FIFA 18: Best tacklers


Conceding plenty in FIFA 18? If you keep getting beat when defending in a one-on-one scenario, perhaps you need to bring a defensive player who is better at tackling. Your success rate in the tackle will be greater, allowing you to counter-attack against your opponent. 

We are looking at both the best standing tacklers and sliding tacklers on FIFA 18. So if you are looking to stop attackers early or produce some last ditch sliding tackles we have you covered.

For a full list of the best standing and sliding tacklers in FIFA 18, visit the tables near the end of this page. 

Best standing tacklers

All of these players have a standing tackle rating of at least 85. 

Mats Hummels (Stand 92 – Slide 90)

Age: 29

Positions: CB

Club: Bayern Munich

Country: Germany

Standing tackle: 92

Sliding tackle: 90

OVR 89 – POT 89

FUT cost: 37,000 PS4/34,500 Xbox One (OVR 88)

Career Mode cost: £78.4 million (release clause)

Career Mode wage: £189,000 a week

Perhaps one of the best defenders Germany has produced, Mats Hummels has almost won it all in the game. The 29-year-old centre back has lifted three Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a World Cup so far in his career with European success at both club and international level the only things alluding the Bayern Munich centre back.

The former Borussia Dortmund defender has a 92 standing tackle and a 90 sliding tackle on FIFA 18, giving him an 89 overall. On Career Mode, this will cost you £78.4 million on Career Mode with wages of £189,000 a week, and on Ultimate Team, where he is 88 rated, you will need 37,000 coins on PS4 and 34,500 on Xbox One.

Giorgio Chiellini (Stand 92 - Slide 90)

Age: 33

Positions: CB

Club: Juventus

Country: Italy

Standing tackle: 92

Sliding tackle: 90

OVR 89 – POT 89

FUT cost: 62,500 PS4/55,500 Xbox One

Career Mode cost: £40 million

Career Mode wage: £198,000 a week

One of the highest respected defenders on the planet, Giorgio Chiellini has had countless strikers in his back pocket over the years. The Juventus legend has won six Serie A titles and three Coppa Italias with the club, but with defensive partner Leonardo Bonucci leaving Turin last summer, the defensive onus has very much fallen on the 33-year-old Chiellini.

With the centre back’s contract up at the end of the season, you should be able to pick him up for round £40 million on Career Mode, but his wages are currently a massive £198,000 a week. On Ultimate Team you will need 62,500 coins on PS4 and 55,5000 on Xbox to get hold of his 92 standing tackle and 90 sliding tackle, which give Chiellini an 89 overall rating. 

Sergio Ramos (Stand 90 - Slide 90)

Age: 31

Positions: CB

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Spain

Standing tackle: 90

Sliding tackle: 91

OVR 90 – POT 90

FUT cost: 194,000 PS4/163,000 Xbox One

Career Mode cost: £93.8 million (release clause)

Career Mode wage: £273,000 a week

Regarded by many as the best centre back in the world, few can rival what Sergio Ramos has achieved in his career. The Real Madrid captain has lifted four La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, three Champions Leagues as well as two European Championships and a World Cup with Spain. At the age of 31, he still has a couple more seasons at the top, so he may yet better that trophy haul.

Ramos’s 90 overall will set you back a massive £93.8 million on Career Mode, with wages of £273,000 a week. For his 90 standing tackle and 91 sliding tackle you will need 194,000 coins on PS4 and 163,000 on Xbox One to snaffle the defender on Ultimate Team. 

Jerome Boateng (Stand 90 - Slide 88)

Age: 29

Positions: CB

Club: Bayern Munich

Country: Germany

Standing tackle: 90

Sliding tackle: 88

OVR 87 – POT 87

FUT cost: 112,000 PS4/93,000 Xbox One (OVR 88)

Career Mode cost: £59.5 million (release clause)

Career Mode wage: £189,000 a week

Partnering Hummels at the back for both Bayern Munich and Germany is Jerome Boateng. Due to his longer stint at the Allianz Arena, the 29-year-old Boateng can laud five Bundesliga titles, three German Cups and a Champions League victory to go with his World Cup win in 2014. 

On FIFA 18, the former Manchester City defender has an 88 overall, which is aided by a 90 standing tackle and 88 rated sliding tackle. Boateng will cost 112,000 Ultimate Team coins on PS4 and 93,000 on Xbox One, and on Career Mode you will need £69.7 million and wages of £145,000 a week.

