How Fast Is Vinicius Jr? (Top Speed & More)

Real Madrid's Brazilian superstar is already being spoken about as the next big thing in soccer. Vinicius Jr's blistering pace is a big part of that, but exactly how fast is Vinicius Jr?

Vinicius Jr's highest top speed is 22 mph (35.4 km/h). His highest top speed with the ball is 21.1 mph (34 km/h). In 2022, Vinicius Jr has an overall average speed of 20.9 mph (33.64 km/h).

So now you know exactly how fast Vinicius Jr is, but how does he compare with other players? And how fast can he run 100m? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this article!

How Fast is Vinicius Junior?

There's no doubt that Vinicius Jr is incredibly fast.

His teammates at Real Madrid often look to the Brazilian youngster to run past defenders and leave them in the dust.

This is exactly what Vinicius Jr did when Real Madrid played Manchester City in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League semi-final.

During that game, Vinicius Jr made runs and dribbles that left the opposition defenders scratching their heads on how to catch him.

During this game, Vinicius Jr recorded his highest top speed to date of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

ESPN+ actually revealed that in the 2021/22 season, Vinicius Jr had run faster than any NFL ball carrier in the same season.

Vinicius Jr's manager during this breakout season, Carlo Ancelotti, had this to say about his young star:

“He is extraordinary. He is a player who has something special about his feet and his physique.”

What is Vinicius Jr top speed?

Vinicius Jr's highest top speed is 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

Vinicius Jr was only 21-years-old when this top speed was recorded.

With that in mind, it stands to reason that he may well go on to break his own record one day in the near future.

How fast is Vinicius Jr with the ball?

Vinicius Jr's highest top speed with the ball is 21.1 mph (34 km/h). Impressively this is only 0.9 mph (1.4 km/h) slower than his overall top speed.

During a Copa Del Rey game in January 2019 against CD Leganés, Vinicius Jr went on a run with the ball at his feet and clocked this top speed of 21.1 mph (34 km/h).

Although Real Madrid would lose that game 1-0 (they won the tie 3-1), Vinicius Jr had shown the world exactly how fast he could run, even with the ball at his feet.

How fast can Vinicius Jr run 100m?

Now you know just how fast Vinicius Jr can run, but how does that translate to a 100-meter sprint?

If we were to take Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h) and apply that to a 100m sprint, he would complete the 100 meters in an impressive 10.16 seconds.

However, it's not realistic to expect him to maintain his top speed for the entire length of a 100m sprint.

Instead, let's take his average 2022 speed of 20.9 mph (33.64 km/h) and apply that to 100 meters.

In this case, Vinicius would complete 100m in 10.70 seconds.

To put this into perspective, the fastest ever time recorded for completing the 100m sprint is 9.58 seconds, currently held by Usain Bolt.

As you can see, Vinicius Jr may not be as fast as an Olympic runner, but he's not too far off!

Why is Vinicius Jr so Fast?

When looking at why Vinicius Jr is so fast, it might be worth looking at his idols.

Vinicius Jr has gone on record talking about how much other fast wingers inspire him.

When he first signed for Real Madrid, he said the following during his first press conference:

“Neymar is my idol & I follow him closely. I have to work to stay in Real Madrid. I have a dream of playing together with Neymar.”

And when asked about his style of play, he once again brought up fellow Brazilian Neymar.

“It’s a unique feeling being here, I have to thank God and my family. My style is most similar to that of Neymar.”

Neymar is not the only idol Vinicius may have based his game on. When asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's time at Real Madrid, he said the following:

“I want to thank Ronaldo for being here. He’s someone I’ve always followed and it’s incredible to be by his side. I’ll give much success to Madrid.”

Vinicius Jr's body type may also be a reason why he runs so fast. With a slim build and standing at 5ft 9in, he has a low center of gravity without carrying too much weight.

Although he won't be able to take strides as big as taller players like Haaland or Ronaldo, he has an advantage in acceleration due to that lower center of gravity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is faster, Mbappe or Vinicius Jr?

Kylian Mbappé is faster than Vinicius Jr.

