Cristiano Ronaldo and Ante Rebic have been the fastest players at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in Russia according to new statistics from football’s governing body.
Ronaldo clocked the joint fastest run of the tournament thus when he cleared the 34 km/h mark, presumably against Spain in the group stages, while Rebic also clocked up 34 km/h for Croatia.
This has to be one of the fastest counter attack in football history. Haven't seen anyone as quick as Cristiano Ronaldo on the counters… pic.twitter.com/WGRc5VxGwE
— – (@GolazoRonaldo) June 16, 2018
England’s Kyle Walker and Jesse Lingard are both tied for fifth place with speeds of 33.5 km/h each while forwards Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford are tied with six others players for 13th place with top speeds of 33.1 km/h.
Interestingly, England midfielder Jordan Henderson (32.6km/h) has ran faster than France forward Kylian Mbappe who hit a top speed of just 32.4 km/h at the tournament, this, despite his penalty winning run against Argentina in the round of 16.
France’s Florian Thauvin revealed last week that he and his other teammates have renamed him “the 37” after they initially were led to believe that the PSG forward had clocked up a speed of over 37km/h in the win over Argentina.
For context, Holland winger Arjen Robben recorded the fastest ever speed at a World Cup when he recorded 37km/h in the Netherlands 5-1 demolition of Spain in 2014.
Top speeds at the 2018 FIFA World Cup:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) Top speed: 34km/h
=1. Ante Rebic (Croatia): 34km/h
3. Luis Advincula (Peru): 33.8km/h
4. Santiago Arias (Colombia): 33.6km/h
5. Kyle Walker (England): 33.5km/h
=5. Jesse Lingard (England): 33.5km/h
7. Maciej Rybus (Poland): 33.3km/h
=7. Marquinhos (Brazil): 33.3km/h
=7. Aleksandr Golovin (Russia): 33.3km/h
=7. Dani Carvajal (Spain): 33.3km/h
=7. Hirving Lozano (Mexico): 33.3km/h
=7. Heechan Hwang (South Korea): 33.3km/h
13. Robbie Kruse (Australia): 33.1km/h
=13. Marcos Urena (Costa Rica): 33.1km/h
=13. Juan Cuadrado (Colombia): 33.1km/h
=13. Mathew Leckie (Australia): 33.1km/h
=13. Raheem Sterling (England): 33.1km/h
=13. Bartosz Bereszynski (Poland): 33.1km/h
=13. Johan Mojica (Colombia): 33.1km/h
=13. Marcus Rashford (England): 33.1km/h
