EA Sports FC 24: Best Players for Pacey Protector Evolution Upgrade

EA Sports FC 24 doesn't have the massive changes many fans were hoping for when Electronic Arts announced that it was separating from the FIFA license, but that doesn't mean EA has stayed completely stagnant. In fact, the new Evolution system in Ultimate Team has the potential to be a game-changer for players, especially if you're trying to compete on a budget. At launch, EA Sports FC 24 has a few Evolutions available for free, with one of the most important ones being the Pacey Protector upgrade. Let's take a look at what this upgrade entails and the best players to use it on.

What is the Pacey Protector Evolution in EA Sports FC 24?

This Evolution is an important one for early in the game because it lets you pick a low-rated defender and give them a big Pace boost. Considering how much Pace can impact matches, having someone who can keep up with some of the faster forwards is important. Sure, they're still probably going to get torched by Kylian Mbappe, but they will be able to rein in some of the lower-tier meta players. Here are the requirements you'll need to keep in mind when you select the player you want to upgrade:

• Maximum Overall: 80
• Pace under 65
• Passing under 75
• Defending under 84
• Physical under 84

Once you complete all of the objectives, your player will get +2 Overall, +6 Passing, +3 Defending, +5 Physical, and +15 Pace. That last number is the most important one because it's what makes some of the players listed below useable.

Best Defenders for EAFC 24 Pacey Protector Evolution

With so many options available, it can be difficult to narrow down which player you want to use the boost on. That said, there are a few that separate from the pack once they're fully upgraded. Here's a quick list, followed by an explanation of why these players are great picks:

• Aritz Elustondo – Real Sociedad
• Joel Matip – Liverpool
• Edgar – Almeria
• Nikola Milenkovic – Fiorentina
• Samuel Umtiti – Lille
• Giorgio Chiellini –  LAFC

This list of six gives you options across most major leagues. If you really want to rock a Bundesliga squad, you could also throw in FC Union's Leonardo Bonucci. Like many players on this list, he has solid defending traits but is very slow. Getting him that all-important Pace boost will make him much more deadly. Matip and Umtiti fill similar roles but in the Premier League and Ligue 1 respectively.

You have two options in La Liga. Elustondo is a very popular choice, but we prefer Edgar because he's a bit faster and towers over almost everyone on the pitch at 6'4". That kind of size is hard to compete with and will make him an excellent ball-hawk for crosses. Milenkovic will do the same in Serie A, as he comes in at 6'5". Plus, he gets a great link to Dusan Vlahovic, who is an excellent option for the Founders Evolution if you're sticking with the Italian league.

The final option might be the most interesting. Chiellini was a long-time stalwart for Juventus but is playing out the end of his career in the MLS. That makes him tough to link unless you're lucky enough to get Lionel Messi. That said, he does have nearly perfect stats for this Evolution if you can make it work.

EA Sports FC 24 is out now in early access on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC platforms.