Top 10 fastest players in Bundesliga history

These players regularly demonstrate their ability to perform at their highest level of speed on the field.

Athleticism has always been the foundation of football. Before each match, players undergo both physical and mental preparation to maintain their edge on the field. A player's strength and endurance are necessary to confront their rivals, but the most significant aspect is their speed, which enables the team to play with swiftness.

While some players excel without much speed, having pace adds an extra level of excitement, as it can result in creating dangerous attacking opportunities through their quickness. Some Bundesliga players are so quick that they can simply run past defenders.

Let’s look at the 10 top fastest footballers in Bundesliga history.

10) Nathan Ngoumou – 36.17 km/h

Ngoumou, a 22-year-old midfielder, signed a five-year contract with Borussia Monchengladbach from Toulouse in August 2022. He set a club record for speed, clocking in at 36.17 km/h in a match against Union Berlin in the 2022-23 season.

9) Erling Haaland – 36.30 km/h

Haaland, currently a star player for Manchester City, spent three seasons with Dortmund where he excelled not only as one of the top goal-scorers for the past two seasons but also as one of the fastest players on the team. In March 2022, he achieved a speed of 36.30 km/h during a match against Arminia Bielefeld.

8) Kevin Schade – 36.37 km/h

Kevin Schade, who is 21 years old, currently plays as a winger for Brentford Football Club in the Premier League. He is on loan from SC Freiburg. Although he did not feature in many games for Freiburg, Schade recorded a speed of 36.37 km/h during a match against Greuther Fürth in the 2021-22 season.

7) Sheraldo Becker – 36.39 km/h

Becker plays as a winger for Union Berlin. He joined the club in 2019. In this current 2022-23 season, he has already scored seven goals in the league. In the 2021-22 season, Becker recorded a speed of 36.39 km/h during a match against VfB Stuttgart.

6) Leon Bailey – 36.40 km/h                               

Leon Bailey is a Jamaican international player who is currently playing for Aston Villa. Prior to joining Aston Villa, he played for Bayer Leverkusen. Jamaican players are known for their speed and Bailey fits this reputation. In the 2019-20 season during his time at Bayer Leverkusen, he clocked a speed of 36.40 km/h in a match against Hertha Berlin.

5) Achraf Hakimi – 36.49 km/h

Hakimi, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain, previously played for Borussia Dortmund. He is considered to be one of the fastest right-backs in the world. In the 2019-20 season, during his time at Dortmund, he recorded a speed of 36.49 km/h in a match against Union Berlin.

4) Alphonso Davies – 36.51 km/h

Before joining Bayern Munich in 2019, Davies played for the Vancouver Whitecaps. He is known for his speed and is often referred to as Bayern's roadrunner. In the 2019-20 season, he recorded a speed of 36.51 km/h in a game against Werder Bremen. In 2020, he was recognized as the fastest player in the history of the Bundesliga.

3) Moussa Diaby – 36.52 km/h

Diaby is a French international footballer who operates on the wing for Bayer Leverkusen. He made the move from PSG to Leverkusen in 2019. Diaby reached a top speed of 36.52 km/h in a game against Wolfsburg, securing his place as the second-fastest player in the 2022-23 season.

2) Jeremiah St. Juste – 36.63 km/h

St. Juste is a centre-back who previously played for Mainz before joining Sporting CP. He was with the Mainz team from 2019 to 2022. During the 2021-22 season, he reached a speed of 36.63 km/hr during a match against Union Berlin. It's unusual to see a centre-back among the fastest players.

1) Karim Adeyemi - 36.65 km/h

Adeyemi, who is 21 years old, transferred to Dortmund from Salzburg in the year 2022. He plays as a forward for Dortmund. On February 4th, 2023, during a match against Freiburg, Adeyemi recorded an impressive speed of 36.65 km/h, which is now the fastest speed ever recorded by a player in the history of the Bundesliga. In addition to his speed record, Adeyemi also scored a goal and helped his team secure a 5-1 victory over Freiburg.