Despite still being in his mid-twenties and having spent the majority of his career in France, Kylian Mbappé has already etched his name into the annals of soccer history.
With nearly 400 career goals to his name, the Frenchman has achieved what most players can only dream of—collecting 20 major honors, including seven Ligue 1 titles (one with AS Monaco and six with Paris Saint-Germain) and, most notably, winning the FIFA World Cup in 2018, where he played a starring role in France’s triumph.
The only major accolades missing from Mbappé’s already glittering résumé are a UEFA Champions League title, a La Liga trophy and a Ballon d’Or. But now in his prime and wearing the famous white of 15-time European champion Real Madrid, it feels like only a matter of time before those too are added.
Trophies and goals aside, however, one quality that will forever define Mbappé is his blistering pace—an attribute that has left defenders in his wake for nearly a decade. His acceleration and top-end sprint speed, with or without the ball, are simply too much for even the world’s best to handle.
Here, we break down just how fast Kylian Mbappé really is, what makes him so quick, and how that speed has helped shape him into one of the most devastating attackers in the history of the sport.
Kylian Mbappé’s Top Speed: The Numbers
Mbappé's fastest recorded speed came in at an astonishing 38 km/h (23.6 mph) during a Ligue 1 clash between Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco—one of his former clubs—in 2019.
The blistering sprint occurred during the buildup to one of the three goals he scored that day, with Mbappé covering nearly half the pitch to finish off the move he initiated himself.
French television later analyzed the run and revealed that his top speed actually surpassed the average speed Usain Bolt clocked when setting his 100m world record (9.58 seconds) in 2009—an incredible feat for a soccer player.
It's worth noting, however, that Bolt's speed during that race was clocked at a staggering 44.72 km/h—significantly faster than Mbappé’s top recorded burst.
How Does Mbappé's Speed Compare to Other Soccer Players?
Mbappé’s lightning sprint against AS Monaco in 2019 remains one of the fastest ever recorded in soccer—but it’s not fastest.
That crown actually belongs to his fellow Frenchman, former Arsenal star Thierry Henry, who was clocked at an eye-watering 39.2 km/h during a Premier League match back in 1998.
Other speedsters like England’s Kyle Walker and Dutch defender Micky van de Ven aren’t far behind—but they, like the rest of the chasing pack, still fall just short of Henry’s jaw-dropping pace.
Here are the 10 fastest soccer players in history, according to Tuko and Zonal Sports.
10 Fastest Soccer Players in History
Rank
Player
Top Speed
1.
Thierry Henry
39.2 km/h
2.
Kylian Mbappé
38 km/h
3.
Kyle Walker
37.8 km/h
4.
Mahmoud Trezeguet
37.5 km/h
5.
Micky van de Ven
37.38 km/h
6.
Chiedozie Ogbene
36.93 km/h
7.
Anthony Elanga
36.91 km/h
8.
Gareth Bale
36.9 km/h
9.
Pedro Neto
36.86 km/h
10.
Jakub Moder
36.84 km/h
How Does Mbappé's Speed Compare to Other Athletes?
Mbappé isn’t just one of the fastest soccer players ever—he’s one of the fastest athletes in team sport. Period.
Sure, his top speed doesn’t quite touch the levels of Olympic sprinters like Usain Bolt, but when you stack him up against stars from other team-based sports like football and basketball, he leaves most of them in the dust.
Take the NFL, a league renowned for elite-level athleticism. The fastest recorded player in recent years is Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert, who hit a top speed of 37.2 km/h during a game in 2020.
In the NBA, Derrick Rose is often cited as the quickest ever, once clocking a blistering 4.18-second 40-yard dash. While it's tricky to convert that exactly, it would’ve put him around 37 km/h at top speed—still a noticeable step behind Mbappé.
What Makes Mbappé So Fast?
There are a number of reasons Mbappé is so damn quick.
First and foremost: he’s genetically blessed. Standing just shy of six feet tall, weighing around 75kg, and carrying plenty of lean muscle, he almost perfectly fits the archetype of an elite sprinter (Usain Bolt, at 6'5", is more of a physical anomaly than a blueprint).
Second, he works at it—. Mbappé is known to put serious time into speed-focused training. His workouts regularly include acceleration drills, resistance runs, and strength sessions, all designed to sharpen his explosiveness and top-end speed.
Third—and perhaps most crucially—he’s technically elite. According to Carsten Effertz, a renowned speed coach at the Tanner Speed Academy, Mbappé boasts near-perfect sprinting form. Effertz highlights his flawless hip extension, which helps generate a straight-line power transfer through the stride—maximizing every ounce of forward momentum.
The Role of Speed in Mbappé’s Success
Mbappé is, of course, far more than just raw speed—he’s got a sharp eye for goal, excellent footballing IQ, and a sublime first touch.
Still, there’s no denying that his pace is one of the most devastating tools in his arsenal.
Capable of outrunning almost any defender, Mbappé is a nightmare to contain. Whether he’s bursting into open space to finish off attacks or kickstarting counters—like his famous sprint against Monaco—his speed gives him a massive edge.
That acceleration also makes him dangerous across the entire front line. When playing centrally, he can break in behind the defense and race onto through balls to go one-on-one with the keeper. Out wide, he’s just as lethal—knocking the ball past full-backs and blazing into the space behind before whipping in a cross… assuming any teammates can keep up with him.
