Football has narrow margins. Speed can make a player world-class in the professional game, as Micky van de Ven showed at Tottenham Hotspur.
Ronaldo, Messi, and Mbappe have all been world-class players. What do they have in common? In addition to their football skills, they are fast on and off the ball.
The top 10 fastest players in 2024 include four defenders and six midfielders, an unexpected mix. Here is the complete list, using Sky Sports resources.
10. Mykhailo Mudryk
Speed: 36.63 km/h
mykhailo-mudryk-fastest-player-world-chelsea-2024
After joining Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for £88.5 million in January 2023, Mykhailo Mudryk is yet to fulfill his full potential. His speed and power on the ball are obvious on the field.
Like Adama Traore, the Ukrainian gets into fantastic situations with his speed but can’t score or set up a teammate.
His 36.63 km/h speed makes him one of the world’s fastest footballers.
9. Amadou Onana
Speed: 36.65 km/h
amadou-onana-everton-fastest-player-2024
Since joining Everton for £33 million in 2022, Amadou Onana has been a revelation in midfield. The scary thing is, he’s only 22 and has plenty of time to improve and develop.
He’s not especially fast, but he’s a strong and aggressive ball handler who’s run 36.65 km/h in the Premier League this season.
8. Anthony Gordon
Speed: 36.68 km/h
anthony-gordon-fastest-newcastle-player-2024
Now, Anthony Gordon’s game relies around speed.
Since joining Newcastle for about £45 million, the Englishman has scored and assisted 17 in 53 all-competitions appearances from the left-hand side.
This season, several Premier League defenders have encountered the young man’s quickness, including world-class defenders at Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan in the Champions League. He recently ran 36.68 km/h in England, demonstrating his speed.
7. Antonio Rüdiger
Speed — 36.7 km/h
antonio-rudiger-fastest-real-madrid-player-2024
Antonio Rüdiger is better recognized for his odd running style than for being the seventh-fastest player.
Germans can run well when they want to. He was the Premier League’s quickest player in 2022 at 36.7 km/h while at Chelsea.
He doesn’t appear to have improved since then, but England has more speed readings than Spain, so we can’t be sure.
6. Dara O’Shea
Speed: 36.73 km/h
dara-oshea-fastest-burnley-player-2024
No one expected this name to be on the top 10 fastest players in the world.
Burnley has struggled this season in the Premier League, with relegation appearing imminent. Dara O’Shea has been a regular. O’Shea’s deceiving pace has allowed him to keep up with some of the Premier League’s finest attackers.
At 36.73 km/h, he may deserve respect from attackers.
5. Dominik Szoboszlai
Speed: 36.76 km/h.
The quickest Liverpool player is Dominik Szoboszlai with 36.76 km/h.
Another player who may not be well-known for his speed is Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.
Since joining Liverpool from RB Leipzig for £60 million in the summer, the Hungarian has settled in well, scoring five goals and providing four assists.
His speed when following back and rushing forward to join the assault is incredible, clocking in at a scary 36.76 km/h in the Premier League.
4. Pedro Neto
Speed: 36.86 km/h pedro-neto-fastest-wolves-player-2024
Pedro Neto is having a breakthrough season in the Premier League. In 2019, the Portuguese international signed the Midlands club for a modest £18 million.
In 22 games this season, he has three goals and eleven assists, proving the hype. Another name on the list who wouldn’t have half the stats he does without his electrifying pace, as shown by his assist for Wolves’ second goal against Tottenham Hotspur, where he raced virtually the full length of the pitch.
The young attacker went 36.86 km/h in the Premier League this season.
3. Chiedozie Ogbene
Speed: 36.93 km/h
chedozie-ogbene-fastest-luton-town-player-2024
Chiedozie Ogbene has been a standout for Luton Town this season despite their lack of success. His electric pace and ability to put the ball into space have terrorized Premier League left-backs down the right-hand side of midfield.
The 26-year-old ranks third after clocking in at 36.93 km/h because few players in the world can match him.
2. Kyle Walker
Speed: 37.31 km/h
Kyle Walker, Man City.
Kyle Walker is the most apparent choice. The Englishman has played football at the speed of light and is becoming faster with age.
He often gets overlooked at Manchester City, where Phil Foden, Rodri, Erling Haaland, and Kevin de Bruyne get the praise. The Citizens’ high-line play is often saved by Walker’s backspeed.
Walker has few pace rivals, as he ran 37.31 km/h during Manchester City’s 2022-2023 Premier League title run.
1. Micky van de Ven
Speed: 37.38 km/h
micky-van-de-ven-fastest-tottenham-player-2024
A new Premier League player is the world’s fastest footballer.
Micky van de Ven joined Tottenham Hotspur from Wolfsburg in the summer for £43.1 million. Considering he’s been their best player this season, the London club has definitely paid for him.
Every team needs a Van de Ven with the speed to give the striker a yard and catch them before they shoot. With his new attacking and innovative style, Ange Postecoglou often orders his defenders to keep a high line and play the offside trap, making this crucial.
He beat Kyle Walker by 0.07, who ran 37.38 km/h earlier this season.
