Who are the fastest footballers in the world?

In the modern era of football in which athleticism is ever-important, players blessed with exceptional pace are typically valuable commodities.

Whether it be a defender with outstanding recovery pace or a fleet-footed forward capable of outrunning backlines, fast players are worth their weight in gold.

We take a look at the active footballers who have clocked the fastest sprint speeds during matches.

10. Dara O'Shea - 36.74 km/h

A surprising figure in this top 10 list of pace merchants, Ipswich Town central defender Dara O'Shea clocked a maximum speed of 36.74 km/h during the 2023/24 Premier League season whilst on the books of Burnley.

A Republic of Ireland international, Vincent Kompany's newly-promoted Burnley parted with £7m to sign O'Shea from West Brom in the summer of 2023 before the Clarets were immediately relegated from the top flight.

O'Shea would remain a Premier League player, however, again joining a newly-promoted club in the form of Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town for a £15m fee.

9. Gerrit Holtmann - 36.74 km/h

Nicknamed the 'Filipino Typhoon', VfL Bochum winger Gerrit Holtmann was able to find some consolation in a humbling 7-2 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga in November 2024 after he clocked a staggering sprint speed of 36.74 km/h.

Born in Bremen, Germany, Holtmann represents the Philippines at senior international level as the country of his mother's birth.

8. Dominik Szoboszlai - 36.76 km/h

A midfielder with outstanding pace and stamina, Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai posted the highest speed of his career of 36.76 km/h during a 3-1 win for the Reds over Wolves in the Premier League in September 2023.

Signed from RB Leipzig for a reported £60m in July 2023, Szoboszlai has continued to improve with time as a Liverpool player and has developed into a trusted figure at the heart of the Reds' midfield under Arne Slot.

7. Jakub Moder - 36.84 km/h

Although Poland international Jakub Moder was unable to fully break into Brighton's starting XI in his five-year spell at the club between 2020 and 2025, he was able to demonstrate his impressive athleticism - recording a sprint speed of 36.84 km/h during the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

Box-to-box midfielder Moder is now on the books of Eredivisie giants Feyenoord, who he signed for in January 2025.

6. Pedro Neto - 36.86 km/h

A winger who has dazzled with his pace and trickery ever since arriving at Wolves from Braga in 2019, Portugal international Pedro Neto recorded his highest sprint speed of 36.86 km/h in a 2023 fixture between the Black Country side and Luton Town at Molineux.

Neto has since moved on to Chelsea where he continues to torment Premier League defences with his direct wing play.

5. Anthony Elanga - 36.91 km/h

An academy graduate of Manchester United, speedy winger Anthony Elanga has taken his career to the next level since signing for Nottingham Forest in a £15m deal in July 2023.

A full Sweden international, Elanga is a key member of a Forest side which has gone from relegation battlers to European contenders under the guidance of manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

4. Chiedozie Ogbene - 36.93 km/h

Snapped up from Rotherham upon Luton Town's promotion to the Premier League in 2023/24, Irish winger Chiedozie Ogbene was able to catch the eye in England's top flight thanks to his blistering pace.

One of Luton's shining lights in a season which unfortunately ended in relegation, Ogbene was able to maintain his status as a Premier League player after newly-promoted Ipswich Town acquired him for £8m in the summer of 2024.

3. Kyle Walker - 37.31 km/hr

A player whose career has been defined by his sensational speed, Kyle Walker has proven nigh on impossible for opposition attackers to run past over the years.

A six-time Premier League winner with Manchester City, Walker has also been a stalwart for the England national team who he has represented at five major tournaments.

2. Micky van de Ven - 37.38 km/h

When you watch Tottenham central defender Micky van de Ven play, there is one attribute which immediately catches the eye - his breathtaking speed.

Signed from VfL Wolfsburg for £34.5m plus add-ons, Van de Ven has made a big impression in north London under the auspices of Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.

1. Kylian Mbappe - 38 km/h

Another player whose game is easily characterised by his speed, the mercurial Kylian Mbappe is a joy to watch in full flow.

Bursting onto the scene as a young prospect at Monaco before dazzling on the biggest stage of all as France won the World Cup in 2018, Mbappe's career has continued to go from strength to strength - achieving a lifetime dream when signing for Real Madrid as a free agent in the summer of 2024.