TacticsPlayersGuides
    About UsContact UsPrivacy PolicyTerms & ConditionsDisclaimer

    Built by someone who had too much extra time on their hands after FM 25 was cancelled

    A product by2nd Foundry2nd Foundry
    AssMan.AI Logo

    Centre-back Profiles

    Stopper, Cover, BPD: every back four is a triangulation between aggression, recovery, and progression. Pairings here decide how high your line can hold and whether you keep clean sheets against pace.

    Example Football Manager player profile - Anthony Jouen

    Upload a screenshot like this from your Football Manager player's screen

    Upload Player Information

    Upload your players' profile screen, or paste from clipboard

    Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WebP • Max size: 5MB

    How to Upload a Screenshot

    1. 1
      Take a screenshot using PrtScn or Snipping Tool
    2. 2
      Click the upload area or drag & drop your image
    3. 3
      Select your screenshot from the file dialog
    4. 4
      Wait for AI analysis to complete
    Filter by position

    Showing 1–30 of 74

    Martin Harrison profile photo

    Martin Harrison

    DC • Central Defender • Defend
    Strong tackling and marking skills.
    High bravery and determination.
    CB17 yrs
    €160K
    Key Attributes
    MillwallENG
    Ryota Machida profile photo

    Ryota Machida

    DC • No-Nonsense Centre-Back • Defend
    High Tackling and Marking attributes make him effective in defensive duels.
    Strong physical attributes like Strength and Natural Fitness enhance his ability to handle physical battles.
    CB18 yrs
    €5.2M
    Key Attributes
    Stays Back At All Times
    VaduzJapan
    Javier Tellez profile photo

    Javier Tellez

    DC • No-Nonsense Centre-Back • Defend
    High Determination and Teamwork make him reliable in defense.
    Strong Marking and Tackling skills suit a defensive role.
    CB18 yrs
    €6.2M
    Key Attributes
    VaduzSpain
    Juan Carlos Romero profile photo

    Juan Carlos Romero

    DC • Overlapping Centre-Back • Support
    Strong defensive attributes such as Tackling and Marking.
    Good physical attributes like Pace and Agility for overlapping runs.
    CB21 yrs
    €34.0M
    Key Attributes
    Refrains From Taking Long Shots
    VaduzMexico
    Arián Hoyos profile photo

    Arián Hoyos

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Defend
    Strong tackling and marking attributes make him effective in defensive situations.
    Good anticipation and positioning enhance his ability to read the game.
    CB20 yrs
    €18.5M
    Key Attributes
    Knocks Ball Past OpponentRefrains From Taking Long Shots
    VaduzArgentina
    Unknown Player profile photo

    Unknown Player

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Cover
    High Passing and Technique make him effective in distributing the ball from the back.
    Strong Tackling and Marking ensure defensive solidity.
    CB24 yrs
    €89.0M
    Key Attributes
    Tries Long Range PassesLikes To Switch
    LiverpoolBrazilian
    Nico Schlotterbeck profile photo

    Nico Schlotterbeck

    DC • Ball-Playing Centre-Back • Defend
    Excellent Tackling and Marking for defensive duties.
    Strong Passing and Vision for initiating plays from the back.
    CB27 yrs
    €46.0M
    Key Attributes
    Winds Up OpponentsGets Crowd GoingTries Long Range Passes
    Borussia DortmundGermany
    Giovanni Leoni profile photo

    Giovanni Leoni

    DC • Wide Centre-Back • Defend
    Strong defensive attributes such as Marking and Tackling.
    Good physical presence with Jumping Reach and Strength.
    CB18 yrs
    €13.5M
    Key Attributes
    LiverpoolItaly
    Sadibou Sane profile photo

    Sadibou Sane

    DC • Ball-Playing Centre-Back • Defend
    Strong marking and tackling abilities make him effective in defensive duels.
    Good passing and vision support playmaking from the back.
    CB23 yrs
    €24.0M
    Key Attributes
    Marks Opponent TightlyAvoids Using Weaker FootDives Into Tackles
    LOSCSenegal
    Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh profile photo

    Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh

    DC • No-Nonsense Centre-Back • Defend
    High Tackling and Marking attributes make him effective in defensive duels.
    Strong Heading and Jumping Reach are ideal for aerial challenges.
    CB20 yrs
    €39.0M
    Key Attributes
    SV Werder BremenThe Gambia
    Chibuike Nwaiwu profile photo

    Chibuike Nwaiwu

    DC • No-Nonsense Centre-Back • Defend
    High Tackling and Marking attributes make him effective in defensive duties.
    Strong Positioning and Concentration enhance his ability to maintain defensive shape.
    CB24 yrs
    €550K
    Key Attributes
    Plays Short Simple PassesDives Into TacklesRuns With Ball Rarely
    Wolfsberger ACNigeria
    Alan Lorenzo profile photo

    Alan Lorenzo

    DC • Central Defender • Defend
    Strong tackling and marking skills.
    Good anticipation and positioning.
    CB27 yrs
    €85K
    Key Attributes
    OrenseArgentina
    Lewis Brady profile photo

    Lewis Brady

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Defend
    Strong tackling and marking skills
    Good heading ability
    CB18 yrs
    €380K
    Key Attributes
    ProfessionalBrave
    FulhamEnglish
    Cristian Romero profile photo

    Cristian Romero

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Defend
    High Tackling and Marking make him excellent at defensive duties.
    Strong Aggression and Bravery enhance his ability to challenge opponents.
    CB26 yrs
    €70.0M
    Key Attributes
    Dives Into TacklesArgues With Officials
    TottenhamARG
    Mateusz Wieteska profile photo

    Mateusz Wieteska

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Defend
    Strong defensive attributes such as Marking and Tackling.
    Good Heading ability for aerial duels.
    CB32 yrs
    €4.3M
    Key Attributes
    Gets Into Opposition AreaTries Long Range Passes
    WrexhamPolish
    Bashir Humphreys profile photo

    Bashir Humphreys

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Defend
    Strong tackling and marking make him reliable in defense.
    Good passing and technique allow him to distribute the ball effectively.
    CB26 yrs
    €12.5M
    Key Attributes
    Dwells On BallTries Long Range PassesBrings Ball Out of Defence
    WrexhamUgandan
    Max Geschwill profile photo

    Max Geschwill

    DC • Wide Centre-Back • Defend
    Strong tackling and marking abilities.
    Good physical attributes for a central defender.
    CB24 yrs
    €120K
    Key Attributes
    MagdeburgGER
    Tobias Müller profile photo

    Tobias Müller

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Defend
    Strong marking and tackling attributes.
    Good passing and technique for a defender.
    CB31 yrs
    €210K
    Key Attributes
    Tries Long Range Passes
    MagdeburgGER
    Marcus Mathisen profile photo

    Marcus Mathisen

    DC • Central Defender • Defend
    Strong tackling and marking abilities.
    Good leadership and teamwork skills.
    CB29 yrs
    €1.1M
    Key Attributes
    Tries To Play Way Out Of TroubleDives Into TacklesTries Long Range Passes
    MagdeburgDEN
    Lewis Allsopp profile photo

    Lewis Allsopp

    DC • Ball-Playing Centre-Back • Defend
    Strong tackling and passing abilities make him suitable for a Ball-Playing Centre-Back role.
    High pace and acceleration allow him to cover defensive gaps quickly.
    CB19 yrs
    €32.0M
    Key Attributes
    Knocks Ball Past Opponent
    Man Utd U21sENG
    Leny Yoro profile photo

    Leny Yoro

    DC • Ball-Playing Defender • Defend
    High marking and heading attributes make him effective in defensive situations.
    Strong anticipation and concentration aid in reading the game and making interceptions.
    CB22 yrs
    Free Agent
    Key Attributes
    Avoids Using Weaker FootBrings Ball Out of Defense
    Manchester UnitedFrench
    Leny Yoro profile photo

