Football writer Adrian Clarke looks at the fastest players in Premier League history.
Van de Ven the fastest EVER
Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven is the fastest player on record, since Opta began recording such data at the start of the 2020/21 season.
The fastest speeds since start of 2020/21
| Player | Top speed (km/h) | Date | Opp. |
| Micky van de Ven (TOT) | 37.38 | 31/01/24 | BRE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Walker (MCI) | 37.31 | 14/05/23 | EVE |
| Jackson Tchatchoua (WOL) | 37.30 | 30/08/25 | EVE |
| Micky van de Ven (TOT) | 37.23 | 13/04/24 | NEW |
| Micky van de Ven (TOT) | 37.12 | 29/09/24 | MUN |
| Jackson Tchatchoua (WOL) | 36.97 | 22/02/26 | CRY |
| Chiedozie Ogbene (LUT) | 36.93 | 16/09/23 | FUL |
| Anthony Elanga (NFO) | 36.91 | 07/04/24 | TOT |
| Pedro Neto (WOL) | 36.86 | 23/09/23 | LUT |
| Jakub Moder (BHA) | 36.84 | 18/02/24 | SHU |
| Dominik Szoboszlai (LIV) | 36.76 | 16/09/23 | WOL |
| Dara O'Shea (BUR) | 36.73 | 04/11/23 | CRY |
| Antonio Rudiger (CHE) | 36.72 | 29/12/21 | BHA |
| Matheus Nunes (MCI) | 36.72 | 02/11/24 | BOU |
| Brennan Johnson (NFO) | 36.70 | 18/02/23 | MCI |
| Anthony Gordon (NEW) | 36.68 | 30/09/23 | BUR |
| Anthony Elanga (NFO) | 36.66 | 01/04/25 | MUN |
| Amadou Onana (EVE) | 36.65 | 21/10/23 | LIV |
| Tariq Lamptey (BHA) | 36.64 | 20/09/20 | NEW |
| Mohamed Salah (LIV) | 36.64 | 27/11/21 | SOU |
| Adama Traore (WOL) | 36.64 | 11/12/21 | MCI |
Scroll across on mobile to see the full table
Van de Ven is one of only three Premier League players to have been clocked at a top speed of over 37.00km/h, and incredibly he has done so on THREE different occasions.
He set his fastest speed of 37.38km/h in Spurs’ 3-2 win over Brentford in January 2024.
Watch: Van de Ven's fastest moments
Manchester City legend Kyle Walker was the first to make it into that exclusive club, registering 37.31km/h during a 3-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park, back in May 2023.
Watch: Three minutes of Kyle Walker being RAPID
Towards the end of a long and arduous treble-winning campaign, the right-back, 32 years of age at the time, was still full of running.
It remains the second fastest top-flight sprint on record during this period - and Walker is the only player to have made the top 20 while aged over 30.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jackson Tchatchoua is the third-fastest player on record. He was recorded at 37.30km/h in August 2025. That is also by far the fastest speed recorded by a player in 2025/26 so far.
The 24-year-old Cameroonian recorded another top speed, and the second fastest this season, in Matchweek 27 when he was recorded at 36.97km/h in Wolves' match against Crystal Palace.
Which positions tend to be quickest?
As you can ascertain from this season’s top speed list (above), players who occupy wide areas - full-backs like Destiny Udogie, Tchatchoua and Jeremie Frimpong, and wingers such as Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon and Daniel James - tend to be the fastest.
Remarkably, there is not one natural centre forward on the list. Pedro Neto and Bryan Mbeumo can play as strikers, but their respective first-choice roles are as wide forwards.
Sprinting is a young man’s game
When Walker, at the age of 32, joined the 37.00km/h club, it was an outlier when it comes to the optimum age for players to be at their paciest.
When you study the top 10 speeds on record since 2020/21, eight were produced by players who were between 21 and 24 at the time.
Walker and former Luton Town winger Chiedozie Ogbene (26) are the only individuals who did not fall into that bracket.
Ages of players when fastest times recorded since 2020/21
| Age | Player | Top speed (km/h) |
| 22 | Micky van de Ven (TOT) | 37.38 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Kyle Walker (MCI) | 37.31 |
| 23 | Jackson Tchatchoua (WOL) | 37.30 |
| 22 | Micky van de Ven (TOT) | 37.23 |
| 23 | Micky van de Ven (TOT) | 37.12 |
| 24 | Jackson Tchatchoua (WOL) | 36.97 |
| 26 | Chiedozie Ogbene (LUT) | 36.93 |
| 21 | Anthony Elanga (NFO) | 36.91 |
| 23 | Pedro Neto (WOL) | 36.86 |
| 24 | Jakub Moder (BHA) | 36.84 |
While every player has their own unique physical development curve, this pattern suggests that the early 20s should be considered their prime years for power and speed.