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Despite the fact that it no longer has the flair it used to back when Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi both graced its ranks, La Liga continues to be the second most popular league in Europe as well as one of the most competitive. The Spanish top division still attracts major footballing talent from across the globe too and captures the interest of millions around the world.
La Liga is also immensely popular in FIFA's Ultimate Team game mode. Although it isn't chosen as frequently as the Premier League for team builds, there are still plenty of players who choose to build a La Liga team in FIFA 22. This is because the Spanish top-flight typically offers a cheaper alternative than the Premier League, while still providing players with plenty of great options all over the pitch.
Updated June 23, 2022: The footballing season is finished in most of the major leagues across the world, and while real-life clubs are caught up in transfer window frenzy, players are gearing up for one last summer of increased activity in FIFA 22 before the game gets replaced by FIFA 23 in the fall. Seeing as EA Sports' title has made its way to Xbox Game Pass, lot of franchise newcomers will get a chance to sink their teeth in the competitive Ultimate Team mode for the first time. La Liga FUT team builds are amongst some of the most popular ones, and this article has been updated to include alternative, but still affordable, choices for the four key positions: goalkeeper, center back, central midfield, and striker.
Futwiz.com was used as a source for the average prices of the players. Please note that this figure fluctuates often.
Goalkeeper
- Best option: Jan Oblak
- Budget option: Geronimo Rulli
- Alternative option: Thibaut Courtois
Just like in FIFA 21, Jan Oblak once again comes out on top as the highest-rated goalkeeper in the Spanish league, and arguably the best player in his position in FIFA 22. No other keeper comes close to his 91 overall rating, and with the reflexes, positioning, handling, and diving stats all reaching the high 80s and 90s, he is as reliable as they come. Priced at 50,000 coins on average, he can make quite a dent in players' budgets, though.
Geronimo Rulli from Villareal has had a fantastic 2020/21 season, topped off by a Europa League final win over Manchester United, a game in which he scored the decisive penalty. All throughout the year, he regularly contributed with solid performances between the goalposts, which didn't go unnoticed by EA Sports. In FIFA 22, Rulli has an overall rating of 80, and 80-rated diving and reflexes. He can be purchased for as little as 1,000 coins.
La Liga is home to some of the best goalkeepers on the planet. Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois proved this by almost single-handedly leading Real Madrid to victory in the 2021/22 Champions League final. His abilities are well-reflected in FIFA 22, with an 89 overall rating, 88-rated reflexes and a handling stat of 89. Priced at roughly 30,000 coins on average, he provides similar value to Jan Oblak, all the while being almost 20,000 coins cheaper than the Slovak Atletico Madrid legend.
Right Back
- Best option: Carvajal
- Budget option: Kieran Trippier
- Pace option: Jesus Navas
Real Madrid ended the season on a high, and Carvajal was one of the bright spots in Carlo Ancelloti's lineup. The 85-rated right defender has got the pace and dribbling skills to be very useful in attack, and the defensive skills to ensure that even the paciest wingers will have a hard time getting through on goal. At 15,000 coins, he is an investment.
Following a January transfer, the ex-Tottenham man who now plies his trade at Newcastle, but his Atletico card still provides a fantastic backup option for players who want a reliable La Liga right backl. Trippier's overall rating is 84, and while he's not as good of a dribbler as the Real Madrid star, he makes up for it with passing and defensive skills. His average price is above 10,000 coins.
When it comes to speed, former Manchester City right-back Jesus Navas is the pick of the bunch, with 87 pace and an 84 overall rating. His passing stats aren't quite on the same level as Trippier's, but he's still able to whip in a mean cross and possesses both the Early Crosser and Speed Dribbler traits. At around 9,000 coins, he is not cheap, but those looking to save a few coins can instead snap up Barcelona's Sergino Dest — who also boasts an 87 pace rating — for just 900 coins.
Center Backs
- Best options: Jules Kounde and Eder Militao
- Budget options: David Alaba and Jose Maria Gimenez
- Pace options: Jules Kounde and Eder Militao
- Alternative options: Mario Hermoso and Pau Torres
Although their overall ratings are slightly lower than those of the players in the "budget" category, Jules Kounde and Eder Militao possess something that neither David Alaba nor Jose Maria Gimenez have: pace. With 81 pace and 84 defending ratings in the case of Kounde, and Militao's 83-rated defending and speed, they shine in the areas that truly matter, hiking up their cards' values. Jules Kounde can be bought for 5,500 coins on average, while Eder Militao's prices regularly hit the 4,000-coin mark.