Toby Alderweireld (Stand 90 - Slide 84)

Age: 28

Positions: CB

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Country: Belgium

Standing tackle: 90

Sliding tackle: 84

OVR 85 – POT 87

FUT Cost: 16,500 PS4/16,250 Xbox One (OVR 86)

Career Mode cost: £61.4 million (release clause)

Career Mode wage: £123,000 a week

We’ve seen the best Italy, Germany and Spain have to offer, but Toby Alderweireld is arguably the best centre back both in the Premier League and his native Belgium. That said, the 28-year-old defender will need to add to his silverware collection, with no trophies since being a bit-part player in Atletico Madrid’s 2014 La Liga victory.

Alderweireld has a superb 85 overall rating on FIFA 18, which can rise to a potential of 87. His 90 standing tackle and 84 sliding tackle make the Tottenham rock tough to beat, and for those stats you will need £61.4 million on Career Mode with wages of £123,000 a week. On Ultimate Team, you are looking at a price of around 16,500 coins on PS4 and 16,250 on Xbox One, giving you his 86 rated card.

Andrea Barzagli (Stand 90 - Slide 87)

Age: 36

Positions: CB

Club: Juventus

Country: Italy

Standing tackle: 90

Sliding tackle: 87

OVR 84 – POT 84

FUT cost: 10,000 PS4/9,800 Xbox One (85 rating)

Career Mode cost: £5 million

Career Mode wage: £92,000 a week

It’s been a long career for Andrea Barzagli, with this one likely to be the 36-year-old’s last. In a eight-year stint with Juventus, the centre back has won Serie A six times to go with three Coppa Italias as well as a Bundesliga success with Wolfsburg back in 2009.

Despite his age, World Cup winner Barzagli still offers an 84 overall rating on FIFA 18, with a 90 standing tackle and 87 sliding tackle ratings. You will need just £6.1 million on Career Mode to sign the veteran, with his wages currently £92,000 a week. 10,000 coins on PS4 and 9,800 on Xbox One should be enough to get your man on Ultimate Team. 

N’Golo Kante (Stand 89 - Slide 85)

Age: 26

Positions: CDM, CM

Club: Chelsea

Country: France

Standing tackle: 89

Sliding tackle: 85

OVR 88 – POT 90

FUT cost: 139,000 PS4/114,000 Xbox One (87 rating)

Career Mode cost: £100.8 million (release clause)

Career Mode wage: £216,000 a week

The current Premier League Player of the Season N’Golo Kante is perhaps one of the most difficult men to beat in the world due to his tackling ability, dynamism and work rate. After winning the Premier League title with Leicester in 2016, the little Frenchman repeated the trick with Chelsea 12 months later following a £32 million switch to Stamford Bridge.

Kante has an 88 overall rising to a 90 potential on FIFA 18, due to his 89 standing tackle and 85 sliding tackle among a glittering array of attributes. You may have to match his mammoth £100.8 million release clause to sign the 26-year-old on Career Mode, with his wages a beefy £216,000 a week. On Ultimate Team you will need 139,000 coins on PS4 and 114,000 on Xbox One. 

Cesar Azpilicueta (Stand 89 - Slide 87)

Age: 28

Positions: CB

Club: Chelsea

Country: Spain

Standing tackle: 89

Sliding tackle: 87

OVR 86 – POT 88

FUT cost: 19,500 PS4/16,250 Xbox One (85 rating)

Career Mode cost: £73.7 million (release clause)

Career Mode wage: £167,000 a week

Cesar Azpilicueta has operated as a right back, left back and now centre back for Chelsea, and is he club’s most consistent performer wherever he plays. The 28-year-old has won two Premier Leagues, a League Cup and a Europa League title with The Blues to add to his two Coupe de la Ligue successes with Marseille. He has also become an architect this season, chalking up an impressive six assists in the Premier League.

Spanish international Azpilicueta will set you back 19,500 coins on PS4 on Ultimate Team, with 16,250 needed to secure him on Xbox One. For Career Mode, his 89 standing tackle and 87 sliding tackle will cost £73.7 million and wages of £167,000 a week.

Casemiro (Stand 89 - Slide 88)

Age: 25

Positions: CDM

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Brazil

Standing tackle: 89

Sliding tackle: 86

OVR 86 – POT 89

FUT cost: 14,250 PS4/13,000 Xbox One (OVR 85)

Career Mode cost: £87.9 million (release clause)

Career Mode wage: £202,000 a week

Casemiro has solved Real Madrid’s midfield conundrum. A loan spell out to Porto looked to be the end of him in 2015, but when Zinedine Zidane took charge of Los Blancos, the Frenchman made Casemiro his midfield rock to balance out the creativity of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. The 25-year-old has since become one of the best defensive midfielder’s in the world, and will no doubt start for the Brazil at the World Cup this summer.

