The central defensive midfield position has become one of the most important roles in the modern game. With many teams today pressing high up the pitch in a 433 formation, the defensive midfielder is tasked with a plethora of defensive duties to allow the offensive players the most creative and attacking freedom possible.

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That's not all modern defensive midfielders are expected to do, however, as when their team is in possession, the CDM also helps the team play out from the back and progress the ball forward into more attacking areas. Suffice to say; the CDM position is an important one to get right in terms of recruitment, as their performance can make or break some teams. Thankfully, FIFA 22 has a range of current and former players who can win midfield battles almost single handily. Here are some of the best CDMs FIFA 22 has to offer, in order of their overall rating.

Updated May 2, 2022, by Henry Moore: As with the real beautiful game, FIFA 22 Ultimate Team is always changing, with new benefits and costs to the different systems players might implement to win their matches. The same can be said with player choice, and, as the game has evolved, so too have some of the choices for the best CDM in FIFA 22. Be it a new inform variant that has been released, or a special card that completely changes Ultimate Team and its market, players must always adapt their style if they want to stay on top. Indeed, with a slew of new and special cards on offer, it's once again time to take a look at the best defensive midfielders in FIFA 22's Ultimate Team mode.

14 Matteo Guendouzi (Winter Wildcard Version)

Matteo Guendouzi Winter wildcard

While his Arsenal career may have fizzled out due to a series of arguments with manager Mikel Arteta, Matteo Guendouzi has shown his worth in France, bossing the midfield for a strong Marseille team. This is reflected in his 86 rated Winter Wildcard, which, with its High/High work rates and affordable price, is an underrated pickup for any player's CDM position.

It is really the combination of physicality and dribbling that makes this card something special. Perfect for a 433 formation, where he is expected to take the ball from the defense and move it quickly up the pitch. Add this card's impressively cheap price, selling for between 50,000 and 80,000 coins, and players have themselves a fantastic CDM choice.

13 Franck Yannick Kessie (Rulebreakers Version)

Frank Kessie Birthday card

Frank Kessie has had a stellar season for AC Milan, as they look to overcome their local rivals to win the league. This season has seen Kessie receive a number of great cards, but none are better than his 87-rated Rulebreakers one. With fantastic defending stats and an impressive passing range, this is a card that players will not want to miss out on.

With only one of his six main stats coming in under 80, Kessie is an all-rounder. With 86 passing and 85 defending he is the perfect modern CDM. Add his mouthwateringly low prince to the mix, currently costing less than 30k on all platforms, he makes the perfect CDM to partner with any Serie A midfielder.

12 Gennaro Gattuso

gattuso card in fifa22

Gennaro Gattuso's playing career is best remembered for two things: he was part of one of the greatest AC Milan teams of all time, and he had a notorious temper, which is reflected in FIFA 22 by his nearly maxed-out 96 Aggression stat.

It's Gattuso's aggression that made him such a special player, as opposition midfielders would fear coming up against him. The Italian's aggression is reflected well in Ultimate Team - as although he won't be getting into any fights in the game - he will charge around the pitch, making tackles, winning duels, and recycling possession to the wide areas or forward players.

11 N'Golo Kanté

kante card in fifa22

N'Golo Kanté makes it onto this list as a current player with a base card, which speaks volumes as to how great the Frenchman has been since Leicester City's famous title-winning season.

With 97 Stamina and a High Defensive Work Rate, Kanté is a perfect option for teams that need a hard-working CDM who can single-handily cover large areas of the pitch to snuff out opposition momentum and prevent counter-attacks. After all, there's a reason why fans and admirers of Kanté have coined the phrase "70% of the Earth is covered by water, the rest by N'golo Kanté."

10 Casemiro (Rulebreakers Version)

casemiro card in fifa22

Casemiro is another active player on this list, though it's the Rulebreakers version of his card that makes the cut. The experienced Brazilian midfielder began his professional career at São Paulo before moving to Real Madrid in 2013, where he has remained since - barring a loan move to Porto in 2014.

Casemiro's Rulebreakers card emphasizes his shooting ability, giving him an incredible 97 Shot Power and 94 Long Shot. This doesn't seem to have tempted many people, however, as Casemiro's card is very cheap compared to the other CDM's on this list, making him a great budget option.

9 Pep Guardiola

guardiola card in fifa22

Pep Guardiola is best known for his work as a manager rather than his illustrious playing career, which illustrates just how impressive his time in the technical area has been.

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As a player, Guardiola emphasized the ball-playing aspects of the defensive midfield position by playing in the so-called quarterback role where he would sit deep, and ping passes all over the pitch from central positions. This ability to spread passes with frightening accuracy is what makes Guardiola so effective in FIFA 22, as he can turn defense into attack in an instance.

