Football's exciting blend of agility, strategy, and skill has long captivated fans. However, in recent years the emphasis has shifted to the weighty significance of sheer speed, with sprinting at blistering pace becoming a crucial component of both offence and defence.
In essence, being the fastest player on the pitch is currently a much more valuable trait than most attributes in modern football since it allows the initiation of quick counterattacks, can independently impact games, and also beats opponents.
A strong evidence of the emphasis on intensity and speed in elite football is in the fact that eight of the ten quickest sprints in the world were recorded in the Premier League, soccer's most competitive division. However, it's important to note that the Premier League and the Bundesliga are the only leagues with publicly accessible player sprint timings.
Emphasising how important speed is nowadays for modern football, this page explores the realm of soccer's pace merchants, the world's fastest players of all time.
1. Kylian Mbappé: 38 km/h
Kylian Mbappé, whose name has grown synonymous with speed, is the undisputed leader of this outstanding list. With his eye-watering top speed of 38 km/h, he validates his ranking as the fastest football player in the world.
This astonishing milestone was recorded in a memorable game against former employers AS Monaco, one of football's finest youth development clubs, in a lethal counter-attacking phase. Launched from the halfway line following a smart one-two with Moussa Diaby, Mbappé surged into the penalty area, leaving defenders behind in his trail, and stroked home with precise accuracy.
Mbappé distinguishes himself not only by his pace but also by the fact that he has regularly applied this attribute in several high-stake occasions. His breathtaking acceleration was on full display in a 2018 World Cup game against Argentina, where he turned the tide in France's favour with a barnstorming solo run that resulted in a penalty.
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Furthermore, his speed has been the deciding factor in several Champions League games, allowing him to befuddle even the most organised defenders.
Beyond only a physical ability, Mbappé's repute as the world's fastest football player shows his tactical aptitude as he deftly combines intelligent movement with explosive speed, thus confirming his status as one of the most feared strikers in football.
2. Micky van de Ven: 37.38 km/h
Micky van de Ven has risen quickly to become the quickest and most formidable defender in football history. With an amazing 37.38 km/h recorded in a game against Brentford, he made history by becoming the fastest Premier League player of all time.
Apart from displaying his natural pace, this physics-defying run saw him narrow the gap on Brentford's Lewis Keane-Potter, whose breakaway was destined for Tottenham's goal. Under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs' extremely high line calls for swift recoveries, and Van de Ven's blazing speed is thus a vital part of that tactical approach.
Apart from this single occasion, Van de Ven has improved Spurs' defensive solidity, exceeding the 37 km/h threshold on three different instances, enabling the London club to maintain a more aggressive attacking stance.
Whether it's making last-ditch tackles, outgunning opponents to recover possession, or tracking down speedy wingers, Van de Ven's sprinting ability has become a vital component of Tottenham's recovery, thereby stressing his value as one of the most dynamic and dependable defenders in the game today.
3. Kyle Walker: 37.31 km/h
Kyle Walker has preserved his position among the fastest players in the world, thereby resisting the effects of age as his legendary career gradually winds down. Thanks to his ever-present physicality, Pep Guardiola's tactical setup has consistently included the right-back, who has once achieved a record sprint of 37.31 km/h.
Walker's pace is a very vital attribute for a successful implementation of Manchester City's defensive strategy, as it helps the team maintain a formidable defensive line.
However, occasionally every athlete—no matter how agile—eventually faces a worthy opponent, as was the case with Walker, who was shockingly left in the dust by famed speedster Adama Traoré during a match between Fulham and Manchester City in the 2024–25 season. Although Walker's pace may have dipped lately, his experience, placement, and tactical awareness more than make up for it, thereby ensuring he will continue to be a vital component of City's defence.
Nevertheless, Walker's speed is still an asset in the Premier League despite his curtain call approaching, with his top speed positioning him as the fourth fastest football player of all time.
4. Chiedozie Ogbene: 36.93 km/h
Chiedozie Ogbene attained prominence in the Premier League after recording a peak speed of 36.93 km/h in a memorable clash against Fulham during the 2023–24 season. Apart from confirming his status as one of the fastest football players in the world, this amazing achievement emphasises his explosive playing style and extraordinary acceleration.
Ogbene has travelled an improbable but inspirational path to football stardom. Born in Nigeria but an international for Ireland, he was a Gaelic football player, developing his speed and agility before switching to professional football. Thanks to his speed training experience—shaped by the great Usain Bolt—he offers a different perspective on Luton Town's offensive approach.
In the coming years, he is finely poised to become one of the most interesting Premier League prospects since he has the potential to exceed the 37 km/h mark and influence games with a sudden burst of pace.
