Defense is one of the most hotly debated topics among many fans of EA FIFA 23 Game. Whether playing online or against the AI, players face some early difficulties in mastering defensive arts. In order to stop the trickiest wingers and forwards, it is important to equip your Ultimate Team squad with defenders with the right attributes.
The threat of speed is ever-present in the FIFA Gaming streaks and dealing with the fastest players in the game by signing equally agile defenders can often be the key to success. A few top-tier, silver-rated defenders offer a cheap and efficient way to solve defensive problems in Ultimate Team.
10/10 Calvin Bassey—74
A rising star on and off the pitch, Ajax left-back Calvin Bassey plays regularly for and becomes one of the Dutch champions in the UEFA Champions League FIFA 23‘s most popular silver cards to buy. Bassey’s Ultimate Team card, transferred from Rangers to the Eredivise for around £20m, is ideal for left-side defense as she has good pace and technical ability.
At 22, the Nigerian international is one of the future and should be a favorite for career mode players thanks to his potential 84 rating. Bassey can be used as a central defender or left full-back and is available for less than 1,000 coins in Ultimate Team.
9/10 Adama Soumaoro – 74
Central defender Adama Soumaoro has received a 74 rating FIFA 23, making him the highest rated Bologna player in the game. Despite his lack of agility, Soumaoro’s excellent in-game attributes mean he makes up for it with confident, sure-footed defense.
Selling for around 650 coins on Ultimate Team, the 30-year-old is a great budget option to team up with a faster centre-back when playing online. Before his arrival in Italy’s top flight, Soumaoro spent a decade in the Lille first-team in Ligue 1, making over 100 appearances.
8/10 Damien da Silva – 74
While sometimes it is difficult to translate the real-world gaming experience of experienced defenders into them FIFA 23 Skill, Damien Da Silva’s stats are exemplary of an outstanding 16-year career in professional football. From the lower leagues to the elite of French football with Olympique Lyonnais, Da Silva is a typical no-nonsense centre-back.
For Ultimate Team players, his 36 pace rating is a concern, but an overall 75 defensive attribute score is more akin to a gold-rated player and demonstrates the French defender’s reliability in defence.
7/10 Andreas Ulmer – 74
Red Bull Salzburg has been one of the best performing clubs in Europe over the last decade, developing world-class talents like Sadio Mané and Erling Haaland in the process. A constant presence in their success has been left by Andreas Ulmer, who has surpassed 500 appearances for the Austrian side in the 2021-22 season.
Crowned 31 times by the Austrian national team, the 74-rated Ulmer costs just 350 coins on the current Ultimate Team transfer market. His low market value is mainly due to his age, as the left-back is 36 and nearing his swan song as Salzburg captain.
6/10 Ryan Bertand – 74
It’s an easy fact to forget, but Leicester City defender Ryan Bertrand, aged 74, has a UEFA Champions League winner’s medal in his honor collection. The 19-cap England international started as a left winger for Chelsea in the 2012 Champions League final and remarkably ended his surprise debut in European competition with one of football’s most coveted trophies.
Despite playing the most important game of his career from his accustomed position, Bertrand excelled and has since established himself as one of the Premier League’s most accomplished left-backs with Southampton and Leicester. The 33-year-old is a solid Silver option for Ultimate Team.
5/10 Vitorino Antunes – 74
Vitorino Antunes retained some useful qualities FIFA 23 although he celebrated his 35th birthday in April 2022. Antunes has been awarded 70 points for acceleration, 72 sprint speed and 71 agility and is one of the best left-backs in the Portuguese league.
The defender, who is currently in the second season of a 2-year contract with Primeira Liga’s Paços Ferreira, is something of a journeyman footballer having represented 11 different European clubs during his long career. Antune’s stints in Ukraine, Spain, Italy and Greece have clearly served him well, winning 13 caps for the hard-fought Portugal national team.
4/10 Federico Fazio – 74
A giant in defence, Federico Fazio was signed from Serie A club Salernitana in January 2022 after a 6-year stint with Roma. The 1.95m tall centre-back is a commanding physical force that is reflected in his FIFA 23 Statistics, distinguished with high numbers in aggression and physicality.
Born in Buenos Aires, Fazio has been used sparingly on the international stage with 10 caps in seven years for Argentina. The former Tottenham defender adds a serious aerial threat to any team in Ultimate Team, scoring multiple goals from corners in a career-strength 30 goals.
3/10 Radim Reznik – 74
Right back on with the best attributes for everyone rated Silver FIFA 23, Czech international Radim Řezník could be the answer to your Ultimate Team defensive woes. Combining a decent score for speed with great physicality, Řezník is a strong, albeit lesser known, alternative for right side of defense and sells for around just 400 coins.
However, as Řezník is currently playing for Viktoria Plzeň from the Czech Premier League, who have been allocated a place FIFA 23‘s “Rest of the World” section, finding suitable teammates that boost chemistry to play with him might be a challenge.
2/10 Makoto Hasebe – 74
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Makoto Hasebe has transformed from a battle-hardened defensive midfielder into an accomplished centre-back and is an underrated Bundesliga icon. Hasebe was signed by Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds from Wolfsburg in 2008 and has since played over 400 games in all competitions for Wolfsburg, Nuremberg and Eintracht Frankfurt.
On the pitch, Hasebe is the role model, leading Eintracht from the relegation zone to triumph in last season’s UEFA Europa League final. The 114-time Japan international is rated 74 FIFA 23 and offers squad flexibility with its ability to play in a defensive midfield role.
1/10 Joel Ward-74
Crystal Palace star Joel Ward has retained his 74 overall rating fifa 22, making it one of the Premier League’s top bargains for Silver-rated defenders in Ultimate Team at around 550 coins. Ward has featured prominently for the Selhurst Park squad since 2012 and also has a scanned player’s face in-game – a huge perk for lovers of authenticity FIFA 23 career mode.
Ward’s defensive stats are his greatest asset FIFA 23, while its 188 cm height also gives it an advantage when defending or attacking corner kicks. Prior to joining Crystal Palace, Ward’s football career began at Portsmouth between 2008 and 2012.
FIFA 23 is available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch and PC.
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