You can't lose games if you don't concede goals. Many defensive-minded managers have lived and died by this approach in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
In reality and especially in FIFA 21, this is easier said than done. Defending is an art in FIFA and the new improvements to dribbling and forward runs in this year's game make it even more difficult to keep a clean sheet.
Signing the best defenders is crucial in Career Mode, with world-class centre-backs and full-backs costing top dollar.
There are bargains to be found if you want to sign cheap young defenders with high potential and are willing to put the effort in to turn them into superstars.
Players with high current ratings like Matthijs de Ligt and Alphonso Davies will be too expensive for the majority of teams, but Sporting CP duo Nuno Mendes and Eduardo Quaresma might be cheaper alternatives that will eventually reach similar heights.
Game time and training is crucial to player growth in FIFA 21, so if you do sign some of these cheap wonderkids, make sure you give them enough minutes to develop properly and become superstars.
Here are all the best young defenders in FIFA 21 Career Mode, ordered by their potential rating in the game.
PO. = Position(s)
CR = Current Rating
PR = Potential Rating
VA. = Value
*Clubs listed are the clubs the players are assigned to in FIFA 21 Career Mode, while ages shown are the age at the start of Career Mode
FIFA 21: Best young defenders
# | Name | Age | Club | PO. | CR | PR | VA. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | M de Ligt | 20 | Juventus | CB | 85 | 92 | £44.6m |
2 | A Davies | 19 | Bayern Munich | LB, LM, RM | 81 | 89 | £20.3m |
3 | S Dest | 19 | Barcelona | RB | 75 | 88 | £11.7m |
4 | J Gvardiol | 18 | RB Leipzig | CB, LB | 73 | 87 | £5.9m |
5 | R James | 20 | Chelsea | RB, RWB | 80 | 86 | £27.5m |
6 | L Stergiou | 18 | St Gallen | CB | 67 | 86 | £2.2m |
7 | O Kabak | 20 | Schalke | CB | 77 | 85 | £11.7m |
8 | W Saliba | 19 | Arsenal | CB | 74 | 85 | £9m |
9 | Nuno Mendes | 18 | Sporting CP | LWB, LM | 72 | 85 | £5.4m |
10 | O Wijndal | 20 | AZ Alkmaar | LB | 77 | 85 | £11.3m |
11 | J Todibo | 20 | Barcelona | CB | 75 | 85 | £9.5m |
12 | Eduardo Quaresma | 18 | Sporting CP | CB | 72 | 85 | £5.4m |
13 | R Ait Nouri | 19 | Angers | LB | 71 | 85 | £4.2m |
14 | J Frimpong | 19 | Celic | RB, RWB | 70 | 85 | £3.2m |
15 | L Netz | 17 | Hertha BSC | LB, LM | 63 | 85 | £675k |
16 | B Arrey-Mbi | 17 | Bayern Munich II | CB, LB | 60 | 85 | £385k |
17 | N Perez | 20 | Atletico Madrid | CB | 75 | 85 | £9m |
18 | B Williams | 19 | Man Utd | LB, LWB | 75 | 85 | £8.6m |
19 | M Kumbulla | 20 | Roma | CB | 75 | 85 | £9m |
20 | Tomas Tavares | 20 | Benfica | CB | 73 | 85 | £5.9m |
21 | Nuno Tavares | 20 | Benfica | LB | 72 | 85 | £5m |
22 | Eric Garcia | 19 | Man City | CB | 72 | 85 | £5m |
23 | T Kouassi | 18 | Bayern Munich | CB, CDM | 71 | 85 | £4.1m |
24 | J Vagnoman | 19 | Hamburg | RB, LM, LB | 69 | 85 | £1.9m |
25 | N Williams | 19 | Liverpool | RB | 67 | 85 | £1.4m |
26 | M Kana | 17 | Anderlecht | CM, CDM, CM | 65 | 85 | £900k |
27 | O Rekik | 18 | Hertha BSC | CB | 63 | 85 | £700k |
28 | P Schuurs | 20 | Ajax | CB | 75 | 84 | £8.6m |
29 | T Malacia | 20 | Feyenoord | LB | 75 | 84 | £8.6m |
30 | E Ndicka | 20 | Eintracht Frankfurt | CB, LB | 74 | 84 | £7.7m |
31 | Alex Centelles | 20 | Valencia | LB | 74 | 84 | £7.2m |
32 | Z Vanheusden | 20 | Standard Liege | CB | 73 | 84 | £5.9m |
33 | L Cacace | 19 | Sint-Truidense | LB, LWB | 73 | 84 | £5.4m |
34 | N Katterbach | 19 | Koln | LB | 70 | 84 | £3.2m |
35 | E Ampadu | 19 | Chelsea | CB, CDM | 67 | 84 | £1.4m |
36 | L Pirola | 18 | Inter | CB | 63 | 84 | £700k |
37 | K Hoever | 18 | Wolves | RB, CB | 63 | 84 | £700k |
38 | C Riad | 17 | Barcelona | CB | 59 | 84 | £300k |
39 | D Bradaric | 20 | Lille | LB | 75 | 83 | £8.1m |
40 | M Aarons | 20 | Norwich | RB | 73 | 83 | £5.4m |
41 | J Bogle | 19 | Sheffield United | RB | 72 | 83 | £4.2m |
42 | W Fofana | 19 | Saint-Etienne | CB | 71 | 83 | £3.4m |
43 | David Carmo | 20 | Braga | CB | 71 | 83 | £3.5m |
44 | A Bernabei | 19 | Atletico Lanus | LB, LW, LM | 70 | 83 | £2.7m |
45 | F Agu | 20 | Werder Bremen | LB, RB, RM | 70 | 83 | £2.8m |
46 | Guillamon | 20 | Valencia | CB, CDM | 69 | 83 | £2m |
47 | J Beyer | 20 | Borussia M'gladbach | RB, CB | 69 | 83 | £1.9m |
48 | M Karbownik | 19 | Legia Warsaw | LB, CM | 68 | 83 | £1.6m |
49 | I Kabore | 19 | Man City | RB | 68 | 83 | £1.6m |
50 | Tiago Djalo | 20 | Lille | CB | 68 | 83 | £1.6m |
51 | M Bard | 19 | Lyon | LB | 67 | 83 | £1.4m |
52 | K Sardella | 18 | Anderlecht | RB, LB | 66 | 83 | £1.1m |
53 | C Richards | 20 | Bayern Munich II | CB, RB | 66 | 83 | £1.2m |
54 | E Laird | 18 | Man Utd | RB | 66 | 83 | £1.1m |
55 | T Lamptey | 19 | Brighton | RB, RM | 66 | 83 | £1.2m |
56 | T Mengi | 18 | Man Utd | CB | 65 | 83 | £900k |
57 | N Armini | 19 | Lazio | CB | 65 | 83 | £990k |
58 | T Pembele | 17 | PSG | RB, LB, CB | 63 | 83 | £600k |
59 | K Calhanoglu | 17 | Schalke | LB, LM | 62 | 83 | £575k |
60 | D Cirkin | 18 | Spurs | LB | 61 | 83 | £475k |