5. Anthony Elanga: 36.91 km/h
Anthony Elanga has rapidly become a vital member of Nottingham Forest's team thanks to his remarkable speed, and is today one of the fastest players in the world.
Forest's counter-attacking strategy has greatly benefited from his speed, which peaked at 36.91 km/h in the 2023–24 season. Usually, his defence-splitting, lightning-quick dashes down the flank to unlock defences and set up teammates.
A crucial Premier League match against Chelsea brought Elanga's sprinting prowess to the fore after he outpaced his opponent, creating a crucial goal that helped Forest secure a much-needed win.
As a result of his blistering pace, superb movement, and ability to negotiate tight spaces, Elanga is a menace for opposition defenders in one-on-one scenarios.
As Nottingham Forest looks to establish their position in the Premier League, Elanga's attacking adaptability and agility will be priceless, with the knowledge of a potent supersonic weapon in their tactical toolkit enough morale boost.
6. Pedro Neto: 36.86 km/h
Pedro Neto, one of the most explosive Premier League players, has made quite an impression with his incredible pace, which peaked at 36.86 km/h in a 2023 Premier League contest between Wolves and Luton Town.
During sprints, Neto's incredible ability to keep the ball under control at high speeds has allowed him to turn even the most mean defensive lines inside out. As a result of his speed, agility, and skilful dribbling—which he employs to either open up dangerous scoring opportunities with accurate passes or cut inside to shoot—Neto is a continual threat to defenders.
He is a crucial piece on the wing as he can accelerate from a stop and dribble past opponents with the ball seemingly glued to his feet, rattling even the most regimented defences. Still, Neto's speed is a major component of his defensive efforts as much as his goal scoring exploits.
He showcases his dedication to assist defensively as well as on the attack by always being keen to track back and scupper counter-attacks.
7. Jakub Moder: 36.84 km/h
Jakub Moder plays in central midfield for Brighton, a position not typically associated with such rapid sprints; thus, his surprising surge of speed during the 2023–24 Premier League season—measured at an amazing 36.84 km/h—defied expectations.
His exceptional top speed—the quickest any central midfielder has ever managed in football history—emphasises a potentially unexplored agility and dynamism that allows him to switch from guarding against attacks to unleashing himself into the last third for lethal goal-mouth forays.
Thanks to his improved defensive talents and offensive toolkit, as well as his tremendous speed, Jakub Moder covers ground on the pitch with ease. His agile footwork has provided his squad a leg up in high-stake, end-to-end encounters where fast switches from defence to attack are crucial.
Moder has definitely transformed the central midfielder role by including this lightning pace to his already excellent ability range, providing his club with much-needed impetus.
8. Dominik Szoboszlai: 36.76 km/h
One of Liverpool's most exciting recruits of recent years, Dominik Szoboszlai, another midfielder with startling pace, hit a top speed of 36.76 km/h during The Red's September 2023 comeback over Wolves. This explosive agility was on full display in a defensive recovery sprint, which was vital in repelling a Wolves' counterattacks.
Having already captured the Anfield crowd with his special mix of physical prowess and technical mastery, Szoboszlai briefly held the record for the second-fastest player in Premier League history with this jet-heeled burst of acceleration.
Thanks to his acute tactical awareness and rapid ground coverage, Szoboszlai excels in high-intensity scenarios, whether it comes to launching swift counterattacks or chasing down loose balls.
9. Gerrit Holtmann: 36.74 km/h
Despite his club's heavy 7-2 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt, Gerrit Holtmann was able to hold his head high in defeat having set a new record for quickest sprint in the 2024–25 Bundesliga season with a time of 36.74 km/h.
Renowned for his lightning-fast wing play, which enables him to switch from defence to attack in an instant, Holtmann’s, whose nickname is "filipino Typhoon," lung-busting runs allow his club to stretch opposition defences and open up spaces for his colleagues.
His record-breaking sprint not only showcased his immense lower body strength but also underscored his agility and balance, which enable him to negotiate tight defensive environments and convert his speed into a genuine offensive threat..
10. Dara O'Shea: 36.73 km/h
Ipswich's Dara O'Shea isn't exactly a household name when you hear the word "speedster," but his best-ever recorded speed of 36.73 km/h puts him in the company of the fastest footballers worldwide. This attribute was of explosive value to Burnley's defence, helping the Clarets swiftly recover and counter fast-breaking opponents.
Whether he is in pursuit of fleet-footed forwards or making overlapping runs in set-piece routines, O'Shea's remarkable speed guarantees he's never caught off guard.
As well as performing his defensive responsibilities, his pace also offers him an offensive advantage should the opportunity present itself.
O'Shea is also gifted with a keen tactical awareness, which combines with his inherent ability to anticipate and intercept passes. He is thus of frightening value to any Premier League roster.