    Leny Yoro

    DC • Central Defender • Defend
    Strong in Heading and Tackling, crucial for a central defender.
    High Positioning and Anticipation, important for reading the game.
    CB22 yrs
    €114.0M
    Key Attributes
    Avoids Using Weaker FootBrings Ball Out of Defense
    Man UtdFrance
    Christopher Cupps profile photo

    Christopher Cupps

    DC • No-Nonsense Centre-Back • Defend
    High Heading and Tackling make him effective in defensive duels.
    Strong Leadership and Teamwork enhance organizational skills.
    CB18 yrs
    €30.0M
    Key Attributes
    AS MonacoUSA
    Christopher Cupps profile photo

    Christopher Cupps

    DC • No-Nonsense Centre-Back • Defend
    High Heading and Tackling make him effective in defensive duels.
    Strong Leadership and Teamwork enhance organizational skills.
    CB18 yrs
    €30.0M
    Key Attributes
    AS MonacoUSA
    Erik Haag profile photo

    Erik Haag

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Defend
    Strong tackling and marking skills.
    Good leadership and teamwork attributes.
    CB17 yrs
    €4.2M
    Key Attributes
    Does Not Dive Into Tackles
    Hammarby IFSwedish
    Benjamin Tanimu profile photo

    Benjamin Tanimu

    DC • Central Defender • Stopper
    Strong heading ability (14) for aerial duels.
    Good tackling (13) and positioning (12) for defensive stability.
    CB20 yrs
    €110K
    Key Attributes
    Crawley TownNigerian
    Colwill profile photo

    Colwill

    DC • Ball Playing Defender • Defend
    Strong defensive attributes such as Marking and Tackling.
    High Composure and Concentration for playing out from the back.
    CB21 yrs
    €86.0M
    Key Attributes
    ChelseaEngland
    O. Diomande profile photo

    O. Diomande

    DC • Central Defender • Defend
    High Tackling and Marking make him effective in defensive duels.
    Strong Positioning and Concentration ensure solid defensive awareness.
    CB20 yrs
    €97.0M
    Key Attributes
    Cảm Bóng Ra Khỏi Vị Trí Phòng Thủ
    ChelseaIvory Coast
    Fofana profile photo

    Fofana

    DC • Central Defender • Defend
    High tackling and marking attributes make him effective in defensive situations.
    Strong physical attributes such as strength and jumping reach enhance aerial ability.
    CB23 yrs
    €66.0M
    Key Attributes
    Di Bóng Xuyên Vào Trung Lộ
    ChelseaFrance
    Matthias Wetschka profile photo

    Matthias Wetschka

    DC • Central Defender • Defend
    Strong Marking and Tackling attributes make him effective in defensive situations.
    High Jumping Reach and Strength are ideal for aerial duels.
    CB20 yrs
    €350K
    Key Attributes
    Blue LockAUT
    • Previous
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • Next

    Pick a position, read the role theory first

    The cards above are uploaded player profiles. If you're trying to figure out which role a player should be playing (or which type of player your tactic actually needs), start with the articles below. Each bucket links to the guides that explain the role distribution, the pairings that work, and the antipatterns that don't. Recent community uploads in each position are listed underneath.

    Centre-backs

    Stopper, Cover, BPD: every back four is a triangulation between aggression, recovery, and progression. Pairings here decide how high your line can hold and whether you keep clean sheets against pace.

    Player pairings

    Centre-Back Pairings

    Stopper-Cover, BPD-CD, two BPDs. How centre-back duties shape your defensive shape.

    12 min readRead
    Foundations

    Defensive Line and Line of Engagement

    The pairing rule for Defensive Line and Line of Engagement, all 9 combinations, and the gap that costs goals.

    12 min readRead
    Squad building

    Reading FM Attributes for Tactical Fit

    The 13/15/17 working tiers in FM, hidden attributes that scouting won't show, and the per-role priorities that actually matter.