Alaba's move from Bayern Munich to Real Madrid has been in the making for a long time, and the 84-rated center back has finally arrived at the Spanish capital in the fall of 2021. Alongside Atletico's Gimenez, who's got eerily similar stats to the Austrian defender (OVR 84, 86 DEF, 80 PHY), they make a formidable central defense partnership for around 6,000 coins per player.
As mentioned above, Jules Kounde and Eder Militao are the two fastest center backs in La Liga (at least according to EA, anyway) and are the obvious picks for those looking to defend against pacey forwards and wingers. Anyone who blew their budget on attackers will have to settle for cheaper options, however, with Real Madrid's Nacho Fernandez (2,000 coins) and Barca's Mingueza (900 coins) being solid options in this regard. They each boast 78 pace, but cost only a fraction of Kounde and Militao: the only two center backs who can beat them for pace.
For less than 4,000 coins, players can secure their backline with a purchase of two of the best value-for-money defenders in La Liga. Both rated 82 overall, Mario Hermoso and Pau Torres are great defensive options for FIFA players who prefer a more physical approach. With 83 and 84-rated defensive stats respectively, the Atletico Madrid and Villareal stars are capable of pulling off effective last-second tackles while still being relatively fast for center backs, with Torres's 71 and Hermoso's 75 pace ratings.
Left Back
- Best option: Jordi Alba
- Budget option: Gaya
- Pace option: Ferland Mendy
When it comes to experienced La Liga wing backs, it doesn't get any better than Barcelona's Jordi Alba. Despite being 31-years-old, he's still got great pace (86), and can out dribble plenty of attacking players with a dribbling stat of 83. He may be a little less talented defensively, with 77-rated defending and 71 physicality, but it should be more than enough to keep opponents at bay. Alba can cost FIFA players between 18,000 and 24,000 coins.
Players looking for a pacey left back with slightly better defensive credentials and a lower price tag than Jordi Alba should turn towards Valencia's Gaya. The 26-year-old defender is incredibly cheap, at around 4,000 coins for an 83 OVR card with 83-rated pace, dribbling skill of 80, a 79 defensive stat, and a 73 physicality to boot.
One of many Mendy's currently plying his trade across Europe's top five leagues, Real's Ferland Mendy is the fastest La Liga left back in FIFA 22. With 92 pace, in fact, it's not even a close competition. Unsurprisingly, perhaps his high speed and 83 overall rating does mean that Mendy commands a hefty price tag, with his card regularly selling for around 8,000 coins. The next fastest left back (89 pace) is Espanyol's Adria Pedrosa, who at just 800 coins represents a real bargain.
Right Midfielder/Winger
- Best option: Marco Asensio
- Budget option: Portu
- Pace Option: Ousmane Dembele
After the departure of Leo Messi from Barcelona, good right midfielders/wingers have become difficult in La Liga. Real Madrid's Marco Asensio may not have been putting in too many stellar performances last season, but his FIFA 22 stats haven't taken too much of a hit because of that. With all the major attacking statistics breaking the 80-point threshold, he can be a very reliable assist provider and goalscorer at a very low price of 2,000 coins.
Portu is just a tiny step down from Asensio, with an 82 overall rating, and slightly worse shooting and passing stats. He does, however, have a 90-rated pace, which may make him an even better choice than Asensio for all those players looking for someone they can use to make lightning-fast runs down the right wing. At 900 coins, he's a steal, just like the Real Madrid player. With a 1,650 price tag for the two combined, getting both wouldn't be too far-fetched.
The young Frenchman may have struggled with both form and injuries since moving to Barca, but Ousmane Dembele is still incredibly fast. His 93 pace places him well ahead of his nearest rival, while his five-star weak foot and skill moves make him an excellent choice for flamboyant players. Better still, he typically sells for just 3,000 coins, making him a must-buy for anyone looking to build a speed-based La Liga team in FUT 22. As mentioned above, Portu is the next best thing.
Central Midfielders
- Best options: Toni Kroos and Frenkie de Jong
- Budget options: Federico Valverde and Sergio Canales Madrazo
- Pace options: Marcos Llorente and Alejandro Gomez
- Alternative options: David Silva and Isco
The midfield pairing of Toni Kroos and Frenkie de Jong is the perfect mix between long years of experience and youthful creativity. With 91-rated passing, Kroos will surely find the right way to get the ball into dangerous areas, and with Frenkie de Jong's 88 dribbling rating, the two are capable of ripping teams apart without much help from the rest of their teammates. While Kroos's 24,000-coin price tag is fairly affordable, Barca's de Jong will definitely make a dent in any player's budget, as he costs at least 20,000 coins on average.
