Best Center Backs (CB) in FIFA 23

With defending being more important than ever in FIFA 23, having a solid backline can be the difference between winning and losing. In this guide, we‘ll breakdown the top defenders in FIFA 23 by position – CB, LB, RB, LWB, and RWB.

Whether you need a speedy fullback to shut down the wings or a big, strong center back to win headers, there are a number of standout options for your backline in FIFA 23. I‘ve analyzed the key attributes, stats, and gameplay performance of defenders across all positions to pick the very best.

Let‘s dive in and see who makes the cut as the top defenders you need in FIFA 23!

The center back position is critical for any successful defense. You need CBs with the physicality to win duels, the defending ability to make crucial tackles and interceptions, and the passing to play out from the back.

Here are the top 10 CBs in FIFA 23:

1. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – With a 91 defense rating, van Dijk is simply the best CB in the game. At 6‘4", he dominates aerially and has 90 strength to out-muscle any striker.

2. Marquinhos (PSG) – A world-class defender in real life, Marquinhos has 88 defense in FIFA 23. He‘s extremely quick and agile for a CB.

3. Ruben Dias (Man City) – Dias was instrumental in leading Man City to the 2021 Premier League title. He has 88 defense and 86 physicality.

4. Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea) – The Senegalese star is a rock at the back with 87 defense and 92 strength. He‘s excellent at reading the game.

5. Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid) – With blistering 92 pace and 87 defense, Rüdiger dominates the backline. He‘s also great on the ball.

6. Thiago Silva (Chelsea) – At 37 years old, Silva is still going strong. He has 86 defense and 84 physicality along with excellent positioning.

7. Milan Škriniar (Inter Milan) – With 87 defense and 85 strength, Škriniar is a tank at the back for Inter. He rarely gets beaten 1v1.

8. Aymeric Laporte (Man City) – Laporte has 86 defense and 87 short passing to start attacks from the backline. He‘s also deceptively quick.

9. Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich) – At just 22 years old, de Ligt already has world-class potential. He has 85 defense and 89 strength.

10. Éder Militão (Real Madrid) – With 82 pace and 85 defense, Militão is the perfect modern CB. He also has 4-star skill moves to dribble out from the back!

Pacey, attacking fullbacks are a necessity in FIFA 23 to dominate the flanks. Here are the top left backs:

1. João Cancelo (Man City) – With 88 overall rating, Cancelo is the best LB in the game. He has 87 dribbling, 86 passing, and 83 pace to fly up and down the wing.

2. Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) – Robertson has 87 overall rating along with 90 stamina to run all game. He‘s excellent at crossing and links up play well.

3. Theo Hernández (AC Milan) – Hernández is the quickest LB in the game with 95 pace! He terrorizes defenses with his overlapping runs.

4. Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) – With 96 pace and 80 dribbling, Davies is unstoppable down the left wing! He also has 4-star skill moves.

5. Jordi Alba (Barcelona) – Alba boasts 94 pace and 87 dribbling to blow past defenders. He‘s short but agile and great at crossing.

6. Alex Sandro (Juventus) – Sandro is one of the most balanced LBs in FIFA 23 with solid all-around attributes including 83 pace and 85 dribbling.

7. Marcos Acuña (Sevilla) – Acuña is rapid with 91 pace and 87 stamina. He‘s also 6 feet tall with 82 strength to hold off defenders.

8. Ben Chilwell (Chelsea) – Chilwell has been stellar for Chelsea when healthy. He has 82 pace and excellent 85 crossing to whip in crosses.

9. Lucas Digne (Aston Villa) – Digne is great for attacking fullback styles with 82 pace, 83 crossing, and 4-star skill moves for fancy footwork upfield.

10. David Raum (RB Leipzig) – A new addition in FIFA 23, Raum has tremendous 85 crossing and 82 curve to be a creative threat down the left side.

While left back has more attacking flair, right back has some all-around studs. Here are the top right backs (RB) in FIFA 23:

1. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) – With 87 overall rating, Alexander-Arnold is the best RB in the game. He‘s brilliant going forward with 89 crossing and 83 dribbling.

2. Kyle Walker (Man City) – Walker has tremendous 92 pace to contain speedy left wingers. He also has 84 strength and great stamina.

3. Achraf Hakimi (PSG) – Hakimi is electric with 92 pace and 84 dribbling. He bombs up and down the right sideline all game long.

4. João Cancelo (Man City) – Cancelo can play both fullback spots at an elite level. On the right side, he has 84 pace and 88 dribbling.

5. Kieran Trippier (Newcastle) – Trippier is well-rounded with 84 pace, 85 defending, and 87 crossing. He‘s great at set pieces too.

6. Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) – Carvajal finds the right balance between attack and defense. He has 83 pace and 87 defending along with 85 passing.

7. Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) – With 87 pace, 86 dribbling, and 5-star skill moves, Cuadrado is incredibly fun flying up the wing.

8. Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich) – A new addition, Mazraoui has 85 pace and 84 dribbling to dominate the right flank.

9. Jesus Navas (Sevilla) – At 36 years old, Navas is still rapid with 89 pace. His 88 agility lets him change direction quickly.

10. Nelson Semedo (Wolverhampton) – Semedo stands out with his well-rounded attributes including 82 pace, 83 dribbling, 84 defending, and 82 physical.

In a 3 or 5 at the back formation, pacey left wing backs are key. Here are the top LWBs:

1. Robin Gosens (Inter Milan) – Gosens has an impressive 82 overall rating along with 87 pace to fly up the wing on overlaps. He‘s great at crossing too.

2. Angeliño (Hoffenheim) – Angeliño is rapid with 91 pace and 89 stamina. He also has solid 80 defending and dribbling ratings.

3. Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma) – Before his injury, Spinazzola was the best LWB in FIFA 21. He‘s back with 91 pace and 81 dribbling.

4. David Raum (RB Leipzig) – Raum is excellent going forward with 85 crossing and 82 curve. He has 82 pace to get upfield too.

5. Ben Chilwell (Chelsea) – Normally a LB, Chilwell translates well to LWB. He has 82 pace and 85 crossing along with 81 dribbling.

6. Filip Kostić (Juventus) – After terrorizing defenses for years at Eintracht Frankfurt, Kostić brings 88 pace and 86 crossing to Juventus.

7. Raphaël Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) – Guerreiro is one of the most technical LWBs with 86 dribbling, 83 ball control, and 4-star skill moves.

8. Brais Méndez (Celta Vigo) – An underrated LWB, Méndez has 89 pace and 87 stamina to run all day. He also has solid defending and decent finishing.

9. Marcos Acuña (Sevilla) – Normally a LB, Acuña has the strength (82) and stamina (87) to dominate the left wing.

10. Owen Wijndal (Ajax) – With 84 pace and 80 dribbling, Wijndal is excellent going forward. And at 6’1”, he has good size too.

Like LWB, pace and attacking ability are crucial for right wing backs. Here are the top RWB options:

1. Reece James (Chelsea) – James is hands down the best RWB in the game with 84 overall rating. He has 88 pace and 81 dribbling to terrorize defenses.

2. Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan) – Dumfries has been a revelation at Inter with 86 pace, 83 strength, and 80 dribbling. He‘s great at overlapping runs.

3. Pedro Porro (Sporting CP) – Porro is rapid with 89 pace and 87 stamina. He also has 4-star skill moves and 84 crossing.

4. Zeki Çelik (Lille) – Çelik is extremely well-rounded with 83 pace, 82 dribbling, 81 defending, and 80 physical.

5. Ridle Baku (Wolfsburg) – Baku has electric 92 pace along with 83 stamina to fly up and down the right sideline.

6. Nordi Mukiele (PSG) – Mukiele can play CB or RWB. At RWB, he uses his 87 pace and 83 strength to great effect.

7. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Man United) – Wan-Bissaka is known for his defending, with 84 marking, 84 standing tackle, and 83 sliding tackle.

8. Kenny Lala (Strasbourg) – With 89 pace and 86 stamina, Lala relentlessly attacks down the right wing all match long.

9. Bartosz Bereszyński (UC Sampdoria) – Bereszyński is a creative threat at RWB with 81 crossing, 80 curve, and 4-star skill moves.

10. Youcef Atal (OGC Nice) – A frighteningly rapid RWB, Atal has 94 pace and 89 agility to fly past defenders.

Looking across all positions, Virgil van Dijk stands out as the best defender in FIFA 23. With a 91 defense rating, van Dijk is an absolute rock at the back. Standing at 6‘4" with 90 strength and 84 aggression, he dominates physically while also possessing 80 pace and 78 dribbling.

No matter if the opponent goes direct with long balls or tries intricate build-up play, van Dijk has the aerial presence, tackling, interceptions, and reading of the game to stop attacks in their tracks. His leadership and composure provide a calming influence on the rest of the backline.

Whether for Liverpool or a FIFA 23 Ultimate Team, van Dijk will be the commander and foundation of your defense for years to come!

Building a strong defense is more critical than ever in FIFA 23 with lengthy defenders being the current meta. Picking the right defenders for your formation and playstyle is key.

This guide covers the elite defenders in each position – CB, LB, RB, LWB, and RWB. Focus on high pace, defending, strength, and attacking skills depending on the position. And remember, chemistry links are also vital for your backline in FUT.

Hopefully this breakdown can help guide you in assembling a top-tier defense ready to lead you to victory! Let me know in the comments if you have any other top defenders I should check out. Enjoy the defensive masterclass in FIFA 23!