Casemiro has an 89 rated standing tackle on FIFA 18, with a 88 sliding tackle. These give him an 86 overall rating which can rise to an 89 potential. That will cost you £87.9 million on Career Mode with wages of £202,000 a week, and his 85 rated gold card on Ultimate Team will set you back 14,250 coins on PS3 and 13,000 on Xbox One. 

Sokratis (Stand 90 - Slide 86)

Age: 29

Positions: CB

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Country: Greece

Standing Tackle: 89

Sliding Tackle: 86

OVR 86 – POT 86

FUT Cost: 15,500 PS4/15,250 Xbox One

Career Mode Cost: £51.6 million (release clause)

Career Mode Wage: £97,000 a week

Easily forgotten when discussing the best centre backs in the world, Sokratis has been one of Borussia Dortmund’s most consistent performers since joining the club in 2013. The Greek international has helped BVB lift the German Cup last season, his first major silverware since a Serie A with AC Milan back in 2011. 

The 29-year-old Sokratis offers a 86 overall rating on FIFA 18, which consists of a 90 standing tackle and 86 sliding tackle. That will cost you £51.6 million on Career Mode, with wages of £97,000 a week. His gold card on Ultimate Team is priced at 15,500 coins on PS4 and 15,250 on Xbox One.

Sliding tacklers

The following players all have a sliding tackle rating of 85 or higher.

Diego Godin (Stand 86 - Slide 89)

Age: 31

Positions: CB

Club: Atletico Madrid

Country: Uruguay

Standing Tackle: 86

Sliding Tackle: 89

OVR 88 – POT 88

FUT Cost: 48,250 PS4/44,500 Xbox One

Career Mode Cost: £58 million

Career Mode Wage: £110,000 a week

The linchpin of Atletico Madrid’s rise to La Liga glory in 2014, Diego Godin is still amongst the best central defenders in the world. The 31-year-old has been at Atletico for almost eight years now, and has added a Copa Del Rey, Europa League and two UEFA Super Cups to that title victory as well as a Copa America triumph with Uruguay in 2011.

On FIFA 18 Godin offers an 88 overall rating which consists of an 89 sliding tackle and 86 standing tackle. For those defensive stats you will need £58 million on Career Mode with £110,000 a week wages, and 48,250 coins on Ultimate Team for PS4 and 44,500 on Xbox One. 

Radja Nainggolan (Stand 86 - Slide 88)

Age: 29

Positions: CM, CAM

Club: AS Roma

Country: Belgium

Standing Tackle: 86

Sliding Tackle: 88

OVR 86 – POT 86

FUT Cost: 119,000 PS4/82,500 Xbox One

Career Mode Cost: £63.6 million (release clause)

Career Mode Wage: £114,000 a week

One of the hardest men in football, Radja Nainggolan is a nightmare to play against. The 29-year-old central or attacking midfielder can tackle, pass and shoot from distance, enabling him to dictate things at club side Roma.

The Belgian international will set you back £63.6 million on Career Mode along with £144,00 wages. That cost will get you his 86 overall, consisting of an 88 sliding tackle and 86 sliding tackle. On Ultimate Team you will need 119,000 coins on PS4 and 82,500 on Xbox One for Nainggolan. 

Sven Bender (Stand 86 - Slide 88)

Age: 28

Positions: CB, CDM

Club: Bayer Leverkusen

Country: Germany

Standing Tackle: 86

Sliding Tackle: 88

OVR 80 – POT 80

FUT Cost: 1,600 PS4/1,500 Xbox One (CDM)

Career Mode Cost: £18 million (release clause)

Career Mode Wage: £52,000 a week

A versatile man who can operate as centre back and defensive midfielder, Sven Bender has been a great servant for the Bundesliga. The 28-year-old may have only received seven Germany caps, but with two league titles and two Germany Cups with former club Borussia Dortmund he can say he has had successful career.

The Bayer Leverkusen man has an 80 overall on the game, due to stats of 88 sliding tackle and 86 standing tackle. Bender will cost you £18 million on Career Mode, with wages of £52,000 a week. For Ultimate Team, you will need 1,600 coins on PS4 and 1,500 on Xbox One for Bender’s CDM card.

Marcelo (Stand 85 - Slide 87)

Age: 29

Positions: LB

Club: Real Madrid

Country: Brazil

Standing Tackle: 85

Sliding Tackle: 87

OVR 87 – POT 87

FUT Cost: 37,500 PS4/34,500 Xbox One

Career Mode Cost: £68.6 million (release clause)

Career Mode Wage: £220,000 a week

The best left back in the world, and Marcelo has been perhaps Real Madrid’s most consistent player in recent seasons. The Brazilian has helped the club lift four La Liga trophies, two Copa Del Reys, three Champions Leagues and three Club World Cups during his 12 seasons in Madrid.

