Here we list the best Gold card defenders at the launch of FIFA 22 FUT mode. Be careful because the idea is not to list the players with the best ratings but more to present you with the best cards at different price levels. These cards are Meta, understand the best in the game.
Note that we try, in the majority of cases, to present cards from major championships, for collective reasons.
The best defenders for FUT on FIFA 22
We will start our list with player cards with an overall rating of less than 80, ideal for starter teams. Then, the list will pass on players of high standing, generally the type of card that one wishes before after a month of play, in order to evolve on a formation with an 85-88 overall rating.
You can also find our team starters in our dedicated article, including options by league.
The best defenders below 80 overall rating
These cards will have a lot of value during the first weeks of FIFA 22 before necessarily decreasing over time. We are therefore here on cards that are not too expensive, ideal for beginners.
Central defenders
Jurrien Timber, DC, Ajax, Eredivisie
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, good speed with 80 in acceleration, excellent level of dribbling for a DC card, very decent physics at this price level, very inexpensive and good links with the nation (Netherlands).
Jeremiah St. Just, DC, Mainz, Bundesliga
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, incredible speed at the start of the game (87 acceleration), good level of dribbling, decent physical and defense ratings, good links with the nation (Netherlands).
If Gvardiol, DC, Leipzig, Bundesliga
- Strengths: 3-4 in stars, good speed (78 acceleration), very good level of physics at the start of the game, not expensive.
Oscar Mingueza, DC, FC Barcelona, La Liga
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, a solid combo of speed, physics and defense for a ridiculous price, good links via the nation (Spain) and the club.
Ronald Araujo, DC, FC Barcelona, La Liga
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, a solid combo of speed, physicality and defense for a ridiculous price, good links via the nation (Uruguay) and the club.
Ben Godfrey, DC, Everton, Premier League
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, excellent speed (but beware 74 acceleration), very good physical level, good links via the nation (English) and the league.
Wesley Fofana, DC, Leicester, Premier League
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, solid defense and physical card, excellent links possible via the nation (France) and the league.
Ezri Konsa, DC, Aston Villa, Premier League
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, a very good combo in speed, defense and physicality, solid in agility, good links via the nation (English) and the league.
Nathan Aké, DC, Manchester City, Premier League
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, very good acceleration (80), good combo of defensive stats but also in agility, good links via the nation (Netherlands) and the league.
Fikayo Tomori, DC, Milan AC, Serie A
- Strengths: 4 weak foot stars, excellent combo of speed, defense and physicality at this level of the game, good links via nation (English) and league.
Lucas Verissimo, DC, Benfica, Liga NOS
- Strengths: very good speed (80 acceleration), excellent combo of defense and physics at this price, good links via the nation (Brazil).
Maxence Lacroix, DC, Wolfsburg, Bundesliga
- Strengths: very good speed (but 81 acceleration), solid defense and good level of strength, excellent possible links with maps of Wolfsburg and via the nation (France).
The left defenders
Paulo Otavio, DG, Wolfsburg, Bundesliga
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, excellent speed, very good agility, often underestimated by his overall rating, possible links via the nation (Brazil), the club and the league.
Hassane Kamara, DG, OGC Nice, Ligue 1
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, good combo of speed, agility and physicality, good stamina at this stage of the game.
Jérôme Roussillon, CEO, Wolfsburg, Bundesliga
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, very good combo of speed, agility, passing and defense, possible links via the nation (France), the club and the league.
Zaidu Sanusi, DG, FC Porto, Liga NOS
- Strengths: ideal speed and acceleration stats, a good starter team card but quickly limited.
Nuno Mendes, DG, PSG, Ligue
- Strengths: 3-4 in stars, good speed, solid in agility, good combo stats, possible links via the nation (Portugal), PSG and the league.
The rights defenders
Ryan Fredericks, DD, West Ham, Premier League
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, good speed and good agility, possible links via the nation (England) and the league.
Youcef Atal, DD, OGC Nice, Ligue 1
- Strengths: 4-5 in stars, good speed, very good agility, a complete map that is always effective on FIFA, good links possible via the league but also on Mahrez in the Premier League.
Sergino Dest, DD, FC Barcelona, La Liga
- Strengths: 4-4 in stars, good speed, very good agility, complete enough offensively to fill gaps in physicality and defense.
Gonzalo Montiel, DD, Seville, La Liga
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, very solid in speed and physicality, a good combo overall in defense and agility, via the nation (Argentina) and the league.
