Best young defenders — FC 26 Career Mode
Every defender aged 21 or under in the FC 26 database, ranked by potential. Growth is potential minus current overall — what you are actually buying.
100 players · EA SPORTS FC 26 · 2025/26 season
| # | Player | Pos | Age | OVR | POT | Growth | Value | Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J. HatoChelsea · Netherlands | LB | 19 | 78 | 89 | +11 | €29M | €65K/week |
| 2 | D. HuijsenReal Madrid · Spain | CB | 20 | 82 | 89 | +7 | €56M | €125K/week |
| 3 | G. ReadFeyenoord · Netherlands | RB | 19 | 75 | 88 | +13 | €13M | €10K/week |
| 4 | Pau CubarsíFC Barcelona · Spain | CB | 18 | 82 | 88 | +6 | €40.5M | €64K/week |
| 5 | L. VuškovićHamburger SV · Croatia | CB | 18 | 72 | 87 | +15 | €5M | €34K/week |
| 6 | F. JeltschVfB Stuttgart · Germany | CB | 18 | 72 | 87 | +15 | €5M | €15K/week |
| 7 | E. BitshiabuRB Leipzig · France | CB | 20 | 75 | 87 | +12 | €12.5M | €29K/week |
| 8 | M. Lewis-SkellyArsenal · England | LB | 18 | 78 | 87 | +9 | €28M | €64K/week |
| 9 | O. DiomandeSporting CP · Côte d'Ivoire | CB | 21 | 80 | 87 | +7 | €40M | €17K/week |
| 10 | BaldeFC Barcelona · Spain | LB | 21 | 83 | 87 | +4 | €49.5M | €80K/week |
| 11 | J. SeysClub Brugge KV · Belgium | RB | 20 | 73 | 86 | +13 | €7M | €16K/week |
| 12 | P. ComuzzoFiorentina · Italy | CB | 20 | 74 | 86 | +12 | €9.5M | €26K/week |
| 13 | J. OrdoñezClub Brugge KV · Ecuador | CB | 21 | 75 | 86 | +11 | €12M | €19K/week |
| 14 | M. SmetsKRC Genk · Belgium | CB | 21 | 76 | 86 | +10 | €15.5M | €17K/week |
| 15 | K. KoulierakisVfL Wolfsburg · Greece | CB | 21 | 77 | 86 | +9 | €22M | €30K/week |
| 16 | G. ScalviniAtalanta · Italy | CB | 21 | 77 | 86 | +9 | €22M | €39K/week |
| 17 | António SilvaSL Benfica · Portugal | CB | 21 | 78 | 86 | +8 | €29.5M | €15K/week |
| 18 | L. YoroManchester United · France | CB | 19 | 78 | 86 | +8 | €28.5M | €49K/week |
| 19 | L. HallNewcastle United · England | LB | 20 | 80 | 86 | +6 | €30.5M | €81K/week |
| 20 | M. KerkezLiverpool · Hungary | LB | 21 | 82 | 86 | +4 | €41.5M | €81K/week |
| 21 | D. LeónManchester United · Paraguay | LB | 18 | 64 | 85 | +21 | €1.8M | €11K/week |
| 22 | J. GadouFC Red Bull Salzburg · France | CB | 18 | 66 | 85 | +19 | €2M | €4K/week |
| 23 | T. RamírezArgentinos Juniors · Argentina | CB | 18 | 69 | 85 | +16 | €3.3M | €5K/week |
| 24 | J. AcheampongChelsea · England | RB | 19 | 70 | 85 | +15 | €3.6M | €33K/week |
| 25 | Pau NavarroVillarreal CF · Spain | CB | 20 | 70 | 85 | +15 | €3.6M | €14K/week |
| 26 | J. SimićAl Ittihad · Serbia | CB | 20 | 70 | 85 | +15 | €3.6M | €12K/week |
| 27 | YarekPSV · Spain | CB | 20 | 73 | 85 | +12 | €7M | €12K/week |
| 28 | Martim FernandesFC Porto · Portugal | RB | 19 | 75 | 85 | +10 | €11.5M | €9K/week |
| 29 | L. Querfeld1. FC Union Berlin · Austria | CB | 21 | 75 | 85 | +10 | €12M | €21K/week |
| 30 | WesleyRoma · Brazil | RB | 21 | 77 | 85 | +8 | €22.5M | €33K/week |
| 31 | A. KhusanovManchester City · Uzbekistan | CB | 21 | 77 | 85 | +8 | €22M | €65K/week |
| 32 | MosqueraArsenal · Spain | CB | 21 | 77 | 85 | +8 | €22M | €69K/week |
| 33 | W. GoesAZ Alkmaar · Netherlands | CB | 21 | 77 | 85 | +8 | €22M | €15K/week |
