Sometimes, ability to run fast may determine whether a player may win or lose a loose ball. Speed may also give advantage to a forward in the quest for goal. In the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League, only nine players have attained speeds of 36km/h (10m/s) or more. Who are these sprinting footballers?
The fastest among them all is Alphonso Davies. This Canadian defender made 9 appearances for Bayern Munich in the current UCL. The left back attained a top speed of 37.1km/h. Despite being a natural full back, this North American had two goal involvements before the Bavarians were knocked out of the competition. He is followed by the duo of Mykhaylo Mudryk and Ousmane Dembélé. These wingers achieved 36.6km/h for Barcelona and Shakhtar Donetsk respectively.
Rafael Leao of AC Milan is next on the list. This Portuguese left-winger has attained his highest velocity of 36.5km/h in the competition so far. His efforts has enabled him to break into opposition defences to create assists in the competition. This has earned the 23-year-old forward one goal and 5 assists in the tournament so far. This is the joint highest as at the end of the first leg of the semi finals. Twenty-year-old Gabriel Veron is next with 36.4km/h. This Brazilian right-winger did it for Portuguese top flight club, FC Porto.
Federico Valverde of Real Madrid is the fastest midfielder among the lot. The Uruguayan central midfielder currently has peak speed of 36.3km/h in the competition. This has enabled the 24-year-old star to outrun defenders in a bid to create chances which have earned him 3 assists and 2 goals so far. Next on the list is Nuno Tavares, Arsenal player that is on a one-season loan at Olympique Marseille. This Portuguese left-back is credited with a top speed of 36.2km/h.
Karim Adeyemi of Borussia Dortmund and Moussa Diaby of Bayer Leverkusen are the two players that complete the list. Interestingly, they are both West African-born wingers playing with European passports. They are credited with top speeds of 36.1km/h in the tournament.
Images: Sky Sports
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