FIFA 23 Best Young LBs & LWBs to Sign on Career Mode (2024)

With full backs becoming increasingly important in the modern game, especially in attacking areas, we’ve shortlisted the best left backs in Career Mode so that you can take full advantage of the precocious, and often game-changing, talent that these young defenders bring to the world of football.

Choosing FIFA 23 Career Mode’s best LBs and LWBs

This article focuses on the hottest left back prospects in the game with Alphonso Davies, Theo Hernández, and Nuno Mendes being predicted amongst the best in FIFA 23.

We have ranked these prospects based on their predicted overall rating, the fact that they’re under 24-years-old, and because their favoured position is either at left back or left wing back.

At the bottom of the article, you’ll find a full list of all of the predictedbest young left backs (LB and LWB) in FIFA 23.

Theo Hernández (84 OVR – 90 POT)

Team: AC Milan
Age: 24
Wage: £44,000 p/w
Value: £53.8 million
Best Attributes: 94 Sprint Speed, 92 Acceleration, 90 Stamina

As the only left back to boast a predicted potential rating of 90 on FIFA 23, AC Milan’s Theo Hernández, who is currently rated 84, is the ultimate modern full back.

Blistering 94 sprint speed and 92 acceleration matched by 90 stamina underpins the Frenchman’s greatest qualities – his pace and physicality. He’s not, however, just a pace merchant; Hernández’s 84 crossing and 83 dribbling complements his 80 sliding tackle in FIFA, proving that he’s an incredibly valuable player at both ends of the pitch.

Hernández joined last season’s Serie A runners-up after a transfer fee just short of £20 million from Real Madrid in 2019, which now appears to be outstanding business from the Italian giants.

Having scored five goals with six assists in 32 Serie A games last year, Hernández is one of the world’s premier defenders and continues to see his stock rise each game.

In February 2022, the Rossoneri awarded the Frenchman a new contract until 30 June 2026. The new deal makes him one of the highest paid players at the club. He has already opened his account in the current campaign, scoring one goal after six Serie A games.

Alphonso Davies (84 OVR – 89 POT)

Team: FC Bayern München
Age: 21
Wage: £51,000 p/w
Value: £49 million
Best Attributes: 96 Sprint Speed, 96 Acceleration, 85 Dribbling

At an 84 overall, and with the predicted potential to reach an 89 rating in Career Mode, Bayern’s Alphonso Davies has made his name as one of the hottest prospects in the world.

Davies is the quickest defender in this year’s FIFA. Last year, he had 96 in both sprint speed and acceleration, offering users a massive advantage in both attack and defence which is tactically ideal in-game. The Canadian can unsurprisingly also be used at left midfield to best capitalise on his 85 dribbling, 85 agility, and 4-star skill moves and weak foot.

After a prodigious start to his career at Canadian MLS outfit Vancouver Whitecaps, Davies has evolved into a superstar wing back for the Bundesliga champions, amassing 31 appearances across all competitions in the 2021/22 campaign for Bayern Munich. He is yet to bag any goals after playing eight games this season but has bagged an assist and continues to remain a regular under Julian Nagelsmann.

Davies often saves his best performances for the Canadian national side and his 12 goals in only 32 caps suggests that the 21-year-old will be one of the biggest names in football, both domestically and internationally, for years to come.

Renan Lodi (81 OVR – 86 POT)

Team: Nottingham Forest (on loan from Atlético Madrid)
Age: 24
Wage: £42,000 p/w
Value: £31.4 million
Best Attributes: 85 Acceleration, 85 Agility, 84 Stamina

As an already established top-tier left back, Renan Lodi will have room to develop in FIFA 23, as outlined by his predicted 81 overall and 86 potential last year.

Besides being a goal-scoring threat, Atlético’s first choice left back can do it all as illustrated by his current 81 crossing, ball control, dribbling, and curve. 79 sliding tackle, 78 standing tackle, and importantly 84 stamina also means that Lodi can fulfil his defensive duties for the full 90 minutes.

Athletico Paranaense sold their star defender in 2019 to Atlético Madrid for £18.5 million, and since then Lodi has cemented his place as Brazil’s long-term left back option after impressive performances in the Champions League for Atléti, and this summer in Brazil’s unsuccessful Copa América campaign in 2021.

Ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, the left-back joined English side Nottingham Forest in a loan deal and has already secured 159 minutes of Premier League action as at the time of writing.

Ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, the left-back joined English side Nottingham Forest in a loan deal and has already secured 159 minutes of Premier League action as at the time of writing.

At 24, Renan Lodi is approaching his peak; a peak which could see him become one of Europe’s most talented full backs.

Pervis Estupiñán (79 OVR – 85 POT)

Team: Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Age: 24
Wage: £25,000 p/w
Value: £22.4 million
Best Attributes: 83 Sprint Speed, 81 Acceleration, 80 Standing Tackle

Ecuador’s Pervis Estupiñán has quietly become a tremendously talented left back – as outlined by his predicted 79 overall rating and 85 potential.

The pacey Villareal star had plenty of strings to his bow last year: 80 standing tackle, 79 sliding tackle and crossing, and 78 short passing are his standout attributes in conjunction with his 83 sprint speed and 81 acceleration. Estupiñán really is predicted to be a complete modern left back.

Estupiñán began his professional career in Ecuador, but after being sold by Watford to Villareal for just shy of £15 million, despite never making a senior appearance in English football, the 15-time Ecuadorian international showcased his considerable talent in La Liga and the Europa League.

His brilliant performances saw a host of top sides in Europe battle for his signature, including the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal. In the end, he surprisingly joined Brighton in the summer of 2022 for £17m and has already made four Premier League appearances in the 2022/23 campaign as at the time of writing.

He is considered one of the most promising left backs in the world in FIFA 23.

Owen Wijndal (79 OVR – 84 POT)

Team: Ajax
Age: 22
Wage: £9,000 p/w
Value: £21.5 million
Best Attributes: 86 Stamina, 85 Sprint Speed, 84 Acceleration

As one of the Eredivisie’s star defenders, Owen Wijndal has become a superb potential signing on FIFA 23 with a overall rating of 79 and a potential of 84.

A physical left back, Wijndal is quick and energetic. A stamina rating of 86 paired with 85 sprint speed and 84 acceleration last year signifies this, whilst his high attacking work rate implies that the flying Dutchman will be a constant influence in the final third.

Wijndal is a very successful product of the AZ Alkmaar youth academy and his 10 goal contributions for Kaaskoppen in the 2021/22 Eredivisie season attracted the attention of Ajax and he joined the reigning champions in a £9m move in the summer of 2022.

In the Netherlands, playing for Ajax is obviously the ultimate dream for a 22-year-old and it is currently the reality for Wijndal. In the 2022/23 campaign, he has already made two appearances for the Dutch giants, spanning 180 minutes of league action as at the time of writing.

Away from club football, Dutch fans know what Wijndal is capable of after eleven solid appearances for the national side, but this is just the beginning of what appears to be a very bright future for him, both in real life and potentially in your Career Mode save.

Nuno Mendes (78 OVR – 88 POT)

Team: Paris Saint-Germain
Age: 19
Wage: £7,000 p/w
Value: £24.9 million
Best Attributes: 88 Sprint Speed, 82 Acceleration, 82 Agility

PSG’s on-loan youngster Nuno Mendes is already a quality left wing back at 78 overall in last year’s game, but he looks set to develop into a world-leading defender in your save if he can reach his 88 potential.

The Portuguese left wing back is typical of many elite defenders in last year’s game – he’s fast. 88 sprint speed speaks for itself, although Nuno is a very well-rounded young defender as his current 76 standing tackle, 75 ball control and 74 crossing suggests.

Sporting CP loaned Nuno Mendes to PSG for the 2021/2022 campaign where impressed for the French giants. Although he didn’t score a goal, he racked up 27 league appearances in PSG’s title-winning campaign last season. His brilliant performances saw him nominated for the Young Player of The Year award in 2022 and listed in the Team of The Year too.

After impressing in his loan stint, PSG made his move permanent in the summer of 2022, spending £34m to make that happen. In the current campaign, he has already racked up 10 appearances across all competitions under Christophe Galtier, scoring one goal and recording two assists.

Given the player’s current abilities and potential to improve, that price could end up as a massive bargain in years to come.

All of the best young LBs on FIFA 23 Career Mode

In the table below you’ll find all the best under 23-year-old LBs and LWBs in FIFA 23, sorted by their potential rating.

If you want the best LBs or LWBs to improve your FIFA 23 Career Mode save look no further than the table provided above.

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