| 34 | S. RendersRoyal Antwerp FC · Belgium | RB | 17 | 62 | 84 | +22 | €1.2M | €2K/week |
| 35 | Jon MartínReal Sociedad · Spain | CB | 19 | 68 | 84 | +16 | €2.9M | €10K/week |
| 36 | A. HeavenManchester United · England | CB | 18 | 69 | 84 | +15 | €3M | €21K/week |
| 37 | Y. MedinaKRC Genk · Ecuador | LB | 20 | 70 | 84 | +14 | €3.7M | €10K/week |
| 38 | Vitor ReisGirona FC · Brazil | CB | 19 | 70 | 84 | +14 | €3.5M | €33K/week |
| 39 | V. MilosavljevićAFC Bournemouth · Serbia | CB | 18 | 70 | 84 | +14 | €3.5M | €21K/week |
| 40 | K. SabbeClub Brugge KV · Belgium | RB | 20 | 71 | 84 | +13 | €4.3M | €13K/week |
| 41 | E. BaumEintracht Frankfurt · Germany | RB | 19 | 72 | 84 | +12 | €5.5M | €14K/week |
| 42 | P. DorguManchester United · Denmark | LB | 20 | 74 | 84 | +10 | €9M | €41K/week |
| 43 | N. CollinsEintracht Frankfurt · Germany | CB | 21 | 74 | 84 | +10 | €9M | €18K/week |
| 44 | Z. Van Den BoschRoyal Antwerp FC · Belgium | CB | 21 | 74 | 84 | +10 | €9M | €15K/week |
| 45 | C. MawissaAS Monaco · France | CB | 20 | 75 | 84 | +9 | €11.5M | €19K/week |
| 46 | J. JacquetStade Rennais FC · France | CB | 19 | 75 | 84 | +9 | €11.5M | €16K/week |
| 47 | Renato VeigaVillarreal CF · Portugal | CB | 21 | 76 | 84 | +8 | €15.5M | €24K/week |
| 48 | M. SarrRC Strasbourg Alsace · France | CB | 19 | 76 | 84 | +8 | €15M | €57K/week |
| 49 | R. LewisManchester City · England | RB | 20 | 77 | 84 | +7 | €20M | €65K/week |
| 50 | C. BradleyLiverpool · Northern Ireland | RB | 21 | 78 | 84 | +6 | €21M | €60K/week |
| 51 | Lucas BeraldoParis Saint-Germain · Brazil | CB | 21 | 78 | 84 | +6 | €20.5M | €49K/week |
| 52 | C. DonovanCeltic · Scotland | RB | 18 | 64 | 83 | +19 | €1.4M | €8K/week |
| 53 | A. BouwmanAjax · Netherlands | CB | 17 | 65 | 83 | +18 | €1.7M | €2K/week |
| 54 | D. OdoguAC Milan · Germany | CB | 19 | 65 | 83 | +18 | €1.7M | €8K/week |
| 55 | T. TatiFC Nantes · France | CB | 17 | 67 | 83 | +16 | €2.4M | €4K/week |
| 56 | Pedro LimaFC Porto · Brazil | RB | 19 | 68 | 83 | +15 | €2.7M | €17K/week |
| 57 | H. AmassSheffield Wednesday · England | LB | 18 | 68 | 83 | +15 | €2.7M | €19K/week |
| 58 | A. FayeFC Lorient · Senegal | CB | 20 | 68 | 83 | +15 | €2.7M | €19K/week |
| 59 | B. KovačevićCádiz CF · Serbia | CB | 21 | 68 | 83 | +15 | €2.8M | €3K/week |
| 60 | Y. ÖzcanRSC Anderlecht · Türkiye | CB | 19 | 69 | 83 | +14 | €3.1M | €27K/week |
| 61 | M. YoungSparta Rotterdam · Netherlands | CB | 19 | 69 | 83 | +14 | €3.1M | €4K/week |
| 62 | J. SpileersClub Brugge KV · Belgium | CB | 20 | 69 | 83 | +14 | €3.2M | €10K/week |
| 63 | T. MykhavkoDynamo Kyiv · Ukraine | CB | 20 | 70 | 83 | +13 | €3.6M | €9K/week |
| 64 | K. NedeljkovićRB Leipzig · Serbia | RB | 19 | 72 | 83 | +11 | €4.8M | €39K/week |
| 65 | W. KambwalaVillarreal CF · France | CB | 20 | 72 | 83 | +11 | €4.8M | €17K/week |
| 66 | A. BahOGC Nice · Sierra Leone | CB | 19 | 72 | 83 | +11 | €4.7M | €41K/week |
| 67 | N. O'ReillyManchester City · England | LB | 20 | 73 | 83 | +10 | €6.5M | €48K/week |
| 68 | V. BarcoRC Strasbourg Alsace · Argentina | LB | 20 | 75 | 83 | +8 | €12M | €30K/week |
| 69 | Juanlu SánchezSevilla FC · Spain | RB | 21 | 75 | 83 | +8 | €12M | €19K/week |
