Centre backs (CB) are a pivotal part of any successful team and FIFA 20 is no different. With fast attacking play the order of the day, the ideal CB's are not only defensively sound but also athletic in the modern style.
Pace is a key attribute across all positions but watch out for players with high physical and defensive ratings to ensure a solid backline.
Below are the best centre-halves available on FIFA 20 in both Career Mode and online in Ultimate Team (FUT).
Virgil van Dijk (OVR 90 – POT 91)
Age: 27
Position: CB
Club: Liverpool
Country: Netherlands
Work Rate: Medium / Medium
Best Stats: 92 Strength, 92 Standing Tackle, 92 Defensive Awareness
Career Mode Value: £70 million (Release clause: £135 million)
Wage: £180,000 a week
FUT Cost: 647k PS4 / 590k Xbox One
There is nothing Virgil van Dijk can’t do. The Liverpool centre back is 6’4”, boasts 77 Pace and a massive 92 Strength rating which contribute to him being the best defender on the game. He is a major factor in Liverpool’s incredible unbeaten run in the Premier League, a run of 26 games.
Dutch international van Dijk will not come cheap on FUT or Career Mode so be prepared to crack open your war chest if you want him marshalling your defence.
Kalidou Koulibaly (OVR 89 – POT 91)
Age: 28
Position: CB
Club: Napoli
Country: Senegal
Work Rate: Medium / High
Best Stats: 95 Strength, 91 Defensive Awareness, 90 Standing Tackle
Career Mode Value: £61 million (Release clause: £108 million)
Wage: £135,000 a week
FUT Cost: 30k PS4 / 30k Xbox One
Napoli’s Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly is a rock-solid player to have in the heart of your defence. Physically capable of dealing with any striker, his Jumping (81) and Heading Accuracy (83) make him a threat at the other end of the pitch too.
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Koulibaly is a favourite for both Career Mode and FUT fans alike. He is the best Serie A centre back available on FUT whilst also having room to reach 91 overall this year on Career Mode.
Sergio Ramos (OVR 89 – POT 89)
Age: 33
Position: CB
Club: Real Madrid
Country: Spain
Work Rate: High / Medium
Best Stats: 93 Jumping, 92 Heading Accuracy, 90 Sliding Tackle
Career Mode Value: £28 million (Release clause: £58 million)
Wage: £270,000 a week
FUT Cost: 181k PS4 / 145k Xbox One
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has been one of the world’s best defenders for over a decade. Heading into the twilight of his career, Ramos has reached his potential on FIFA 20 Career Mode so is not a signing for the future.
Ramos is still very popular on FUT this year as one of the most well-rounded players available, his Spanish nationality is also handy when developing a hybrid squad.
Giorgio Chiellini (OVR 89 – POT 89)
Age: 34
Position: CB
Club: Piemonte Calcio (Juventus)
Country: Italy
Work Rate: Medium / High
Best Stats: 94 Defensive Awareness, 91 Standing Tackle, 91 Aggression
Career Mode Value: £22 million (Release clause: £36 million)
Wage: £194,000 a week
FUT Cost: 28k PS4 / 29k Xbox One
A mainstay at the heart of his club and country’s defence for well over 10 years, Giorgio Chiellini is a legend of the game. A World Cup winner in 2006, Chiellini also boasts eight Serie A titles in a decorated career and will be missed when he decides to hang up his boots.
Combing Chiellini and Koulibaly on FUT will cost you just over 50k coins but in doing so you will create one of the best partnerships available.
Diego Godin (OVR 88 – POT 88)
Age: 33
Position: CB
Club: Inter Milan
Country: Uruguay
Work Rate: Medium / High
Best Stats: 90 Jumping, 90 Defensive Awareness, 89 Strength
Career Mode Value: £25 million (Release clause: £43 million)
Wage: £122,000 a week
FUT Cost: 22k PS4 / 22k Xbox One
Another top-class centre back from the Italian league, Diego Godin swapped La Liga for Serie A in the summer. Godin has helped his new side Inter start the season brilliantly as they find themselves just one point off the top spot.
The experienced Uruguayan is another defender that has reached his peak but if you want a reliable defender for just a season or two, he could be your man.
Gerard Pique (OVR 88 – POT 88)
Age: 32
Position: CB
Club: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Work Rate: High / Medium
Best Stats: 89 Interceptions, 89 Defensive Awareness, 88 Standing Tackle
Career Mode Value: £34 million (£70 million release clause)
Wage: £257,000 a week
FUT Cost: 22k PS4 / 23k Xbox One
Highly decorated Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has won it all during his career for both club and country. Pique excelled having left Manchester United as a youngster, cementing his place at the Nou Camp and in the national side as he became one of the best in the world.
READ MORE: FIFA 20: Top 10 Left Backs (LB & LWB) to buy on Career Mode & Ultimate Team
No longer at the 'Pique' of his powers (sorry!), the Spanish CB is still a reliable option in FIFA 20 however his lack of pace leaves him susceptible to the counterattack.
Aymeric Laporte (OVR 87 – POT 90)
Age: 25
Positions: CB, LB
Club: Manchester City
Country: France
Work Rate: Medium/Medium
Best Stats: 89 Standing Tackle, 88 Defensive Awareness, 88 Sliding Tackle
Career Mode Value: £51 million (£98 million release clause)
Wage: £176,000 a week
FUT Cost: 35k PS4 / 42k Xbox One
Aymeric Laporte epitomises the modern day CB. Comfortable on the ball (71 Passing) and physically capable (82 Physical), Laporte fits the bill as a ball-playing defender. The Frenchman can also reach 90 overall on Career Mode so can be a stalwart in your side for many seasons to come.