    12 min readRead
    Squad building

    Recruitment by Tactical Fit

    Scout for system fit, not stat stars. The shortlist filters in FM that map to your tactic, and the role-attribute matrix to use.

    12 min readRead
    Recent centre-backs from the community
    • Martin Harrison — Millwall
    • Ryota Machida — Vaduz
    • Javier Tellez — Vaduz
    • Juan Carlos Romero — Vaduz
    Browse all (74) centre-backs

    Full-backs and wing-backs

    The position whose duty changes the entire shape of the team. Attacking full-backs turn 4-4-2 into 2-4-4 in possession; defensive full-backs let your front three stay aggressive without leaving the centre-backs alone.

    Player pairings

    Full-Back and Winger Pairings

    Overlap, underlap, IF + attacking WB. The same-channel rule for full-back and winger pairings, and the cases where it doesn't apply.

    12 min readRead
    Foundations

    Wing Play vs Central Play

    Build through the wide areas or through the middle? A working framework for picking the right one for your squad.

    10 min readRead

    Defensive midfielders

    Anchor, Half-Back, DLP, Regista, BWM. Each one solves a different problem and creates a different gap. Pick the wrong one and your back four has nobody screening them.

    Player pairings

    Midfield Pairs in 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2

    Double pivots and flat pairs in 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2: when each pairing works, when it collapses, and the AMC unicorn that rescues both.

    12 min readRead
    Player pairings

    Midfield Trios

    Holder, runner, creator: the role distribution rule for three-man midfields, the AMC variants, and the antipatterns that break them.

    12 min readRead

    Central midfielders

    The role that does the most invisible work. Box-to-Box, Mezzala, Carrilero, Roaming Playmaker: the right pick depends on what the players around them are doing as much as the player's own attributes.

    Player pairings

    Midfield Trios

    Holder, runner, creator: the role distribution rule for three-man midfields, the AMC variants, and the antipatterns that break them.

    12 min readRead
    Player pairings

    Midfield Pairs in 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2

    Double pivots and flat pairs in 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2: when each pairing works, when it collapses, and the AMC unicorn that rescues both.

    12 min readRead

    Attacking midfielders

    The number ten lives in the half-space behind the striker. Trequartista, Enganche, Shadow Striker, AP: each variant trades creativity for off-ball discipline differently, and your midfield pivot has to pick up the slack accordingly.

    Player pairings

    Midfield Trios

    Holder, runner, creator: the role distribution rule for three-man midfields, the AMC variants, and the antipatterns that break them.

    12 min readRead
    Player pairings

    Midfield Pairs in 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2

    Double pivots and flat pairs in 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2: when each pairing works, when it collapses, and the AMC unicorn that rescues both.

    12 min readRead

    Wingers and wide midfielders

    Inside Forward, Inverted Winger, traditional Winger, Wide Playmaker. The choice is whether the wide player attacks the half-space or hugs the touchline, and whether your full-back is the one providing width or not.

    Player pairings

    Full-Back and Winger Pairings

    Overlap, underlap, IF + attacking WB. The same-channel rule for full-back and winger pairings, and the cases where it doesn't apply.

    12 min readRead
    Foundations

    Wing Play vs Central Play

    Build through the wide areas or through the middle? A working framework for picking the right one for your squad.

    10 min readRead

    Strikers

    Poacher, Complete Forward, False 9, Pressing Forward, Target Man. The striker role is the load-bearing piece for everything else: a False 9 changes what your wide forwards have to do, a Pressing Forward changes what your defensive line is allowed to be.

    Player pairings

    Striker Partnerships in FM

    Target Man and Poacher, False 9 and Inside Forward: the striker partnerships that solve isolation, plus the pairings that contradict.

    12 min readRead
    Playing styles

    Gegenpressing: A Full Guide

    Klopp-style gegenpressing in FM, including squad profile, line-and-press pairing, sustainable workload, and the antipatterns to avoid.

