Scouting the best young defenders and wonderkids in FC 24 is no easy feat, so you’ve landed on the right page as we’ll be uncovering some of the finest defensive talents in the game following Title Update 7.
The inaugural edition of FC 24 was officially released nearly four months ago now, and many players remain eager to get stuck in with their career mode saves, looking for gems who can guarantee defensive solidity for their teams along the way.
So, let’s cut to the chase by getting started with an outline of the top young defenders with the highest potential in the game.
Alejandro Balde (81 OVR - 89 POT)
Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde has come a long way from the youth ranks of La Masia to assert himself as a regular the first team, and he is now the sole holder of the highest-rated potential for a defender in FC 24.
With an overall rating of 81 and loads of room for improvement, the Spanish left-back has rapid sprint speed and acceleration attributes of 91 and 90 respectively, which put him in the top percentile of fastest players in the game.
You’ll definitely have a lot of fun playing with Balde as he’s got the pace to deal with any opposition winger, as well as the footwork to contribute going forward as well.
Josko Gvardiol (82 OVR - 88 POT)
Next we we have the highly-rated Croatian Josko Gvardiol, who made a name for himself at RB Leipzig before completing a lucrative transfer to Manchester City last summer.
Gvardiol is already an 82-rated centre-back who has the potential to improve his overall all the way up to 88 with ample game time and efficient training.
With Gvardiol commanding your defence, you get an aggressive presence marshalling the back line, as his defensive attributes such as standing tackle, sliding tackle, aggression, and interceptions are all in the low to high 80s, not to mention his 90 jumping!
Antonio Silva (78 OVR - 88 POT)
Benfica are widely known as a factory for churning out some of the finest talents in European football, and Antonio Silva is no different here as he’s one of the most promising defenders to manage in FC 24 career mode.
At only 19 years of age, Silva already possesses the physical and defensive qualities of several veteran defenders in the game, exemplified by his 83 stamina, 82 strength, 81 standing tackle, and 80 interceptions.
However, one glaring weakness with Silva’s attributes is his 34 rating for positioning, so you’re going to want to put him on a suitable development plan to boost up that particular stat.
Rico Lewis (75 OVR - 88 POT)
After making his Premier League debut with Manchester City in 2022, it's been some journey for Rico Lewis, who is now one of the most talented full-backs in the game thanks to a breakthrough year at both club and international level.
The right-back was originally 61-rated in FIFA 23 but now finds himself 75-rated in FC 24, with 82 short passing, 80 ball control, and 79 agility. Other strengths include defending, dribbling, and pace, also making him a reliable option for the CDM role.
Stamina, jumping, and interceptions will require some work to begin with, but the 18-year-old has everything you want a modern-day fullback to have.
Jorrel Hato (73 OVR - 88 POT)
One of the latest prospects to have emerged from the Ajax academy is Jorrel Hato, who continues to impress despite his side's recent struggles.
The young Dutchman boasts serious potential to become one of the best central defenders in the game, already possessing 88 sprint speed, 82 acceleration, and 86 jumping, meaning he’s no slouch in 1v1 situations.
When you combine those with his 77 short passing and 74 ball control, you’ve got the perfect attributes for a ball-playing defender who can do it all, including a job at LB!
Honourable Mentions
You'll be glad to know that the list of talented defenders doesn’t end with the names mentioned above, so if you're on the lookout for alternative options, don't worry!
Check out the table below for further defensive gems full of potential and suitable for various Career Mode budgets!
Player Name | Club | Position | Age | OVR | POT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nuno Mendes | PSG | LB | 21 | 82 | 87 |
Arnau Martinez | Girona FC | RB | 20 | 80 | 86 |
Gonçalo Inácio | Sporting CP | CB | 21 | 79 | 86 |
Piero Hincapié | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | CB | 21 | 79 | 86 |
Destiny Udogie | Tottenham Hotspur | LB | 20 | 79 | 86 |
Giorgio Scalvini | Atalanta | CB | 19 | 75 | 86 |
Castello Lukeba | RB Leipzig | CB | 20 | 78 | 85 |
Malick Thiaw | AC Milan | CB | 21 | 77 | 85 |
Ousmane Diomande | Sporting CP | CB | 19 | 76 | 85 |
Valentino Livramento | Newcastle United | RB | 20 | 76 | 85 |
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