The 29-year-old Marcelo has attributes of 87 sliding tackle and 85 standing tackle to give him an 87 overall rating. That will cost you £68.6 million on Career Mode with wages of £220,000 a week, and 37,500 coins on PS4 and 34,500 on Xbox One for Ultimate Team. 

Filipe Luis (Stand 84 - Slide 87)

Age: 32

Positions: LB

Club: Atletico Madrid

Country: Brazil

Standing Tackle: 84

Sliding Tackle: 87

OVR 86 – POT 86

FUT Cost: 15,000 PS4/14,500 Xbox One (OVR 85)

Career Mode Cost: £52.3 million (release clause)

Career Mode Wage: £83,000 a week

Filipe Luis has been a regular fixture in the resolute Atletico Madrid since 2010, barring the one season he spent away at Chelsea. The 32-year-old left back is among the best in his position in the world, but is still unlikely to make the Brazil World Cup squad behind Marcelo and Alex Sandro. 

Luis will cost you £52.3 million on Career Mode and £83,000 a week wages, getting you his 86 overall rating. This consists of an 87 sliding tackle and 84 standing tackle, which will cost 15,000 coins on PS4 and 14,5000 on Xbox One on Ultimate Team. 

More top standing tacklers

Player
Age
Pos
Club
Country
Stand/ Slide
OVR/ POT
Arturo Vidal
30
CDM CM
Bayern Munich
Chile
89/ 86
86/ 86
Naldo
34
CB
Schalke
Brazil
89/ 82
84/ 84
Leonardo Bonucci
30
CB
AC Milan
Italy
88/ 84
86/ 86
Miranda
32
CB
Inter Milan
Brazil
88/ 85
85/ 85
Fabinho
23
CDM
Monaco
Brazil
88/ 85
84/ 89
Andreas Christensen
21
CB
Chelsea
Denmark
88/ 85
82/ 90
Gerard Pique
30
CB
Barcelona
Spain
87/ 86
87/ 87
Thiago Silva
32
CB
Brazil
PSG
87/ 86
87/ 87
Kalidou Koulibaly
26
CB
Napoli
Senegal
87/ 85
84/ 87
Laurent Koscielny
31
CB
Arsenal
France
87/ 84
84/ 84
Idrissa Gueye
27
CDM CM
Everton
Senegal
87/ 85
83/ 83
Per Mertesacker
32
CB
Arsenal
Germany
87/ 82
81/ 81
Salif Sane
26
CB CDM
Hannover
Senegal
87/ 76
80/ 81
Kamil Glik
28
CB
Monaco
Poland
86/ 83
85/ 85
Sergio Busquets
28
CDM CM
Barcelona
Spain
86/ 80
87/ 87
Raphael Varane
24
CB
Real Madrid
France
86/ 85
85/ 92
Medhi Benatia
30
CB
Juventus
Morocco
86/ 84
85/ 85
Niklas Sule
21
CB
Bayern Munich
Germany
86/ 83
84/ 90
Stefan De Vrij
25
CB
Lazio
Netherlands
86/ 82
84/ 89
Aymeric Laporte
23
CB
Athletic Bilbao
France
86/ 85
83/ 88
Victor Wanyama
26
CDM CM
Tottenham
Kenya
86/ 79
82/ 85
Raul Albiol
31
CB
Napoli
Spain
86/ 84
83/ 83
Lars Bender
28
CDM CM RB
Bayer Leverkusen
Germany
86/ 82
83/ 83
Jonathan Tah
21
CB
Bayer Leverkusen
Germany
86/ 80
82/ 88
Daniele Rugani
22
CB
Juventus
Italy
86/ 82
81/ 88
Stefan Radu
30
LB
Lazio
Romania
86/ 85
80/ 80
Vincent Kompany
31
CB
Manchester City
Belgium
85/ 84
85/ 85
Pepe
34
CB
Besiktas
Portugal
85/ 82
85/ 85
Samuel Umtiti
23
CB
Barcelona
France
85/ 83
83/ 88
Danilo Pereira
25
CDM CB CM
Porto
Portugal
85/ 78
83/ 86
William Carvalho
25
CDM CM
Sporting
Portugal
85/ 71
83/ 86
Virgil Van Dijk
25
CB
Liverpool
Netherlands
85/ 83
83/ 85
Gary Cahill
31
CB
Chelsea
England
85/ 83
83/ 83
Ezequiel Garay
30
CB
Valencia
Argentina
85/ 82
83/ 83
Joel Matip
25
CB
Liverpool
Cameroon
85/ 79
82/ 84
Felipe
28
CB
Porto
Brazil
85/ 79
82/ 82
Allan
26
CM
Napoli
Brazil
85/ 80
81/ 82
Daniele Astori
30
CB
Fiorentina
Italy
85/ 80
81/ 81
Gabriel Paulista
26
CB RB
Valencia
Brazil
85/ 80
80/ 82
Luisao
36
CB
Benfica
Brazil
85/ 80
79/ 79
Mikel San Jose
28
CM CDM
Athletic Bilbao
Spain
85/ 74
79/ 79
Caglar Soyuncu
21
CB
Freiburg
Turkey
85/ 80
74/ 83

