'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With FIFA 23's release date looming closer, EA has been releasing a lot of official ratings/stats and one of the latest was the list of the top 20 fastest players in the game irrespective of whether they are a striker or centre-back.
While the forwards take all the limelight, gamers looking for the highest-paced centre-back (CB) in FIFA 23 need not look any further than Jeremiah St. Juste and Ruan Gregório Teixeira.
The fastest centre-backs in FIFA 23 will be a strong option for your starter squad
Jeremiah St. Juste, the Dutch defender currently playing for Sporting CP, has officially retained his title as the fastest centre-back in FIFA 23. But, he is not the only one at the top as he is also joined by Ruan Gregório Teixeira, the centre-back for the MLS team Orlando City.
Both players are tied at an astonishing pace rating of 93, just one shy of the fastest defenders in the game. At 25 years of age, St. Juste is by far the youngest of the two, with Teixeira being two years older than him.
The Dutchman also has a considerable advantage when it comes to overall rating, with him being rated 76 while Teixeira is rated at 67, which makes him a silver card as opposed to St. Juste's gold.
Here is the rating by rating comparison between the players.
St. Juste appears to have been buffed up from the last title, where his pace was 91. In a game where pace is king, his two-point upgrade is a huge deal. Although it hasn't earned him an upgrade to his overall rating, the above 93 Pace puts him at par with most attackers and midfielders.
While the detailed player stats are not out yet, he should have a pretty high sprint speed and acceleration, going by last year's estimates.
Teixeira, on the other hand, seems to have gotten an overall downgrade from his previous rating. He was rated 68 last year, but has been reduced by one point in FIFA 23. Regardless, he has retained his high pace of 93, meaning that he, too, can go toe-to-toe with fast attackers and help his team defend.
Exploring the importance of pace
Pace is a meta-defining characteristic in FIFA games, especially for FUT players looking to leave their opponents in the dust. With EA cutting Pace stats left and right, many older players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have received substantial downgrades, making people question their viability.
Headliner Kylian Mbappe might dazzle in the pace department with his near-perfect score, but a strong team also needs fast defenders to stop those pesky counter-attacks in their tracks.
The pace stat on a player's card is dependent primarily on two factors: Sprint speed and acceleration. If FIFA 23 is anything like its predecessors, high in-game pace will be king and allow players to run past the defense with ease. Unless there is someone in the back line fast enough to stop them.
While FIFA 23 is at the cutting edge of football simulations, it is still a video game and each match is much shorter than in real life.
This means that gamers automatically prefer players with high speeds who can cover large distances on the pitch faster. Making their actions quicker is one of the few things that gives pace such an edge in the FIFA meta.
Despite the changes EA have brought into what is slated to be their last game under the FIFA banner, it is likely that the title will still favor players who can run past their opponents with high acceleration and spring speeds.
Despite simulating real-life physics, collisions, and the way defense works, a player who can run fast will still be preferred.
FIFA 23 is set to be released across all platforms on September 30 and with an array of new features, it might just become the best football game in the series.
