Here are the players who’ve clocked the highest peak sprint speeds in Premier League matches since reliable tracking began. Speeds are listed in km/h, each player’s best measured sprint.
| Rank | Player | Club (at time) | Top Recorded Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Micky van de Ven | Tottenham Hotspur | 37.38 km/h | Current record holder, set against Brentford in Jan 2024. |
| 2 | Kyle Walker | Manchester City | 37.31 km/h | Long-time pace benchmark, still among the elite. |
| 3 | Jackson Tchatchoua | Wolves | 37.30 km/h | Explosive defender, sprinted this vs Everton. |
| 4 | Chiedozie Ogbene | Luton Town | 36.93 km/h | Known for blistering pace on the wing. |
| 5 | Anthony Elanga | Nottingham Forest | 36.91 km/h | Strong acceleration and top speed. |
| 6 | Pedro Neto | Wolves | 36.86 km/h | Combines high speed with agility and dribbling. |
| 7 | Jakub Moder | Brighton & Hove Albion | 36.84 km/h | One of Brighton’s fastest ever recorded players. |
| 8 | Dominik Szoboszlai | Liverpool | 36.76 km/h | Athletic midfielder who frequently breaks lines with pace. |
| 9 | Dara O’Shea | Burnley | 36.73 km/h | Defender hitting speeds usually reserved for attackers. |
| 10 | Antonio Rudiger | Chelsea | 36.72 km/h | Among the quickest centre-backs before his move abroad. |
| 11 | Brennan Johnson | Nottingham Forest | 36.70 km/h | Rapid forward with dangerous counter-attack pace. |
| 12 | Matheus Nunes | Manchester City | 36.70 km/h | Midfielder capable of long, fast drives through the pitch. |
| 13 | Bryan Mbeumo | Brentford | 36.65 km/h | Relentless in transition, regularly among fastest sprinters. |
| 14 | Yankuba Minteh | Brighton & Hove Albion | 36.45 km/h | Young winger with frightening speed potential. |
| 15 | Gabriel Martinelli | Arsenal | 35.60 km/h | Arsenal’s pacey wide man, devastating in space. |
| 16 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 35.80 km/h | Incredible top speed for his size and power. |
| 17 | Alejandro Garnacho | Manchester United | 35.50 km/h | Explosive young attacker with acceleration to match. |
| 18 | Cameron Archer | Southampton | 35.50 km/h | Quick striker who stretches defences with runs in behind. |
| 19 | Timo Werner | Tottenham Hotspur | 35.70 km/h | Known for pace throughout his career; still clocked high sprints. |
| 20 | Ola Aina | Nottingham Forest | 35.40 km/h | Dynamic full-back capable of rapid recovery runs. |
Key Takeaways
- Defenders dominate the top end. The current fastest player ever recorded is a centre-back, Micky van de Ven, and other defenders like Kyle Walker, Antonio Rudiger, and Dara O’Shea also make the list.
- Small margins separate the elite. Once you’re in the 35–37 km/h bracket, differences are tiny but can be decisive in recovery runs or one-on-one duels.
- Consistency vs peak. Some players may not hold the record but regularly reach their top speeds across multiple matches — Walker and Neto are prime examples.
- Speed isn’t everything. Acceleration, agility, and stamina all matter just as much as peak sprinting speed. Some attackers use pace as their main weapon, while others, like Haaland, combine it with strength and finishing ability.
- Modern tech has changed the debate. With accurate tracking only in place since 2020/21, legendary sprinters of past eras (like Theo Walcott, Thierry Henry, or Gareth Bale) can’t be fairly compared by the same standard — though many suspect they’d feature high on any historical list.
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