More top sliding tacklers

Player
Age
Pos
Club
Country
Stand/ Slide
OVR/ POT
Marquinhos
23
CB
PSG
Brazil
87/ 87
84/ 89
Kostas Manolas
26
CB
Roma
Greece
86/ 87
84/ 86
Javi Martinez
28
CDM CB
Bayern Munich
Spain
86/ 87
84/ 84
Jan Vertonghen
30
CB
Tottenham
Belgium
86/ 86
85/ 85
Jose Maria Gimenez
22
CB
Atletico Madrid
Uruguay
84/ 87
83/ 87
Dani Carvajal
25
RB
Real Madrid
Spain
85/ 86
84/ 87
Luiz Gustavo
29
CDM CM
Marseille
Brazil
84/ 86
82/ 82
Nathaniel Clyne
26
RB
Liverpool
England
83/ 86
81/ 83
Matija Nastasic
24
CB
Schalke
Serbia
84/ 86
81/ 81
Josuha Guilavogui
26
CDM CM
Wolfsburg
France
84/ 86
80/ 82
Kenny Tete
21
RB
Lyon
Holland
82/ 86
79/ 84
Bakary Kone
29
CB
Strasbourg*
Burkina Faso
77/ 86
75/ 75
Nicolas Otamendi
29
CB
Manchester City
Argentina
85/ 85
85/ 85
Eric Bailly
23
CB
Manchester United
Ivory Coast
85/ 85
84/ 89
Victor Ruiz
28
CB
Villarreal
Spain
84/ 85
82/ 83
Davinson Sanchez
21
CB
Tottenham
Colombia
82/ 85
81/ 88
Sebastian Coates
26
CB
Sporting
Uruguay
84/ 85
81/ 82
Danny Rose
26
LB LWB
Tottenham
England
84/ 85
81/ 81
Bruno
33
CM CDM
Villarreal
Spain
84/ 85
81/ 81
Jeison Murillo
25
CB
Valencia*
Colombia
81/ 85
80/ 84
Dejan Lovren
27
CB
Liverpool
Croatia
83/ 85
80/ 82
Yeray
22
CB
Athletic Bilbao
Spain
74/ 85
78/ 84
Georgi Dzhikiya
23
CB
Spartak Moscow
Russia
75/ 85
76/ 82

*Denotes player on loan

Who have you snapped up on Ultimate Team? Let us know in the comments section below.

Looking for free players? 

Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2018 (First Season)

Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2019 (Second Season)

Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2020 (Third Season)

Contract Expiry Signings Ending in 2021 (Fourth Season)

Free Agent XI

Looking for other cheap high potential players?

Best cheap high potential centre backs (CB)

Best cheap high potential left backs (LB)

Best cheap high potential right backs (RB)

Best cheap high potential right wingers (RW) & midfielders (RM)

Best cheap high potential left wingers (LW) & midfielders (LM)

Best cheap high potential attacking midfielders (CAM)

Best cheap high potential strikers

On a tight budget? 

Best loan signings

Top hidden gems

Top lower league gems

Looking for FIFA 18 young players in other positions? 

Best young strikers

Best young right wingers & right midfielders (RW & RM)

Best young left wingers & left midfielders (LW & LM)

Best young attacking midfielders (CAM)

Best young central midfielders (CM)

Best young defensive midfielders (CDM)

Best young centre backs (CB

Best young left backs (LB)

Best young right backs (RB)

Best young goalkeepers (GK)

Looking for FIFA 18 wonderkids?

Strikers

Defenders (CBs, RBs & LBs)

Wingers (LMs, RMs, LWs & RWs)

Argentinian Wonderkids

Brazilian Wonderkids

Want to boost your players' stats?

FIFA 18 Chemistry Styles: The Ultimate Guide

This Article's Topics

Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!

FIFA