8 Claude Makélélé

makelele card in fifa22

Claude Makélélé is one of, if not the most influential player of the 21st century. The French midfielder joined the Premier League at a time when almost every team played with two central midfielders, often in a 442 formation, and left five years later with almost every team using a three-man midfield instead. This change in midfield shape is largely due to how effective Makélélé was at playing in a deep defensive midfield role, a position that is now known as "the Makélélé role."

The Frenchman would sit just ahead of the center-back pairing, essentially acting as a protective shield for the backline, which opposition teams found incredibly hard to break down. Makélélé's FIFA 22 stats do a great job of reflecting his influential position, making him a great pick for teams who want their CDM to focus on little more than defense.

7 Michael Essien

essien card in fifa22

Michael Essien played for Chelsea at the same time as Makélélé, which, unsurprisingly, made them a brutally difficult team to come up against, as opposition teams had virtually no hope of winning any midfield battles - especially with Frank Lampard being the third midfielder.

While Makélélé focused on defense and Lampard looked to score goals, Essien would be the team's workhorse, charging up and down the pitch to help transition defense to attack while also doing his part in both phases. The Ghanaian is suited for just this is FIFA 22, with his High Defensive and Attacking Work Rates and 94 Stamina letting him fly around the pitch for the full 90 minutes.

6 Emmanuel Petit

petit card in fifa22

Emmanuel Petit is the third French player on this list, which is indicative of how good the country has been and generating top-quality midfielders over the years. Petit is a very well-rounded defensive midfielder in FIFA 22, exemplified by him having a 90 stat in Short Pass, Stand Tackle, Interceptions, and Long Shots.

Petit also has High Defensive and Attacking Work Rates, which can often see him getting into shooting positions. Petit didn't score goals too often during his playing career, though he did find the net in France's 1998 World Cup victory over Brazil.

5 Frank Rijkaard

rijkaad card in fifa22

Dutch midfielder Frank Rijkaard emphasizes the defensive element of defensive midfield. All of Rijkaard's key defensive stats are around the 90 mark, which can make it very difficult for opposition teams to get at the center-backs.

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Following his playing career, Frank Rijkaard went on to have a stellar managerial career, particularly at Barcelona where he led the team to five trophies and played a significant part in the development of Lionel Messi.

4 Allan (Birthday Version)

Allan Fifa 22 Birthday card

It has been a season to forget for Everton, as they continue to plummet lower and lower in the Premier League table. That did not stop Allan from celebrating his birthday with one of the best CDM cards FIFA 22 has to offer. This Birthday card combines unbelievably high stats across the board, with chemistry a Premier League and Brazilian player brings to boot.

With 90 defending and 85 pace, as well as high defensive work rates, Allan often appears as the last line of defense against quick counter-attacks. Combine this with an impressive range of passing and the ability to score goals from distance and this card is a serious contender for the title of FIFA 22's best CDM.

3 Lothar Matthäus

mattaus card in fifa22

Lothar Matthäus differentiates himself from the other players on this list as, throughout his career, Matthäus was a constant goal threat who would arrive late into the box to get on the end of crosses or complete passing moves. The German's combination of defensive solidity and attacking prowess has not gone unnoticed by FIFA 22 players, as he is the most expensive player on this list.

Lothar Matthäus had a legendary playing career at both club and country level, which was capped off when he captained West Germany in their 1990 World Cup win over Argentina, which was the last World Cup before West and East Germany reunified.

2 Joshua Kimmich (Headliner Version)

kimmich card in fifa22

Although it's a Headliner card, the fact that Kimmich is one of the highest-rated players on this list, ahead of legends from the past, shows just how important the player has become for Bayern Munich and Germany. Along with excellent defensive stats and 96 Stamina, Kimmich has fantastic passing attributes that let him pick teammates out from all over the pitch while also being able to break defensive lines with a single swing of his foot.

Kimmick's High Attacking Work Rate and Medium Defensive Work Rate make him a risky choice to play as a lone CDM, which is a shame, though the German can work wonders in a double-pivot with a more defensive-minded player beside him.

1 N'Golo Kanté (FIFA 22 TOTY Version)

N'golo Kante Team of The Year Fifa 22

Both the highest-rated and clearly the best CDM FIFA 22 has to offer, the Team of The Year version of N'Golo Kanté adds a whole different level to Ultimate Team's CDM selection, though only for players who have the cash, of course.

With only one of his six main stats falling below 90, this card, which was released in celebration of the amazing year that Kanté had for both Chelsea and France, is a powerhouse in midfield that covers every blade of grass. Winning tackles with his 96 defending and then playing inch-accurate through balls to forwards seconds later, this card is something special. The only downside is its price, but, if that can be overcome, it really is a must-have.

FIFA 22 is out now for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5.

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