Goals might win games, but a resolute defence wins you titles, and EA FC 26 Career Mode is no different. No matter what your ambitions are, you’ll achieve very little without having a solid duo, or trio, of centerbacks at the heart of your backline. These players marshal your offside line and command every player on the pitch, ensuring that nothing slips through. From crunching tackles to last-ditch blocks, world-class CBs always come in clutch whenever goalmouth action is involved. So, if you’re looking for some top defenders to recruit, here are the best center-backs in FC 26 Career Mode.
Top 25 CBs in EA FC 26 Career Mode
Here is our list of the top 25 best centerbacks in FC 26 Career Mode:
Player Name Team Nationality FC 26 Rating Virgil van Dijk Liverpool Netherlands 90 Gabriel Arsenal Brazil 88 William Saliba Arsenal France 87 Alessandro Bastoni Lombarida FC (Inter) Italy 87 Jonathan Tah Bayern Munich Germany 87 Marquinhos PSG Brazil 87 Willian Pacho PSG Ecuador 86 Ruben Dias Manchester City Portugal 86 Ibrahima Konate Liverpool France 86 Antonio Rudiger Real Madrid Germany 86 Nico Schlotterbeck Borussia Dortmund Germany 85 Bremer Juventus Brazil 85 Dayot Upamecano Bayern Munich France 85 Inigo Martinez Al Nassr Spain 85 Benjamin Pavard Marseille (On Loan) France 84 Vivian Athletic Club Spain 84 Eder Militao Real Madrid Brazil 84 Willi Orban RB Leipzig Hungary 84 Francesco Acerbi Lombardia FC (Inter) Italy 84 Stefan de Vrij Lombarida FC (Inter) Netherlands 84 Piero Hincapie Arsenal Ecuador 83 Murillo Nottingham Forest Brazil 83 Ronald Araujo Barcelona Uruguay 83 David Hancko Athletico Madrid Slovakia 83 Robin Le Normand Athletico Madrid Spain 83
Virgil van Dijk is the highest-rated centerback in EA FC 26, for what feels like the billionth year in a row. The Dutchman’s dominance at the top is trailed closely by the Arsenal duo of Gabriel and William Saliba. We’ve got other household names scattered throughout the list, but Career Mode enthusiasts need only focus on Ibrahima Konate and Antonio Rudiger.
Both CBs will be out of contract in 2026, meaning they can be signed as free agents. In case you’re looking for instant reinforcements, you can likely use their expiring contracts as leverage during negotiations to lower the transfer fees. However, if you’re looking for some young defenders instead, be sure to check our EA FC 26 Wonderkids guide.
And those are the best centerbacks to sign in EA FC 26 Career Mode. Let us know which CB you’re bidding for in the comments.