Federico Valverde is a pacey (86 PAC) central midfielder with a dominant physical presence (80 PHY) on the field. At 78, his passing could be better, which is why he's best paired up with Sergio Canales Madrazo, whose 85-rated passing perfectly compliments Valverde's shortcomings. For 12,000 coins, these two make for an affordable, balanced central midfield pairing that should last players for many games to come.
Granted, central midfield is one of the few areas of the pitch where pace isn't all that important, but speed can still have its uses in the center of the park. Those looking to exploit this fact can turn to Marcos Llorente (88 pace) and Alejandro Gomez (87 pace), who'll set players back around 20,000 and 10,000 coins respectively. For those looking to improve their chemistry and save a few coins, Matheus Cunha (85 pace) may provide a better option than Gomez at just 800 coins.
Offensively-minded FUT managers don't need to break the bank in order to purchase top-notch CAMs. Real Sociedad's David Silva and Real Madrid's Isco may not be in their prime anymore, but they remain great midfielders with an impeccable eye for accurate through passes - Silva's passing is rated at 87, and Isco's at 80. They're also impeccable dribblers with 87 and 88-rated dribbling, respectively. They're definitely on the slower side, though, and are best utilized in teams that focus on the effective transition of the ball from the middle of the field to the sides of the pitch to be picked up by speedy wingers.
Left Midfielder/Winger
- Best option: Eden Hazard
- Budget option: Lucas Ocampos
- Pace option: Vinicius Jr.
His injury woes have made Eden Hazard a disappointing signing for Real Madrid. Hailed as the ultimate replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, the Belgian player has failed to replicate the stellar form he was in during his Chelsea years. With an 85 OVR rating, though, and 88-rated dribbling, Hazard can still provide moments of magic in FIFA 22. With a low price tag of 5,000, this former Ballon D'or candidate should be a no-brainer purchase for any La Liga team build.
Splashing 10,000 on Hazard could already be considered a budget player, but gamers who really need to cut costs have a viable alternative in Lucas Ocampos. The Sevilla winger is a fast (81 PAC) and strong (84 PHY) player who can pose a serious threat from outside of the penalty box with his 84-rated shots. His card can usually be found on the market for around 1,500 coins, making Ocampos a serious bargain considering what he can bring to the table.
Vinicius Jr. has been one of the standout player in La Liga so far this season and a big part of that is down to the young Brazilian's pace. He's the fastest La Liga player in FIFA 22 and tied for the fourth-fastest player in the game overall. The shooting on his base card is a little disappointing (70), but he's a solid dribbler with five-star skill moves and can be snapped up for a little over 3,500 coins. Amath Ndiaye and Alvaro Garcia provide budget options at just 500 coins, but although both of them are fast (92 pace), their other stats are fairly underwhelming.
Strikers
- Best option: Karim Benzema
- Budget option: Joao Felix
- Pace option: Inaki Williams
- Alternative options: Memphis Depay
At 34, the French star striker Karim Benzema shows no signs of stopping. If anything, he's become even better in recent years. After the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, he has taken on the responsibility of being Real Madrid's main man in attack and has been in stellar form since. It's reflected in FIFA 22 with an overall rating of 89, 86-rated shooting, and a dribbling stat of 87. Combined, they give Karim Benzema an edge over most defenders when it comes to penalty box action, making him one of the highest-rated forwards in the game.
The average price of 30,000 coins for Benzema may prove to be too much for some players seeking out a goalscorer for their new La Liga team build. They should seriously consider going for Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix. The Portuguese wonderkid is still awaiting his big break, but with an 83 OVR rating, 86 dribbling, and 82 pace, he's more than capable of converting most goalscoring opportunities that come his way.
With 94 pace, Bilbao forward Inaki Williams is the obvious choice for those looking for a pacey forward. He's the second-fastest player in the league and could potentially be picked up for just 700 coins. Granted, his 79 shooting isn't great, nor is his two-star weak foot rating, but skilled players should still be able to make this work. Alternatively, Atletico's Angel Correa arguably offers the best of both worlds with 85 pace and 83 shooting stats, though will cost players nearly three times as much as Williams.
Memphis Depay was once heralded as one of the future greats, a player that would grow into a potential Balon D'or winner. While he hasn't really lived up to these claims, the Barcelona striker can still provide great value to FUT managers, especially with a price tag of 6,000 coins on average. His stats are also incredibly balanced, with all the key attacking numbers (pace, shooting, dribbling, and passing) rated between 80 and 85.
FIFA 22 was released on September 28, 2021, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Google Stadia, and Nintendo Switch.