| 70 | O. El HilaliRCD Espanyol · Morocco | RB | 21 | 77 | 83 | +6 | €16M | €16K/week |
| 71 | A. NataliAZ Alkmaar · Italy | CB | 17 | 60 | 82 | +22 | €725K | €5K/week |
| 72 | B. ManguelleKRC Genk · Belgium | CB | 17 | 60 | 82 | +22 | €725K | €2K/week |
| 73 | L. JakirovićDinamo Zagreb · Croatia | CB | 17 | 61 | 82 | +21 | €975K | €2K/week |
| 74 | L. JettenAjax · Netherlands | LB | 18 | 62 | 82 | +20 | €1.1M | €2K/week |
| 75 | K. Potulski1. FSV Mainz 05 · Poland | CB | 17 | 62 | 82 | +20 | €1M | €3K/week |
| 76 | M. PalmaUdinese · Germany | CB | 17 | 62 | 82 | +20 | €1M | €2K/week |
| 77 | A. GarciaReading FC · England | LB | 17 | 63 | 82 | +19 | €1.1M | €500/week |
| 78 | E. DijkstraAZ Alkmaar · Netherlands | RB | 18 | 64 | 82 | +18 | €1.4M | €3K/week |
| 79 | A. TapeBayer 04 Leverkusen · France | CB | 17 | 65 | 82 | +17 | €1.7M | €8K/week |
| 80 | A. KintehTromsø IL · Gambia | CB | 18 | 65 | 82 | +17 | €1.7M | €1K/week |
| 81 | A. AznouEverton · Morocco | LB | 19 | 66 | 82 | +16 | €2.1M | €9K/week |
| 82 | K. CorbanieRoyal Antwerp FC · Belgium | RB | 20 | 67 | 82 | +15 | €2.3M | €7K/week |
| 83 | M. FayeCremonese · Senegal | CB | 20 | 68 | 82 | +14 | €2.7M | €8K/week |
| 84 | Héctor FortElche CF · Spain | RB | 18 | 68 | 82 | +14 | €2.7M | €19K/week |
| 85 | A. KalogeropoulosOlympiacos FC · Greece | CB | 20 | 68 | 82 | +14 | €2.7M | €10K/week |
| 86 | T. BindonSheffield United · New Zealand | CB | 20 | 69 | 82 | +13 | €3.2M | €25K/week |
| 87 | L. HøgsbergRC Strasbourg Alsace · Denmark | CB | 19 | 69 | 82 | +13 | €3.1M | €15K/week |
| 88 | T. SlotsagerHellas Verona FC · Denmark | CB | 19 | 69 | 82 | +13 | €3.1M | €5K/week |
| 89 | G. LeoniLiverpool · Italy | CB | 18 | 69 | 82 | +13 | €3M | €24K/week |
| 90 | Š. HrgovićHajduk Split · Croatia | LB | 21 | 70 | 82 | +12 | €3.8M | €10K/week |
| 91 | J. BelocianBayer 04 Leverkusen · France | CB | 20 | 70 | 82 | +12 | €3.6M | €24K/week |
| 92 | A. AnselminoBorussia Dortmund · Argentina | CB | 20 | 70 | 82 | +12 | €3.6M | €35K/week |
| 93 | J. CanvotCrystal Palace · France | CB | 18 | 70 | 82 | +12 | €3.5M | €24K/week |
| 94 | J. AdjeteyFC Basel 1893 · Ghana | CB | 21 | 70 | 82 | +12 | €3.7M | €9K/week |
| 95 | M. Del BlancoClub Atlético Unión · Argentina | LB | 21 | 71 | 82 | +11 | €4M | €6K/week |
| 96 | L. MincarelliMontpellier HSC · France | LB | 21 | 71 | 82 | +11 | €4M | €4K/week |
| 97 | Álex ValleComo · Spain | LB | 21 | 72 | 82 | +10 | €5M | €35K/week |
| 98 | L. UllrichBorussia Mönchengladbach · Germany | LB | 21 | 74 | 82 | +8 | €9M | €17K/week |
| 99 | FresnedaSporting CP · Spain | RB | 20 | 74 | 82 | +8 | €9M | €11K/week |
| 100 | E. DioufWest Ham United · Senegal | LB | 20 | 75 | 82 | +7 | €10.5M | €37K/week |
Other FC 26 lists
- Wonderkids
- Hidden gems
- Bargains
- Free agents
- Expiring contracts
- Young goalkeepers
- Young midfielders
- Young attackers
FC 26 player data comes from a public community dataset (SoFIFA-derived community dataset · 21 Sep 2025). Growth curves are this site's own projection from age and remaining potential, not values read out of the game. Career Hub is a fan project and is not affiliated with EA Sports.