How Fast is Kylian Mbappe?

There's no doubt that Mbappé is very good and extremely fast. In fact, he's one of the fastest soccer players in the world.

In 2019,  Mbappé's PSG played Monaco on their way to winning the league title. During that game, Mbappé went on a 50-meter sprint where he was able to get on the end of a pass and score a vital goal for his team.

Soon after, it was revealed just how fast Mbappé had run.

Mbappé reached a top speed of 23.6 mph (38 km/h) during this 50-meter sprint.

Not only was this the fastest he had ever run, but that record made Mbappé the fastest player in the French league (Ligue 1) for the 2018/19 season.

It was a hugely impressive achievement, especially given he was only 20 years old at the time.

To help put this into context, let's look at the fastest Premier League player at that time - Leroy Sane. 

Many fans considered Leroy Sane to be one of the fastest players in the world.

Sane's Premier League top speed was 22.05 mph (35.5 km/h); Mbappé beat this by 1.55 mph (2.5km/h).

Even more impressive is that Mbappé's top speed was higher than Usain Bolt's average speed when he broke the 100m world record in 2009.

Even with the ball, Mbappé is incredibly fast, with a top speed of 22.41 mph (36.08 km/h).

This is faster than most players reach without the ball at their feet!

What is Mbappe’s top speed?

To date, Kylian Mbappé's top speed is 23.6 mph (38 km/h).

This record puts Mbappé ahead of some of the fastest players to have ever played the game.

Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale, and Marcus Rashford have never matched Mbappé's highest speed.

How fast is Mbappe with the ball?

Mbappé doesn't lose very much speed when on the ball.

Mbappe's top speed on the ball is 22.41 mph (36.08 km/h), which is only 1.19 mph (1.92 km/h) slower than his record-breaking sprint.

Mbappé is seen as one of the best dribblers in the world, and it's clear to see why.

Not only does he have unbelievable speed, but his incredible ball control means he can apply that speed to his dribbling as well.

Is Mbappe The Fastest Player in The World?

Now you know that Kylian Mbappé is freakishly fast; you're probably wondering if he's the fastest soccer player in the world.

The answer is yes. Mbappé is the fastest soccer player in the world right now. However, he has to share that honor with Adama Traore.

Adama Traore holds the same top speed record as Mbappé; 23.6 mph (38 km/h). This means that both Mbappé and Traore are the fastest players in the world.

It's not a two-horse race, though.

A look at the list below shows that quite a few players are on the heels of Mbappé and Traore.

Below are the current top 10 fastest soccer players in the world:

As you can see, Kylian Mbappé is the player everybody is chasing, but they are not far behind!

Is Mbappe Faster Than Usain Bolt?

Many people were shocked to discover that Mbappé's top speed of 23.6 mph (38km/h) was higher than Usain Bolt's average speed when he broke the 100-meter world record in 2009!

So does that make Mbappé faster than Usain Bolt?

No, Kylian Mbappé is not actually faster than Usian Bolt.

When talking about Mbappé's top speed compared to Usain Bolt's average speed, it's worth noting the distances.

Usain Bolt's average speed was measured over a longer distance than the distance covered by Mbappé when he reached his top speed of 38 km/h (23.6 mph).

Bolt's average speed was taken during a 100m sprint, whereas Mbappé's top speed was during a 50m sprint.

Of course, Usain Bolt's fastest speed is higher than his average speed.

Who has the highest top speed, then? 

Usain Bolt's fastest speed is a record-breaking 27.78 mph (44.72 km/h). This is 4.18 mph (6.72 km/h) faster than Mbappé.

Mbappé is a long way off ever catching Usain Bolt, but to even be compared to an Olympic gold medalist shows how fast he is.

Why is Mbappe so Fast?

So now we know Mbappé is one of the fastest players in the world, but how did he get so fast? Is it all natural predisposition? Or has he trained in a specific way to maximize his speed?

Well, the answer is both.

Kylian Mbappé is definitely on the shorter side. At 5ft 10in and weighing only 160lbs, Mbappé is more similar in size to a player like Eden Hazard.

However, Mbappé is not as stocky as Hazard and has a slightly leaner frame.

This means Mbappé has less weight to carry and has a naturally low center of gravity. All this adds up to Mbappé having excellent acceleration. 

But it's not all natural predisposition. Looking at the way Mbappé runs shows he's probably had some specialist training.

If you put a video side-by-side of Mbappé running next to a professional sprinter, you can notice the similarities.

If you watch Mbappé run, he keeps a straight line from his foot up to his head. This is called hip extension, a tactic used by professional runners to generate more power.

He also lands with his foot flat under his body rather than in front of him. This is, so he has more power when he lifts off again.

So looking at this, it shows that Mbappé has trained himself to run in a way that sets him apart from everyone else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is faster Mbappe or Ronaldo?

Mbappé is faster than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo's highest ever measured top speed is 21.1 mph (34 km/h). This means that Mbappé is 2.5 mph (4 km/h) faster than Ronaldo.

This may well be down to Mbappé's younger age.

However, Ronaldo was past what many would call his prime when he recorded his top speed, so that argument may not hold up.

Ronaldo was 34-years old when he recorded his top speed, while Mbappé was 20-years-old when he reached his.

Who is faster Mbappe or Haaland?

Mbappé is also faster than Erling Haaland.

Mbappé's record speed of 23.6 mph (38 km/h) is 1.24 mph (1.96 km/h) faster than Haaland's record of 22.39mph (36.04 km/h).

Having a more natural center of gravity and less weight to carry is likely why Mbappé is faster than Haaland.

There may be a debate over who is better between these two, but there's no doubt Mbappé is faster.

Conclusion

So, how fast is Mbappé?

At only 20-years-old, Mbappé is already the fastest soccer player in the world and only looks like improving in the future.

His low center of gravity mixed with his professional running style is likely the reason for Mbappé's blistering speed. 

Nobody in the world of soccer is faster. In fact, you have to look to Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt for a faster runner.

So not only is Mbappé already one of the best players in the world, but he's also the fastest soccer player.