Top 10 Fastest Football Players in the World (2024)

Who is the fastest footballer on the planet? SportsBoom has compiled a list of the quickest football players in the world although unfortunately this doesn't look to be a market offered by our featured betting sites.

Football's always been about speed, stamina, and skill. In the age of the modern athlete, fitness levels and technical ability have never been better. Players either have raw pace or not.

Raw pace helps an attacker break away from the chasing defenders, latching on to through balls and finishing counter-attacks.

Wingers flying down the touchline, running at back-peddling defenders, and turning them inside out before ghosting past them is one of the most exciting spectacles in football.

All the great defenders have the speed to burn, snuffing out attacks, or getting back into position following a turnover and counter-attack.

In the modern game, fullbacks are as quick as wingers, and they have changed the game and how managers set up tactically.

Speed is one of the great tangibles that has always set footballers apart. 

The Top 10 Fastest Players in the World (2024)

Micky van de Ven clocked the fastest-ever speed in the Premier League in 2024. Van de Ven hit a top speed of 37.38 km/h in a 3-2 win for Tottenham Hotspur against Brentford on 31 January 2024.

The Dutchman currently ranks No. 1 as the fastest player on the planet this season. He is one of eight Premier League players on this list, with one player each from the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 making the top 10.

To add context to Van de Ven's rapid pace, Kylian Mbappé reached a top speed of 38 km/h during a 50-meter sprint in a Ligue 1 match in 2018/19, which made Mbappé the fastest player in the French league for the season.

Manchester City fullback Kyle Walker set the Premier League's previous top speed of 37.31 km/h against Everton in May 2023. 

Walker's top speed makes him the second-fastest player in Premier League history and the fastest-ever defender in England's top flight.

Spanish La Liga sensation Vinicius Junior is the fastest player in La Liga. The Brazilian's top speed in the 2023/24 La Liga campaign is 36 km/h.

Vinicius' is fast, but not fast enough because the Real Madrid star does not make the top 10 fastest players in the world list.

List of the Top 10 Fastest Players in Football History

1. Micky van de Ven, Tottenham vs. Brentford

Known for his speed, Micky Van de Ven notched an incredible top speed of 37.38 km/h, the highest speed by a player in England's top flight since records began in 2020.

Van de Ven's time is even more remarkable because the flying Dutchman ran 0.45 km/h quicker than the fastest speed recorded by second-placed Chiedozie Ogbene. 

2. Chiedozie Ogbene, Fulham vs. Luton 

Luton Town forward Chiedozie Ogbene reached 36.93 km/h against Fulham. The 26-year-old ranks second on this list, only 0.07 km/h faster than Pedro Neto in third.

Ogbene is technically a wing-back, but he fell short of reaching 37km/h when he came on as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage in September, 2023. 

3. Pedro Neto, Luton vs. Wolves 

Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto is no slouch. The Portugal international clocked his fastest-ever speed of 36.86 km/h against Luton in a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road in September 2023.

4. Dominik Szoboszlai, Wolves vs. Liverpool

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai sits fourth on this list of fastest footballers in the world in 2024.

The Hungarian ran his quickest this season versus Wolves, with a top speed of 36.76 km/h, in the Reds' 3-1 away victory at Molineux Stadium in September 2023. 

5. Dara O'Shea, Burnley vs. Crystal Palace

Burnley defender Dara O'Shea is quick to say the least. O'Shea is now the second-fastest defender in Premier League history after blitzing his way to 36.73 km/h in a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Turf Moor in November, 2023.

O'Shea overtook former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger's top speed of 36.70 km/h in the 2020/21 Premier League season versus Brighton & Hove Albion. 

6. Anthony Gordon, Newcastle vs. Burnley 

Newcastle United forward Anthony Gordon is enjoying his best season in 2024. He is one of the quickest players in the Premier League.

Gordon reached his top speed of 36.68 km/h against Burnley in Newcastle's 2-0 win at St. James' Park in September 2023.

7. Amadou Onana, Everton vs. Liverpool 

Amadou Onana put on his jet shoes against Liverpool in the Blues' 2-0 Merseyside derby defeat at Anfield in October 2023.

The Everton midfielder clocked 36.65 km/h during the derby, but it was not enough for his team to avoid another loss against their arch-rivals across Stanley Park. 

8. Eren Dinkçi, FC Heidenheim 1846

Eren Dinkçi is the first non-Premier League player to make the top 10 fastest footballers in the world 2024 list after racing to a top speed of 36.41 km/h this season.

The FC Heidenheim striker is the quickest player in Germany's Bundesliga. The 22-year-old dual German-Turkish national, though not prolific in front of goal, terrorises defenders with his pace. 

9. Tahith Chong, Luton vs. Tottenham

Tahith Chong is another Luton Town player on this list of quickest footballers in the world. Chong's blistering pace caused 10-men Spurs problems at Kenilworth Road.

The fast-footed forward's pace could not see his side home as Luton lost 1-0 to Ange Postecoglou's side in October 2023.