Mbappé's highest measured top speed is 23.6 mph (38 km/h). This is 1.6 mph (2.6 km/h) faster than Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

Given that Mbappé is the fastest player in the world, there's no shame in losing this one-on-one battle.

With both players having a similar build and age, there's a good chance these two could find themselves fighting it out for the top speed for years to come.

Who is faster, Vinicius or Hakimi?

Achraf Hakimi is faster than Vinicius Jr, but only just!

Achraf Hakimi's highest speed is 22.66 mph (36.48 km/h). This is just 0.66 mph (1.08 km/h) faster than Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

As you can see, this one is very close, and, much like Mbappé, these two could easily trade top speeds until they retire!

Who is faster, Vinicius Jr or Ronaldo?

Vinicius Jr is faster than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo's highest ever measured top speed is 21.1 mph (34 km/h). This is 0.9 mph (1.4 km/h) slower than Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

So Vinicius Jr has already surpassed the top speed of one of his idols, but why is this?

Part of the reason may be simply down to Vinicius Jr's much younger age.

Another reason may be due to the lack of speed data available during Ronaldo's prime years compared to today.

(Click here to find out exactly how fast Ronaldo is)

Who is faster, Vinicius Jr or Haaland?

Erling Haaland is faster than Vinicius Jr.

Haaland's highest measured top speed is 22.39 mph (36.04 km/h). This is 0.39 mph (0.64 km/h) faster than Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

Once again, this one is very close. Many of the young soccer players currently breaking through aren't a million miles apart from each other when it comes to speed.

Haaland might have a higher speed due to the gigantic strides he can take, the sheer amount of power in his legs, and his unique running style.

(Click here to find out exactly how fast Haaland is)

Who is faster, Vinicius Jr or Neymar?

Vinicius Jr is faster than Neymar.

Neymar's highest top speed is 21.6 mph (34.8 km/h). This is 0.4 mph (0.6 km/h) slower than Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

So that's another idol of Vinicius Jr, who he has surpassed when it comes to speed.

Both players have an extremely similar build, so it's not surprising that the two speeds are similar. Vinicius, however, appears to just have the edge.

(Click here to find out exactly how fast Neymar is)

Who is faster, Vinicius Jr or Messi?

Vinicius Jr is faster than Lionel Messi.

Messi's highest measured speed is 20.1 mph (32.5 km/h). This is 1.9 mph (2.9 km/h) slower than Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

Vinicius being faster than Messi is probably not overly surprising.

Vinicius is not only younger but has a body type that is much more suitable for running than Messi's stockier frame is. 

(Click here to find out exactly how fast Messi is)

Who is faster, Vinicius Jr or Salah?

Mohamed Salah is faster than Vinicius Jr.

Mohamed Salah's highest measured speed is 22.74 mph (36.59 km/h). This is 0.74 mph (1.19 km/h) faster than Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

Losing out to a player like Salah when it comes to speed is nothing to be ashamed of. However, Vinicius Jr has many years to try and overtake the super fast Egyptian.

(Click here to find out exactly how fast Salah is)

Who is faster, Vinicius Jr or Bale?

Gareth Bale is faster than Vinicius Jr.

Gareth Bale's highest measured top speed is 22.9 mph (36.9 km/h). This is 0.9 mph (1.5 km/h) faster than Vinicius Jr's top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h).

Vinicius Jr's Real Madrid teammate was long considered one of the fastest players in the world, especially with the ball at his feet.

As of the 2021/22 season, Bale still holds a higher speed than his younger teammate.

Having not even entered his prime yet, Vinicius has a long time to try and surpass the Welshman.

(Click here to find out exactly how fast Bale is)

Conclusion

To summarize, there's no denying that Vinicius Jr is lighting fast.

At the young age of 21, he has already overtaken the top speed of some of his idols and came very close to catching some of the fastest players in the world today.

There is clearly a lot more still to come from Vinicius Jr. As Carlo Ancelotti once said about the young star:

“He’s shown quality, but it’s one more step to being one of the best in the world.”

Published: 
November 4, 2022
Published: November 4, 2022