They say a strong soccer team starts at the back, and nowhere is that truer than in the centre of defence—after all, you can’t win games if you keep conceding, no matter how good your attack is.
The same holds in EA FC 26.
While goals may come a bit more freely in the game than in real life, having a pair of elite centre backs can be the difference between winning or losing, lifting silverware or falling short, and dominating or struggling in Weekend League.
With that in mind, here are the 15 best centre backs in this year’s game, based on their official ratings at release.
15. Benjamin Pavard (Marseille)
Rating: 84
Once a flying full back, Benjamin Pavard has transitioned into a centre back as his career has progressed.
In EA FC 26, he’s perfectly suited to that role thanks to his height and heading ability.
He also boasts surprisingly strong shooting for a defender—something he famously showcased for France in the 2018 World Cup with his stunning volley against Argentina.
14. Gleison Bremer (Juventus)
Rating: 85
Gleison Bremer may only be rated 85 overall, but trust us—he plays far above that in-game.
With excellent pace and elite defending, he feels more like an 88 or 89 on the pitch.
13. Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Rating: 85
Dayot Upamecano’s EA FC 26 card is remarkably true to life.
The Frenchman lacks agility and balance, making it trickier for him to turn quickly against nimble attackers, but in terms of raw power and aggression, few defenders come close.
In Career Mode, he’s young enough to develop those weaknesses over time.
12. Inigo Martínez (Al Nassr)
Rating: 85
Iñigo Martínez isn’t the quickest (he is 34, so we’ll forgive him), but he’s an astute and technically gifted central defender.
The Spaniard excels at tackling, heading and reading the game.
11. Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund)
Rating: 85
Nico Schlotterbeck is extremely well-rounded in EA FC 26, excelling across all the key areas with no glaring weaknesses and elite aerial ability.
What more could you ask for in a centre back?
10. Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool)
Rating: 86
If you want a defender that almost no attacker can beat in the air, Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté is your man.
Standing at 6’4”, with elite jumping and the coveted Aerial Fortress PlayStyle, he dominates every aerial duel.
9. Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain)
Rating: 86
A pacy and powerful young defender, Willian Pacho is already good enough to slot into almost any team in EA FC 26.
At just 23, though, he has the potential to develop into a true world-beater and one of the very best centre backs in the game—at least in Career Mode.
8. Rúben Dias (Manchester City)
Rating: 86
Rúben Dias excels in the technical side of the game in EA FC 26, boasting excellent awareness, reactions, composure and positioning.
However, he’s slightly lacking on the physical side—which feels a bit unfair given how consistently he throws his body on the line for Manchester City in real life.
7. Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid)
Rating: 86
Pace—as always in any EA FC game—is absolutely crucial for centre backs, and Antonio Rüdiger has it in abundance.
Combine that with his unmatched aggression, and you’ve got a defender every player loves to use—and every opponent hates to face.
6. Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich)
Rating: 87
Few central defenders in real life are as physically imposing as Bayern Munich’s Jonathan Tah—and the same goes in EA FC 26.
Standing at 6’5” with 91 strength, he’s an absolute beast at the back.
5. William Saliba (Arsenal)
Rating: 87
One half of world football’s best current centre back pairing, William Saliba has everything you could possibly want from a defender in EA FC 26—pace, power and tactical awareness.
The best part? He’s still so young, meaning in Career Mode, you can develop him even further into an unstoppable force.
4. Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain)
Rating: 87
Marquinhos may not be as physically imposing as some of the other defenders on this list, but he more than makes up for it with his elite interceptions, defensive awareness and composure on the ball.
The Paris Saint-Germain star is a calm and intelligent centre back.
3. Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan)
Rating: 87
Alessandro Bastoni is the kind of centre-back you’ll want if you like building from the back—calm on the ball, excellent with both short and long passes, and more than capable of launching attacks himself.
He’s also a defensive powerhouse, making him one of the most complete defenders in EA FC 26.
2. Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)
Rating: 88
Gabriel is a top-tier defender in EA FC 26, with excellent defensive stats and physicality—but his lack of pace means you probably won’t see him in many squads, despite how reliable he is at the back.
1. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Best Centre Backs in EA FC 26
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The 15 Best Centre Backs in EA FC 26—Official Rankings.
