Full backs had their wings clipped in FIFA 22, as changes to the defensive awareness stat meant they weren’t as viable to play at center-back any more. What’s more, those overpowered down-the-line through balls had been nerfed as well. Goodness me, what did full-backs ever do to you, EA Sports?
Nevertheless, here were some of the best options in FIFA 22 to fill those left and right back positions in one of the best sports games at the time. Full-backs were often kept on Stay Back While Attacking in casual FIFA, so we tended to prioritize speed and defensive stats over other attributes, although if you were looking for a wing-back who could run the line, many of these folks covered that base too.
Here were the best fullbacks in FIFA 22:
Premier League
- Kyle Walker (RB, England): One of Manchester City’s most effective transfers, Walker was one of those players who you could slot into a FIFA team and forget about for several months.
- Joao Cancelo (RB, Portugal): We still resent City for buying Cancelo from Juventus and ruining our CR7 links, but since he was here used his fast, defensively effective card anyhow.
- Nelson Semedo (RB, Portugal): What is it about Portuguese right-backs in the Premier League? Semedo was a great early-game option until you can afford Walker.
- Sergio Reguilon (LB, Spain): He was solid and dependable, but a little on the slow side.
- Alex Telles (LB, Brazil): He used to be a secret weapon from Liga NOS, and then he became a bench-warmer at Man United, despite being better than Luke Shaw in FIFA 22.
- Hector Bellerin (RB, Spain): Arsenal’s stylish wantaway right-back was valued for his fantastic pace, and served you well for the early game.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold (RB, England): Too slow, sadly, but if you could play around that, or swapped him into central midfield with Custom Tactics, Alexander-Arnold was excellent.
- Andrew Robertson (LB, Scotland): Another player whose FIFA speed stats were a bit of a mystery, his defensive skills and passing meant he was a good option.
- DeAndre Yedlin (RWB, USA): Pace and not a lot else, but he was fairly cheap and a useful player for starter squads.
Ligue 1
- Bernat (LB, Spain): PSG had spent a fortune on excellent players around FIFA 22’s release, but it hadn’t splashed the cash on pacey left-backs for some reason, so Bernat was your best option.
- Youcef Atal (RB, Algeria): The versatile Algerian inevitably got some excellent attack-focused special cards, but even his base card made him a flexible and dependable full-back, albeit hard to link.
LaLiga
- Ferland Mendy (LB, France): Don’t act like you haven’t heard of Ferland Mendy. Mainstay of the meta rat, Mendy had speed, four-star skills and a five-star weak foot.
- Jordi Alba (LB, Spain): An expensive option that lacked the versatility of Ferland Mendy, Alba was the sort of card you wouldn’t complain about in an untradeable pack.
- Jesus Navas (RB, Spain): Always a bit of a ‘nearly man’ at Man City, Navas had been rejuvenated in LaLiga and his full-back card was a great option.
Serie A
- Theo Hernandez (LB, France): Always excellent, Hernandez had pace and strong defensive stats. Certainly the best left-back for Serie A.
- Juan Cuadrado (RB, Colombia): Hard to link, although you could put him next to Davinson Sanchez in a hybrid, Cuadrado’s five-star skills and Cristiano Ronaldo club connection meant he was popular mid-game.
Bundesliga
- Alphonso Davies (LB, Canada): Arguably the world’s best full-back at the time, Davies was hard to link, but he was the only player you wanted at left back in the Bundesliga.
- Kevin Mbabu (RB, Switzerland): Another with difficult links, Mbabu was a flashy presence on the pitch and a fast, dependable full-back.
- Nordi Mukiele (RB, France): Easier to link but a little on the slow side, Mukiele was a good option for early-game Bundesliga teams.
So there you have it, the best full backs in FIFA 22. These players had a considerable impact on your team, so it was crucial to pick up the best of the best.