Laporte has improved greatly under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola and is now one of the Premier League's finest CB's. A partnership of him and van Dijk on FUT would be tough to beat.
Toby Alderweireld (OVR 87 – POT 87)
Age: 30
Position: CB
Club: Spurs
Country: Belgium
Work Rate: Medium / Medium
Best Stats: 90 Defensive Awareness, 90 Standing Tackle, 88 Interceptions
Career Mode Value: £37 million (Release clause: £68 million)
Wage: £140,000 a week
FUT Cost: 18k PS4 / 17k Xbox One
Despite Spurs' shaky start to the season, Toby Alderweireld remains one of the best centre backs on FIFA 20. His partnership with Jan Vertonghen has been solid for both club and country in recent years and he rightly deserves his 97 OVR on the back of that.
High defensive stats make up for less impressive physical attributes, however this doesn't stop Alderweireld being a force on FIFA 20 and he won't break the bank either!
Mats Hummels (OVR 87 – POT 87)
Age: 30
Position: CB
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Country: Germany
Work Rate: High / Medium
Best Stats: 90 Defensive Awareness, 89 Interceptions, 89 Standing Tackle
Career Mode Value: £37 million (£61 million release clause)
Wage: £117k a week
FUT Cost: 18k PS4 / 19k Xbox One
German giant Mats Hummels has returned to Dortmund after a successful spell at Bundesliga champions Bayern. Excellent on the ball (76 Passing), Hummels is a calming presence at the back. His defensive attributes (89 Defence) make up for his 51 Pace as he reads the game superbly.
Under 20k coins on FUT, Hummels is a top CB and reasonably priced on the Transfer Market. On Career Mode it will cost around £40 million to bring him to your club although there will be minimal sell-on value.
Jan Vertonghen (OVR 87 – POT 87)
Age: 32
Position: CB
Club: Spurs
Country: Belgium
Work Rate: High / High
Best Stats: 89 Defensive Awareness, 89 Interceptions, 88 Sliding Tackle
Career Mode Value: £29 million (£54 million release clause)
Wage: £140,000 a week
FUT Cost: 17k PS4 / 19k Xbox One
The other Belgian centre back at Spurs, Jan Vertonghen has reached his potential on Career Mode and at 32 has few seasons left at the top. Exceptional defensive stats including 89 Defensive Awareness and 89 Interceptions make him a top quality defender.
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His reading of the game allow you to start counter attacks quickly, especially given his range of Passing (74). Another highly rated defender who is reasonably priced on FUT, Vertonghen is a popular pick on this year's edition of FIFA.
All Centre Backs above 85 OVR on FIFA 20
Player | Pos | Age | Club | Country | OVR | POT | V | W | FUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
V. Van Dijk | CB | 27 | Liverpool | Netherlands | 90 | 91 | £70m | £180k | 647k 590k |
K. Koulibaly | CB | 28 | Napoli | Senegal | 89 | 91 | £61m | £135k | 30k 30k |
S. Ramos | CB | 33 | Real Madrid | Spain | 89 | 89 | £29m | £270k | 181k 145k |
G. Cheillini | CB | 34 | Piemonte Calcio | Italy | 89 | 89 | £22m | £194k | 28k 29k |
D. Godin | CB | 33 | Inter Milan | Uruguay | 88 | 88 | £25m | £122k | 22k 22k |
G. Pique | CB | 32 | Barcelona | Spain | 88 | 88 | £34m | £257k | 22k 23k |
A. Laporte | CB LB | 25 | Man City | France | 87 | 90 | £51m | £176k | 35k 42k |
T. Alderweireld | CB | 30 | Spurs | Belgium | 87 | 87 | £37m | £140k | 18k 17k |
M. Hummels | CB | 30 | Borussia
Dortmund | Germany | 87 | 87 | £37m | £117k | 18k 19k |
J. Vertonghen | CB | 32 | Spurs | Belgium | 87 | 87 | £29m | £140k | 17k 19k |
T. Silva | CB | 34 | PSG | Brazil | 87 | 87 | £17m | £122k | 16k 16k |
M Skriniar | CB | 24 | Inter Milan | Slovakia | 86 | 90 | £47m | £80k | 11k 10k |
Marquinhos | CB
CDM | 25 | PSG | Brazil | 86 | 90 | £46m | £108k | 12k 12k |
S. Umtiti | CB | 25 | Barcelona | France | 86 | 89 | £45m | £189k | 53k 41k |
L. Bonucci | CB | 32 | Piemonte | Italy | 86 | 86 | £26m | £144k | 11k 11k |
M. De Ligt | CB | 19 | Piemonte | Netherlands | 85 | 93 | £45m | £68k | 7k 7k |
C. Lenglet | CB | 24 | Barcelona | France | 85 | 89 | £41m | £158k | 117k 85k |
J. Gimenez | CB | 24 | Atletico Madrid | Uruguay | 85 | 89 | £41m | £62k | 6k 6k |
N. Sule | CB | 23 | Bayern | Germany | 85 | 90 | £42m | £104k | 10k 10k |
R. Varane | CB | 26 | Real Madrid | France | 85 | 90 | £41m | £185k | 280k 210k |
K. Manolas | CB | 28 | Napoli | Greece | 85 | 86 | £34m | £95k | 49k 34k |
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