    12 min readRead
    Foundations

    Mentality, Duty & Roles

    How Mentality, Duty, and Role interact in FM, why duty trumps mentality every time, and the role-on-top-of-duty composition rules.

    12 min readRead
    Squad building

    Recruitment by Tactical Fit

    Scout for system fit, not stat stars. The shortlist filters in FM that map to your tactic, and the role-attribute matrix to use.

    12 min readRead
    Recent full-backs and wing-backs from the community
    • David Kalem — Osijek
    • Francisco Ortega — Olympiacos
    • Matt Champion — Millwall Reserves
    • Marko Ćirak — Vaduz
    Browse all (60) full-backs and wing-backs
    Foundations

    Mentality, Duty & Roles

    How Mentality, Duty, and Role interact in FM, why duty trumps mentality every time, and the role-on-top-of-duty composition rules.

    12 min readRead
    Foundations

    Pressing Triggers and Intensity

    Counter-Press, Regroup, Stand Off, Trigger Press: what each pressing instruction does in FM and how to pair them without contradicting.

    12 min readRead
    Recent defensive midfielders from the community
    • Michael Macrory — Millwall Reserves
    • Benjamin de Boer — Vaduz
    • Alberto Torre — Vaduz
    • Diego Hübner — Vaduz
    Browse all (70) defensive midfielders
    Foundations

    Mentality, Duty & Roles

    How Mentality, Duty, and Role interact in FM, why duty trumps mentality every time, and the role-on-top-of-duty composition rules.

    12 min readRead
    Squad building

    Recruitment by Tactical Fit

    Scout for system fit, not stat stars. The shortlist filters in FM that map to your tactic, and the role-attribute matrix to use.

    12 min readRead
    Recent central midfielders from the community
    • Jurgen Kuhlmann — Vaduz
    • Alvaro Pereira — OL
    • Ryan Gravenberch — Liverpool
    • Curtis Jones — Liverpool
    Browse all (87) central midfielders
    Playing styles

    Tiki-Taka vs Positional Play

    Why circulation density and zonal occupation aren't the same thing in FM, and the half-space occupation rule that decides build-up.

    12 min readRead
    Squad building

    Reading FM Attributes for Tactical Fit

    The 13/15/17 working tiers in FM, hidden attributes that scouting won't show, and the per-role priorities that actually matter.

    12 min readRead
    Recent attacking midfielders from the community
    • Abdul Abdulmalik — Millwall Reserves
    • Christophe Sow — Vaduz
    • Bautista Vera — Vaduz
    • Danis Lamprecht — Vaduz
    Browse all (44) attacking midfielders
    Playing styles

    Gegenpressing: A Full Guide

    Klopp-style gegenpressing in FM, including squad profile, line-and-press pairing, sustainable workload, and the antipatterns to avoid.

    12 min readRead
    Squad building

    Recruitment by Tactical Fit

    Scout for system fit, not stat stars. The shortlist filters in FM that map to your tactic, and the role-attribute matrix to use.

    12 min readRead
    Recent wingers and wide midfielders from the community
    • Willie Mooney — Millwall Reserves
    • Lee Williams — Millwall Reserves
    • Prosper Oluwole — Galaxy Academy
    • Temesgen Kidane — Kon Tum
    Browse all (122) wingers and wide midfielders
    Playing styles

    Counter-Attacking Excellence

    Sit deep, win the ball, and break in three passes. The roles, instructions, and squad profile that make it work.

    11 min readRead
    Squad building

    Recruitment by Tactical Fit

    Scout for system fit, not stat stars. The shortlist filters in FM that map to your tactic, and the role-attribute matrix to use.

    12 min readRead
    Recent strikers from the community
    • David Karanka — A. Bilbao
    • Phil Márquez — Widzew
    • Fer Niño — Widzew
    • Omar Tattini — Liverpool Under 18s
    Browse all (104) strikers