Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 18th February 2026, 10:04 AM
The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League season has once again highlighted the extraordinary pace of elite footballers. On Tuesday, the Football Observatory of the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) released its comprehensive positional rankings of the fastest players this season. Topping the lists are high-profile names such as Kylian Mbappé, Achraf Hakimi, and Abdukodir Khusanov, reflecting the increasing importance of speed in modern football.
CIES’s analysis breaks down the fastest performers by position, measured in kilometres per hour (km/h). The findings reveal a remarkable range of top-end speed across different roles on the pitch:
| Position | Player | Club | Top Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defender | Abdukodir Khusanov | Manchester City | 35.8 |
| Full-back | Achraf Hakimi | Paris Saint-Germain | 36.4 |
| Full-back (2nd) | Nuno Mendes | Paris Saint-Germain | 36.1 |
| Midfielder | Archie Gray | Tottenham Hotspur | 34.8 |
| Winger | Anthony Gordon | Newcastle United | 37.9 |
| Centre Forward | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | 35.7 |
Among defenders, Manchester City’s Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov leads with a top speed of 35.8 km/h. In the full-back category, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi dominates, clocking 36.4 km/h, closely followed by teammate Nuno Mendes at 36.1 km/h. Midfield speed is led by Tottenham Hotspur’s Archie Gray at 34.8 km/h, while wingers see Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon sprinting at an exceptional 37.9 km/h. At the forefront of strikers, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé reaches 35.7 km/h.
Speed is not just about maximum sprint; CIES also analysed the proportion of match distance covered at slower paces. Among the 100 players analysed, three centre forwards covered the highest percentage of distance at under 7 km/h:
| Player | Club | Distance at <7 km/h (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | 43.5 |
| Victor Osimhen | Napoli | 41.9 |
| Luis Suárez | Sporting Lisbon | 40.1 |
Interestingly, certain centre midfielders spent the least time walking, suggesting a high work rate and continuous running:
| Player | Club | Distance Walking (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Håkon Evjen | Bodø/Glimt | 23.0 |
| João Moutinho Simões | Sporting Lisbon | 24.1 |
| Lukas Bergvall | Tottenham Hotspur | 25.2 |
This analysis indicates that while top forwards like Mbappé balance bursts of high-speed sprints with slower movement, elite midfielders often maintain relentless running, covering significant distances at higher intensities.
CIES’s data reinforces how speed and endurance have become critical components of modern football, with players like Mbappé, Hakimi, and Gordon setting benchmarks for explosive acceleration and continuous movement. In the contemporary game, a player’s ability to transition rapidly across the pitch often distinguishes elite performers from the rest.
The 2025–26 season thus not only showcases technical brilliance but also underscores the growing significance of pace, stamina, and strategic positioning in Europe’s premier club competition.
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