Best Center Backs In Football Manager 2024

Having a solid defense in Football Manager 2024 is the foundation for building a competitive team. That usually starts with a good center-back pairing, as they are the cornerstones of the team in front of the goalkeeper.

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By  Henry Whiting

With many good center-backs in world football at the moment, players have a multitude of options at their disposal, from pacy and high-line center-backs to traditional defensive-only ones. Players should also remember to get the right center-back for their playstyle, as even the best center-backs will struggle in the wrong system.

7 John Stones

Strength And Versatility

• Age: 29 Years Old
• Price: $170 Million
• Wage: $200k Per Week

For Manchester City, John Stones has become much more fluid in terms of positioning. Although he is still predominantly a DC, Stones has been operating in full-back roles, along with occasionally stepping up into DM and performing quite well. Stones is a player that is aging, with him now being 29 years old.

Stones being English is a factor to mention, as he will immediately have an inflated price. English players, especially in the Premier League, tend to have higher fees than expected, so if gamers want to buy Stones, they should be aware that his price might be more than they anticipated. On the other hand, he has lots of competition for places at Man City, meaning he may be someone who ends up asking to leave in the future.

6 Eder Militao

Physicality And Speed

• Age: 25 Years Old
• Price: $42 Million
• Wage: $160k Per Week

For Real Madrid, Eder Militao has been an improving player, playing at both center-back and right-back. Now in Football Manager 2024, Militao is a level above to the point where he is one of the best defenders in the world whilst still having many good years ahead of him. He is 25 years old, meaning many of his stats will be built upon.

He has extremely stacked physical stats, with every physical stat being above 15, and has 18 for Natural Fitness, which is fantastic when playing on a packed schedule where having fit players is key. Militao has a bundle of stats above 15 in mental and technical stats, which will definitely improve as he gets older.

5 William Saliba

High Potential And Composure

• Age: 22 Years Old
• Price: $150 Million
• Wage: $190k Per Week

At 22 years old, William Saliba is coming off a breakout season, where he turned himself into a top center-back in the Premier League and the world. Saliba may not be the finished article in Football Manager 2024, but his potential is very high, so players can expect his stats to increase as he grows older and more experienced.

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By  Henry Whiting

Saliba is already a very complete defender, with great physical attributes that are exactly what a center-back would love to have: pace, height, strength, and even composure on the ball to play out from the back. This is backed up by his in-game stats, with 17 Composure, 17 Anticipation, and 17 Teamwork. Looking at those standout stats alone, it is clear that he is very much a smooth operator, with his play style being perfect for a possession-based team, although his pace and power massively help when he is used in a high line.

4 Kim Min-Jae

Tenacity And Aggression

• Age: 26 Years Old
• Price: $117 Million
• Wage: $93k Per Week

After joining Bayern Munich in a bold transfer away from Italian champions, Napoli, Kim Min-Jae has solidified himself as one of the world-class center-backs in Europe. His immense strength, speed, and physicality are clear in-game, which is complemented nicely by his solid passing ability. This makes Kim a good option for any high line defensive system or a possession-based system.

On top of his technical and physical prowess, Kim has great mental attributes, such as 17 Work Rate, 17 Aggression, 17 Bravery, and 18 Determination. This means he is a real warrior of a defender, something that is always a plus. Another aspect of Kim's profile that is good is his age. He is only 26, which leaves him plenty of time to develop further, along with no real chance of his physicals declining any time soon.

3 Ronald Araujo

Pace And Mentality

• Age: 24 Years Old
• Price: $110 Million
• Wage: $124k Per Week

Ronald Araujo has come on leaps and bounds over the last few seasons, transforming himself into a force at the back for Barcelona. His pace, height, and strength all combine to make him a very complete center-back. His stats across the board are all great, with a very balanced spread of 15s, 16s, and a few higher 17 stats in things such as Concentration, Heading, Tackling, and Work Rate. He is also only 24, meaning his best years are most definitely ahead of him.

Araujo has 3 stats hitting 18, too, consisting of Marking, Bravery, and Determination. It's clear that Araujo's best attributes are centered around his mentality and the more traditional elements of a defender's skill set. However, he is much more than just that. Araujo has 16 Pace, which allows him to do well in a high line whilst also being very effective in a deep block due to his high Concentration stat. This might be his best quality, as his attributes allow him to play in most systems, making him versatile and easy to manage.

2 Virgil Van Dijk

Legendary All-Rounder

• Age: 32 Years Old
• Price: $300 Million
• Wage: $260k Per Week

Now established in most people's opinions as one of the best center-backs of all time, Virgil Van Dijk is once again one of the best defenders in Football Manager. He is 32 years old, meaning his physical stats are not as prominent as before, with his pace dropping to 15, although that is still very quick for a defender.

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By  Alex Alcock

Van Dijk surprisingly has no stats above 17, which is likely due to his injury. However, his summary of stats is still very good, with 16s and 17s showing up very often. In fact, it seems he doesn't really have a standout area of stats due to his very balanced spread, making him essentially solid in every department. Regardless of his slight downgrade, it is clear that Van Dijk is a certain lock for the top 2 defenders in world football.

1 Ruben Dias

Immovable Force With Great Potential

• Age: 26 Years Old
• Price: $240 Million
• Wage: $182k Per Week

Manchester City's Portuguese rock in the back line, Ruben Dias, is just a sensational defender, and at 26 years old, he has the potential to really establish himself and get into conversations on the best all-time defender lists. Dias has strengths all over, with his mental stats being the strongest area without a doubt. He has 18 Determination, 17 Leadership, 17 Work Rate, and 16 Aggression, which are all attributes that make him a leader.

He does lack pace, with only 13 for his Pace stat. However, his Tackling being 18 and his Marking and Anticipation being 17 really do make up for the pace weakness. He is a master of reading the game whilst having a warrior's mindset, which is a great balance for center-backs. He is also extremely fit, with 18 Natural Fitness and Stamina, meaning he will be available most of the time for selection.