The landscape for defending has changed in EA Sports FC 25, as the new year brings a new feel to movement, especially as we adjust from the speed of playing with 99-rated cards at the end of the last cycle. With new mechanics come new ratings for some of the best defenders in EA FC 25, as there are a handful of upgrades to note.
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PostsWhile defending is usually the most nerve-wracking aspect of a game, these excellent center-backs and fullbacks will help you keep your composure when Mbappé and Vini Jr. come dashing at your goal every game. However, being the best defender is more than just having the highest rating, as certain players perform better than peers with similar ratings.
10 Fridolina Rolfo – 86 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Four Stars
Five Stars
Fridolina Rolfo was one of the biggest surprises in EA FC 24, shocking everyone with her incredible card and even better in-game performance. Her well-balanced set of 80+ in every major area makes Rolfo an excellent choice as either a winger or left-back, though she excels in the latter role due to her Attacking Wingback ++.
Rolfo remains an excellent choice to use this year, but links are prohibitive. Ultimately, Rolfo is an excellent first choice off the bench, but her links make it challenging to get the most out of her unless you have the right supporting cast.
9 Gleison Bremer – 86 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Two Stars
Two Stars
Despite his noticeably bad weak foot and Skill Moves, Bremer is one of the top defenders to use in EA FC 25, largely due to his commanding physical presence that enables you to usher attacking players off the ball as you reclaim possession.
Bremer was a force to be reckoned with in EA FC 24 and his two-point overall upgrade makes him an even better option now.
Bremer's Physical and Defending attributes are fantastic, at 86 and 85, respectively. His Pace allows him to keep up with some of the best players in the game, and you'll notice that few players can slip by once Bremer gets in close to take the ball away.
8 Alphonso Davies – 82 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Four Stars
Three Stars
Alphonso Davies earns his spot among the best defenders thanks to his impressive standing as one of the fastest players in Ultimate Team, which makes him a massive asset.
Davies' 82 rating is a one-point downgrade from last year, but he's still solid in every way.
While his overall rating is alarmingly low, you won't use Davies to rely on his physical or defensive attributes, but rather because you need a quick player on the wing who can get forward or stay back when needed. His Pace is easily Davies' best quality, but its use is not to be underestimated.
7 Eder Militao – 85 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Two Stars
Three Stars
Eder Militao might not be one of the highest-rated center-backs in EA FC 25, but what he lacks in overall rating, he compensates for in fantastic links and in-game ability. Militao earns a place above Bremer because Militao is far easier to link than Bremer and much more flexible.
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PostsIn addition, Militao has an extra bit of Pace, which makes it easier for him to defend against faster players despite his slightly lower Physical and Defending attributes than Bremer.
6 Sakina Karchaoui – 87 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Five Stars
Four Stars
Sakina Karchaoui is an improved version of Fridolina Rolfo in terms of her offensive contributions, but she lacks the physical presence that some of the strong defenders have.
However, despite her low Physical attributes, Karchaoui offers plenty of Pace to keep up with anyone and the ability to help turn defense into offense. If you want a defender who can use Skill Moves, there are none better than Karchaoui.
5 Antonio Rüdiger – 88 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Two Stars
Three Stars
Antonio Rüdiger will help you shut down some of the highest-rated strikers in Ultimate Team with his devastating combination of size, speed, and excellent links.
Rudiger touts a massive upgrade over his gold card from EA Sports FC 24 after a series of strong performances last year for Real Madrid.
Rudiger's sole PlayStyle Plus is Bruiser, which helps you to impose Rudiger's physical presence on the opponent, stripping the ball away using your body positioning rather than quick feet.
4 Theo Hernandez – 87 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Four Stars
Three Stars
Theo Hernandez offers a solid improvement over every wingback thus far, particularly Alphonso Davies, as the two players are known for their offensive contributions. However, Hernandez is a much better defender than Davies, easily clearing his attributes.
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PostsHernandez will likely be one of the best left-backs for the entirety of EA FC 25 and is likely to receive several promo cards that will continue to improve his impressive abilities.
3 William Saliba – 87 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Two Stars
Three Stars
William Saliba has everything a defender could want: size, pace, physicality, and everything in between – though you won't find him using many Skill Moves.
This incredible defender even boasts French and Premier League links – two of the most useful groups in EA FC 25.
Saliba's best quality is unquestionably his Anticipate PlayStyle Plus, which allows him to stay one step ahead of his opponents, easily taking the ball away before they're able to run past. Combine this PlayStyle Plus with Saliba's sky-high Defending attribute to make him nearly impossible to get past.
2 Ferland Mendy – 84 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Four Stars
Five Stars
Ferland Mendy is the perfect two-way left-back for any team, as he boasts excellent links, wonderful Pace, and solid defensive attributes that set him apart from some of the highest-rated defenders in Ultimate Team.
Mendy even received a plus-two upgrade to his card compared to EA FC 24, and he was already great back then.
Despite his low rating, Mendy is notoriously hard to get from a pack, but he's worth every last bit of the roughly 100,000 coins he cost during the game's early access period.
1 Virgil van Dijk – 89 Overall
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Two Stars
Three Stars
Virgil van Dijk claims his rightful place as the runaway best defender in EA Sports FC 25, as he also claims a spot among the highest-rated cards in Ultimate Team. Unsurprisingly, van Dijk is a force to be reckoned with and feels much quicker than his 78 Pace suggests, as his large size helps him make up plenty of ground.
While his Aerial PlayStyle Plus might have been an inferior choice to Anticipate, van Dijk functions as a nearly perfect defender even without one of the best PlayStyles in EA FC 25. This card is so good that it's likely to last you most of the year even if you never want to upgrade.
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Sports Systems 3.0/5 6.7/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 76/100 Critics Rec: 63% Released September 27, 2024 ESRB Everyone // Alcohol And Tobacco Reference, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items) Developer(s) EA Canada, EA Romania Publisher(s) EA Sports Engine FrostbiteWHERE TO PLAY
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