When it comes to professional football, speed can really make a difference. It's not the only skill you need but having a great speed it's a big plus. The Fastest players can zoom past defenders and rush back to help their team when they're on defense.
Players like Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Mohammed Salah, Vinicius Junior, and some others are known to have exceptional speed in football today. However, let's take a look at some of the fastest football players of all time who are famous for being incredibly fast.
Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry is a name every football fan knows. He played as a forward for Arsenal and Barcelona and was super-fast. Henry could speed past defenders easily and score goals.
He set a record in 1998 by reaching a speed of 39.2 km/h-that's fast. In a documentary made in 2023, Henry said that even though he loved running fast, he couldn't be a sprinter in the Olympics because it was hard for him to stay in his lane!
Micky van de Ven
Micky van de Ven is a young defender who plays for Tottenham Hotspur. In the 2023-24 season, he ran faster than any player in the Premier League before. During a game, he reached a top speed of 37.38 km/h.
That's the fastest speed recorded in the league since they started keeping track in 2020. Micky shows that defenders can be just as speedy as forwards.
Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker is a defender for Manchester City and the England national team. Even at 33, he's one of the fastest players around. He hit a top speed of 37.31 km/h during a game in the 2022-23 season. Walker says his fast running comes from good genes and taking great care of himself, including lots of gym workouts.
Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben played as a winger for Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid. He's known for his amazing dribbles and shots from far away, but he was also very fast. At the 2014 World Cup, during a game against Spain, he was clocked at 37 km/h. Robben once said that he doesn't plan his runs; he just goes with the flow when he has the ball.
Chiedozie Ogbene
Chiedozie Ogbene, who was born in Lagos and plays for the Republic of Ireland and Luton Town, was once the fastest player in the Premier League. In September 2023, he reached a speed of 36.93 km/h in a match.
Ogbene has always loved running fast, inspired by watching sprinting videos and his hero, Usain Bolt. He also has two brothers who are into track and field.
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