FIFA 23 wonderkids: The 30 best young defenders

Cameron Smith

Updated: 10 Dec 2022 16:26 GMT
4 min read

Alphonso Davies playing for Bayern Munich, 2022/23 — © ProShots

Bayern Munich and Canadian wonderkid Alphonso Davies and RB Leipzig and Croatian star Josko Gvardiol are the two highest rated young defenders in FIFA 23.

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The Bundesliga prodigies both have a potential rating of 89 in FIFA 23's career mode, which is one of the most popular game modes in EA Sports' video game.

Players are given a base rating in the game mode, but have the potential to grow and become higher rated as the game progresses.

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Davies has been handed a base rating of 84 in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team, career mode and kick-off, while Gvardiol is slightly lower at 81 rated. However, they both have the potential to reach 89 rated in career mode.

As well as being the highest rated defender aged 21 or under, Davies is also the second highest rated under 21 player in the game regardless of position.

Davies has enjoyed a hugely successful rise to the top of world football following his move from his native Canada to Bayern in 2019 and he's seen his base rating increase by two from his 82 rated card in FIFA 22.

READ: FIFA 23 wonderkids: Top 30 youngsters on the game

Gvardiol was rated 75 in FIFA 22, with his plus six rating testament to his eye-catching performances in the Bundesliga in the 2021/22 season.

Paris Saint-Germain full-back Nuno Mendes, Ajax centre-back Jurrien Timber and Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio all have the potential to become 88 rated cards in career mode, with the latter originally rated 79, and the former two both rated 80.

Arsenal star William Saliba is also rated 80 in FIFA Ultimate Team, but on career mode he has the potential to reach the heights of an 87 rated card. The Frenchman has the same potential as Benfica youngster Antonio Silva, who starts as a 69 rated card.

© ProShots - William Saliba is rated 80 in FIFA 23, but could become 87 rated in career mode

Jeremie Frimpong, Wesley Fofana, Castello Lukeba, Rayan Ait Nouri and Giorgio Scalvini are all able to reach 86 rated in FIFA 23 career mode.

Piero Hincapie, Benoit Badiashile, Sergino Dest, Vandersin and Malo Gusto are among several players with a potential rating of 85.

Quentin Merlin and Micky van de Ven complete the top 30 defenders aged 21 or under with the highest potential in FIFA 23.

The 30 highest rated young defenders in FIFA 23

Player	Team	FIFA 23 Base Rating	FIFA 23 Potential Rating
Alphonso Davies	Bayern Munich	84	89
Josko Gvardiol	RB Leipzig	81	89
Nuno Mendes	Paris Saint-Germain	80	88
Jurrien Timber	Ajax	80	88
Goncalo Inacio	Sporting CP	79	88
William Saliba	Arsenal	80	87
Antonio Silva	SL Benfica	69	87
Jeremie Frimpong	Bayer Leverkusen	80	86
Wesley Fofana	Chelsea	79	86
Castello Lukeba	Olympique Lyonnais	76	86
Rayan Ait Nouri	Wolverhampton Wanderers	76	86
Giorgio Scalvini	Atalanta	70	86
Piero Hincapie	Bayer Leverkusen	78	85
Benoit Badiashile	AS Monaco	77	85
Sergino Dest	AC Milan	77	85
Vanderson	AS Monaco	76	85
Wilfried Singo	Torino	76	85
Aaron Hickey	Brentford	75	85
Malo Gusto	Olympique Lyonnais	75	85
Tino Livramento	Southampton	75	85
Tanguy Nianzou	Sevilla	73	85
Luca Netz	Borussia Monchengladbach	73	85
Eric Garcia	FC Barcelona	77	84
Odilon Kossounou	Bayer Leverkusen	75	84
Adrien Truffert	Stade Rennais	75	84
Morato	SL Benfica	74	84
Anthony Rouault	Toulouse	72	84
Levi Colwill	Brighton & Hove Albion	70	84
Quentin Merlin	FC Nantes	70	84
Micky van de Ven	VfL Wolfsburg	69	84

Read more about: UEFA Champions League La Liga Serie A Bundesliga Ligue 1 Premier League Aaron Hickey Adrien Truffert Alphonso Davies Benoit Badiashile Boško Šutalo Castello Lukeba Destiny Udogie Djed Spence Eric Garcia Gonçalo Inácio Jeremie Frimpong Jorge Sánchez Josko Gvardiol Jurrien Timber Luke Thomas Malo Gusto Melvin Bard Morato Nathan Collins Nuno Mendes Odilon Kossounou Piero Hincapié R. Aït-Nouri Sergino Dest Stephane Singo Tariq Lamptey Valentino Livramento Warmed Omari Wesley Fofana William Saliba