a whopping $5.5 million due to his current 71 rating and 85 potential. He’s a much more agile centre-back than any of the ones listed so far, with 71 Pace, 72 Agility and 73 Reactions. He’s got solid defending stats all round and with 69 Short Passing, he can get the ball out quickly and accurately too. He is on $33k a week though, so make sure you can afford it!
Filippo Romagna (Cagliari)
Another player from Serie A, Romagna is also valued at $5.5 million, the same as Foyth. That could be down to him having the exact same rating and potential as Foyth, although, at 6ft, 1", he’s not quite as tall. All of his defending stats are above 70, and he has competent stats almost everywhere else. He’s not too slow, he’s capable of both short and long passing, he’s strong and has decent Ball Control. The only difference is that while Foyth is 20, Romagna is one year older at 21. He also has less than half of Foyth’s wages, so make sure to consider that when player shopping.
Best Young Centre Backs: $6.5 million – $13 million
Boubacar Kamara is anothet bargain centre-back
© EA Sports
If you want players with the potential to be the very best, consider forking out some serious dosh on these three.
Boubacar Kamara (Olympique de Marseille)
Boubacar Kamara is just 18 but he’s already made multiple appearances for Marseille in both the league and European competition. He’s a shorter centre-back than most, coming in at 5ft 10”, so don’t rely on him for his heading. Everything else is top notch, though: 76 Stamina, 75 Long Passing, 74 Short Passing, 76 Aggression, 74 Standing Tackle, 72 Sliding Tackle… he’s even got 70 Pace so he’s not going to be left in the dust. He’s worth £5.3m, and for a player with 88 potential and a 72 overall, that is a bargain, especially as he can also play at CDM.
Diogo Leite (FC Porto)
This 19-year-old center back has started making first team appearances for FC Porto this season and rightfully so. He’s already worth $11m and is rocking some impressive stats like 80 Aggression, 77 Standing Tackle, 75 Sliding Tackle, 75 Strength, and 75 Heading Accuracy. He’s currently rocking a 74 rating which is more than decent, but with 87 potential and only $5.2k wages you’d be foolish to pass him up.
Éder Militão (FC Porto)
With Leite and Militão, Porto have some great young centre-backs
© EA Sports
Another young center back at FC Porto, if neither Militão nor Leite get snapped up by a team in the top leagues, expect them to form a dynamic duo in years to come. Militão is, without a doubt, much more impressive on paper than Leite though, with 86 Jumping, 84 Stamina, 80 Standing Tackle, 80 Aggression, 76 Pace, 76 Strength, and more. He’s currently rated at 76 but after looking through his stats, that should probably be a couple higher. He’s got 86 potential and is valued at $12.7m.
Best Young Center Backs: $13 million or more
Vallejo forms a wall with his Real team-mates
© EA Sports
If you’ve got some serious money to invest in the future, pick one of these lot up.
Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)
At £10.6m, Dayot Upamecano is one of the strongest players you can buy. He's got 89 Strength that will improve the more he plays, and he’s also impressively fast (79 Pace). What can’t he do? Well he’s only got 21 Volleys and 28 Free Kick Accuracy so don’t attempt to score direct from a set-piece with him, but he may well be our favourite player on this list due to how solid he is in defence. He’s got 84 Jumping, 84 Standing Tackle, and 80 Aggression. He’s only 19 and with his 76 overall and 88 potential, Upamecano will be one of the best defenders in the world in a few years.
Jesûs Vallejo (Real Madrid)
When you compare Vallejo’s stats to Upamecano’s, you may not think he’s a good option, but with 86 potential and a 78 overall, Vallejo is still a solid choice. His best stat is his 82 Interceptions followed by 81 Sliding Tackle, while the rest of his numbers are all impressive. He’s not our first choice, especially given that he’s currently on £75k a week compared to Upamecano’s £15k, but if you can afford to drop the £11.9m on Vallejo then he surely won’t let you down. He’s also got a high attacking work rate, so if you need a centre-back that isn’t afraid of getting into the opposition’s third then Vallejo is your man.
Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Liverpool fans will know all about Joe Gomez since he’s been making first team appearances for them since the 2015/16 season. He’s got very well rounded stats – except for his shooting – with 80 Pace, 80 Strength, 79 Standing Tackle, 78 Marking, and more. He can also fit in at RB unlike most of the players on this list, making him a great versatile option. £12.8m will get you his 78 overall and 88 potential, as long as you can afford his £53k wages.
Superstar
De Ligt could become the best defender in the world
© EA Sports
If none of the above players cut it for you, then you’ll want to be spending serious money for this player you’ve undoubtedly heard of before.
Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax)
He’s been rumoured to be on the move to Barcelona, Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur for some time now but at the moment, Matthijs de Ligt is still tearing it up in the Eredivisie for Ajax. Despite being only 18 years old, he’s Ajax’s captain and already has an 81 overall, largely down to his 87 Strength, 83 Marking and 82 Standing Tackles. He’s got a potential of 91 which would make him the best centre-back in the world. You just need to pay his £20.2m fee and he’ll be yours.
Check out more of FIFA 19's best young players below