Emerson, DD, Tottenham, Premier League
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, solid stats in dribbling, defense and physicality for a balanced card at the start of the game, possible links via nation (Brazil), club and league.
Kevin Mbabu, DD, Wolfsburg, Bundesliga
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, excellent combo of speed, agility, defense and above all physicality, historically a great card on FIFA, excellent possible links with Wolfsburg cards.
The best defenders above 80 overall rating
We list here the best Meta cards of the game on the five major championships only. The idea is to present truly Meta players, playable at high level on FUT. Be careful though, we avoid quoting all the cards and also those really high in overall score (nothing above 85). It goes without saying that Varane and Van Dijk are playable…
The list is ordered in ascending order of overall player ratings.
Central defenders
Jason Denayer, CB, Lyon, Ligue 1
- Strengths: 3 stars from weak foot, excellent combo of speed (82 acceleration) of defense and physics, solid in dribbling, a much better card than the price suggests.
Lukas Klostermann, CB, Leipzig, Bundesliga
- Strengths: 3 stars of weak foot, excellent combo of defense speed, agility and physics, good links possible via the nation (Germany) and the league.
Pepe, CB, Porto, NOS League
- Strengths: 3 weak-footed stars, excellent physical level at the start of the game, good speed and defense, good links possible via the nation (Portugal).
Dayot Upamecano, CB, Bayern, Bundesliga
- Strengths: 3 stars of weak foot, excellent level of physics and defense, correct speed because 70 of acceleration, excellent possible links via the nation (France), the club and the league.
Joe Gomez, CB, Liverpool, Premier League
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, very good defender thanks to complete stats, good links possible via the nation (England), the club and the league.
Eder Militao, CB, Real Madrid, La Liga
- Strengths: 3 weak stars, overall stats level, everything you need from a CB at the start of FIFA, excellent links possible via the nation (Brazil), the club and the league.
Presnel Kimpembe, CB, PSG, Ligue 1
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, perfect balance of offensive and defensive ratings for a CB, very good passer, excellent links possible via the nation (France), the club and the league.
Jules Koundé, CB, Seville, La Liga
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, excellent speed and defense scores at the start of the game, good level of dribbling and physicality, excellent links possible via the nation (France) and the league.
Antonio Rudiger, CB, Chelsea, Premier League
- Strengths: 3 weak foot stars, good speed and physicality, attention to the acceleration a little weak compared to the speed, good links possible via the nation (Germany), the club and the league.
David Alaba, CB, Real Madrid, La Liga
- Strengths: 3-4 in stars, excellent balance of ratings with great dribbling and passing, a card underrated by many although excellent.
The left defenders
Renan Lodi, DG, Atletico Madrid, La Liga
- Strengths: 4-3 in stars, fairly balanced stats, good level of agility, a nice and well playable map for an excellent price, good links possible via the nation (Brazil), the club and the league.
Alphonso Davies, DG, Bayern Munich, Bundesliga
- Strengths: 4-4 in stars, incredible speed, excellent map maneuverability, effective in attack and defense, good links through the club and the league.
Ferland Mendy, DG, Real Madrid, La Liga
- Strengths: 4-5 in stars, should we still present Ferland Mendy? Best FIFA GM at launch, excellent links via nation (France), club and league.
Leonardo Spinazzola, General Manager, Rome, Serie A
- Strengths: 4-4 in stars, excellent balance of stats, very good speed, a very efficient card, probably very underrated due to the league and nation.
Théo Hernandez, DG, Milan AC, Serie A
- Strengths: 3-3 in stars, besides an almost perfect balance of stats, good attacking values and very good stamina, probably the best offensive DG in the game with Mendy.
The rights defenders
Note here: the two best DDs in the game are Hakimi and Walker, both of which are at 85 overall so out of our list. However, if you can get them, do not hesitate for a second.
Juan Cuadrado, DD, Juventus, Serie A
- Strengths: 5-3 in stars, overall excellent stats especially in dribbling, a very good card in attack, good links possible especially with Chiesa.
Aaron-Wan Bissaka, DD, Manchester United, Premier League
- Strengths: good stats both in defense and in attack, a slight lack of acceleration but a solid card, good links possible via the nation (England), the club and the league.
Jesus Navas, DD, Seville, La Liga
- Strengths: a solid card in attack (despite a relatively low speed and two weak foot stars), sometimes limited in defense because of its strength, good links via the nation (Spain) and the league.
So much for our list of the best defenders and Gold Meta cards for FIFA 22 FUT mode. Do not hesitate to consult our various guides as well as our solutions to DCE on our FIFA portal.
