Speed is undoubtedly one of the most necessary components of football. It is a key to set fire on a pitch and football could become a worst sport for a team whose player is too slow. So apparently, speed is one of crucial factors to determine who is the fastest player as well as great speed. In this article we will take a look at the top speeds of the fastest players in the world.
In a field of hundreds of hectares, a player has to have fast Speed to score a goal. Strikers, defenders, dribblers, etc all can have a serious advantage if they can sprint fast leaving everyone else behind. Defenders also need to maintain a good pace to keep up with their role.
But speed alone is not enough. Though it is a crucial component of a player’s playing methods, it should be combined with other attributes such as strength, good diet, techniques, mindful strategies and control on the ball. However speed is the identity of a strong sprinter whose base is built by it. And a strong base leads to a strong player. 
Top fastest defenders in Premier League:
1. Darwin Nunez
Premier league club Liverpool FC’s striker Darwin Nunez is ranked first as the fastest defender in the Premier League with a speed of 36.5 km/h. In the season 2022-23, these top five Footballers have hit the highest speed. Nunez broke the record after hitting 36.5 km/h in Liverpool’s August 2022 game against Fulham.
Considering his speed in the latest season, he has become the fastest defender of the Premier League as well as the head of the rest. He is followed by Arsenal Forward Gabriel Martinelli and Manchester United full back Diogo Dalot.
Darwin Nunez has succeeded to compensate with last year’s top speed which was recorded 36.7 km/h by Antonio Rudiger, the then Chelsea player. The fastest speed of the year 2021-22 has seen a drop of 0.2 km/h. In the same campaign, Mohamed Salah was ranked second in the list of fastest defenders hitting a set of 36.6 km/h followed by Adama Traore who also hit the same mark of 36.6 km/h.
And the highest speed was recorded in the Premier League season 2019-20. Kylie Walker, the Manchester City defender was the one to hit the top speed of 37.8 km/h in that season since when he is often considered the fastest defender in the Premier League.
2. Gabriel Martinelli
The Brazilian footballer who plays as a defender or forward for the premier league club Arsenal, has become the second fastest defender in Premier League season 2022-23. Known for his agile, effective movements and ability to dribble past multiple opponents, the 21 years old Gabriel hit the 35.9 km/h mark.
Gabriel is a young successful footballer who started his youth career with Corinthians in 2010 at the age of 9. His incompatible talent and potential led him to clubs like Ituano, Brazil National Team and now Arsenal.
3. Diogo Dalot
The Manchester United right back, Diogo Dalot is named as third fastest defender in the Premier League 2022-23 with a speed of 35.8, 0.1 point behind Gabriel Martinelli. Diogo is a Portuguese professional footballer who has been playing in the Premier League since 2018 making 57 appearances for Manchester United. The Portuguese star also played season 2020-21 for Milan on loan.
Talking about Diogo’s football skills, he is known for his techniques, Speed and offensive capabilities. He usually plays as right back but is capable of playing a more conventional full back role on the left. Aside from his speed, Dalot also has great dribbling skills and crosses or long passes contributing to his counter attacks.
4. Allan Saint-Maximin
One point and one place behind Diogo Dalot, Allan Saint-Maximin hit the speed of 35.7 km/h. The Newcastle winger has been ranked fourth as fastest defender in the Premier League. Allan is a French professional footballer who has played for Monaco, Saint-Etienne, Nice, Bastia on loan, etc. With his utmost strength and speed he has made 93 appearances for Newcastle United till now and scored 12 best goals.
Allan also scored his best goal of 2022-23 in August 2022 which was honoured as the Premier League goal of the Month.
Allan is more of a family man with three children who live with him in Newcastle upon Tyne.
5. Jack Stacey
The fifth fastest defender in the Premier League is Jack Stacey who hit the 35.6 km/h mark in 2022-23 with the Premier League club Bournemouth. He was just one point behind Allan Saint-Maximin. The 26 years old Stacey is an English Professional footballer who plays as a defender of midfielder for AFC Bournemouth where his number is 17.
The Bournemouth defender has been honoured with the Championship runner up 2021-22, Luton Town Young Player of the Season 2017-18, Luton Town Player of the Season 2018-19, etc.
How can Footballers compete with Olympic sprinters?
As an athlete, Footballers need to have higher sprint speed. But fast sprinting is just one of the top requirements as a footballer, not their whole focus. So how are they supposed to compete with actual athletes, the Olympic sprinters? Well, it’s not such a complicated question.
Usain Bolt is an eight time Olympic gold medalist as well as the fastest athlete ever in our history. He set the top record for 100m sprint at 9.58 seconds in 2009 becoming the fastest sprinter ever. He also set the second (9.63 secs) and third (9.69) top records as fastest sprinter. Aside from sprinting, the retired athlete hit the fastest recorded speed of 44.72 km/h which is apparently faster than the fastest modern footballers.
Marcell Jacobs, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist who completed the 100 m sprint has hit 43.06 km/h mark and the third fastest man Fred Kerley who won silver medal at 2020 Olympics hit the speed of 42.8 km/h.
No doubt that it’s extremely tough for modern footballers to precede this mark but yet the Premier League footballers are way too faster than the fastest American Footballers in NFL. For Instance, the fastest NFL player in 2022, Devin Duvernay’s top speed was recorded 34.7 km/h which is 1.8 km/h slower than the Nunez’ speed in 2022.
