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The year's biggest football simulation game is slated to hit the stores on 28 September 2018 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. FIFA 19 will be unlike any other FIFA game as it will feature official UEFA Champions League football for the first time.
Furthermore, the company behind the franchise advertised that this year's iteration would take players one step closer to authentic football action, thanks to a slew of gameplay improvements, which were all evident in the demo that was released earlier this month.
As a part of the build-up to the game's release, EA Sports announced the list of 100 highest rated players in the game. Additionally, the company unveiled the best defensive players, and in this article, let us look closer at the top-10 defensive players in FIFA 19 as having a strong defence to keep the ball out of the back of your net is crucial to winning those tight football matches.
#10 Toby Alderweireld | 85 | CB | Tottenham Hotspur | Belgium
Toby Alderweireld takes the tenth spot on the list. The 29-year-old Belgian defender boasts exceptional stats for defending and physical, establishing himself as a powerhouse at the heart of the defence. Furthermore, Alderweireld's 70+ stats for passing allow him to push the ball to dangerous positions to create goalscoring chances.
Pace - 62
Shooting - 57
Passing - 72
Dribbling - 66
Defending - 88
Physical - 78
#9 Miranda | 85 | CB | Inter Milan | Brazil
The 34-year-old Brazilian centre-back might not be a great shooter but is an excellent tackler, thanks to his 88-rated defending skills. Miranda's high defensive work rate ensures that the Brazilian is always the first person to come back on defence while his 76-rated physical attribute makes it difficult for attackers to get past him and put the ball into the back of the net.
Pace - 68
Shooting - 49
Passing - 60
Dribbling - 69
Defending - 88
Physical - 76
#8 Thiago Silva | 88 | CB | Paris Saint Germain | Brazil
Thiago Silva is constantly ranked as one of the best defenders in FIFA and this year is no different. The 33-year-old Brazilian international is a very effective player in FIFA 19, thanks to his unrivalled defending skills. Apart from being a strong centre-back, Silva is very good at building the plays from the pack. With 71 rating for pace, he is very quick in covering large portions of the pitch, both during the attacks and on defence.
Pace - 71
Shooting - 54
Passing - 73
Dribbling - 70
Defending - 88
Physical - 79
#7 Samuel Umtiti | 87 | CB | FC Barcelona | France
Samuel Umtiti made a name for himself after a string of fantastic displays during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The 24-year-old French centre-back is a very handy man to have in the back-four, thanks to his 80+ ratings for physical and defending. Also, the Frenchman boasts decent stats for passing, dribbling and pace, positioning himself as a wonderful attacking central defender.
Pace - 72
Shooting - 64
Passing - 71
Dribbling - 72
Defending - 88
Physical - 82
#6 Jan Vertongen | 87 | CB | Tottenham | Belgium
The Belgian defender's impressive display's under Pochettino made him an integral part of the Spurs lineup. The same could be said about Vertonghen in FIFA 19; the Belgian centre-back is a formidable defender, and his 70+ ratings for dribbling and passing make him equally good to build those quick counterattacks. His high attacking and defensive work rates are an added bonus.
Pace - 63
Shooting - 63
Passing - 73
Dribbling - 72
Defending - 88
Physical - 79
#5 Diego Godin | 90 | CB | Atletico Madrid | Uruguay
Diego Godin's excellent performances for Atletico Madrid during the 2017/18 LaLiga and for Uruguay in the 2018 FIFA World Cup earned him ratings boost in FIFA 19. Godin is one of the highest-rated defenders in the game and possesses 85+ stats for both physical and defending, making it extremely hard for strikers to overpower him to create goalscoring chances.
Pace - 68
Shooting - 48
Passing - 65
Dribbling - 64
Defending - 89
Physical - 84
#4 Andrea Barzagli | 84 | CB | Juventus | Italy
Age has finally caught up with the 37-year-old Italian central defender and no longer possess a high overall in FIFA. Barzagli's high defensive work rate and excellent defending skills make him an important part of any defence in the game. However, the Italian footballer is not very versatile in higher areas of the pitch, and it is advised to position him within the half even during attacking plays.
Pace - 68
Shooting - 34
Passing - 57
Dribbling - 65
Defending - 89
Physical - 72
#3 Mats Hummels | 89 | CB | Bayern Munich | Germany
The 29-year-old German centre-back currently plies his trade for Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga. Hummels is a very effective defender in the game, thanks to his 90-rated defending skill, combined with a 76-rated physical attribute. The German is very good in the air too, making him an effective player in the box both during offensive and defensive set-pieces.
Pace - 65
Shooting - 78
Passing - 56
Dribbling - 73
Defending - 90
Physical - 76
#2 Sergio Ramos | 91 | CB | Real Madrid | Spain
Sergio Ramos is the highest rated defender in the game and is one of the two defenders who have an overall higher than 90. The 32-year-old centre-back from Spain is a machine in defensive areas, thanks to his extraordinary stats for defending and physical. Furthermore, 70+ rated stats for pace, passing and dribbling make him a very effective player to build attacks from the back.
Pace - 75
Shooting - 63
Passing - 71
Dribbling - 72
Defending - 91
Physical - 84
#1 Giorgio Chiellini | 89 | CB | Juventus | Italy
Giorgio Chiellini is the highest-rated defensive player in the game. The 34-year-old central defender from Italy shows no signs of ageing the game and is a formidable player in the heart of the defence. 90+ defending skills combined with 82-rated physical and a high defensive work rate, Chiellini is very effective in overpowering attackers of the opposing team.
Pace - 69
Shooting - 46
Passing - 56
Dribbling - 60
Defending - 91
Physical - 82
