Then there are simply players who can explode into life in a match and create the most iconic moments in football history. Not to mention those who are just explosive in nature in everything they do on and off the field of play. There are many contenders for this list, but here are the top 10 most explosive players in football history.
10
Adama Traore
Spain
9
Micky van de Ven
Netherlands
Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven showcased his explosive acceleration in Tottenham’s 2024 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Winning the ball in his own half, the defender ran faster and faster before squaring the ball to Brennan Johnson to score in an emphatic win for Spurs.
During the 2023/24 season, Van de Ven recorded the fastest-ever speed by a Premier League footballer. The speed recorded was 37.38 kilometres per hour. Once the big defender gets up a head of steam, there’s really nothing to be done to stop him. The crazy pace is an asset to Spurs going forward as well as it is in defending.
8
Kyle Walker
England
Kyle Walker has defied logic and perhaps even science by maintaining his eye-watering pace well into his thirties. Once he’s slammed down the hammer there’s little stopping the England international. Given his consistent performances over the last five seasons, he has to be considered one of the best defenders in the world.
Although it has been reported that some Manchester City fans have turned on Walker, there is no denying his explosiveness. Season after season, wingers have tried to beat him in a foot race. More often than not, they end up chasing Walker rather than the other way around.
7
Sadio Mane
Senegal
Sadio Mane made a career out of exploding into life. While at Southampton, Mane scored the fastest Premier League hat-trick. His treble at St. Mary’s against Aston Villa was achieved in an incredible two minutes 56 seconds during the 2014/15 season.
The Senegalese international had the knack of springing to life in games, utilising his skills and eye for goal. He’d do this and cause knock-out blows to the opposition. He, of course, had great success with Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp. That side had a strong ability to counter-attack quickly. Having done this, they would rely on the finishing prowess of Mane to finish the job.
6
Vinicius Junior
Brazil
Vinicius Junior has explosive speed as well as dribbling abilities that make him a menace to defenders across the world. The Brazilian is certainly up there as one of the world’s most valuable footballers. Blessed with a blistering pace, he is a natural athlete. In 2024, he was named the third fastest player in FC 25 with 95 for pace.
What sets the Brazilian apart is his ability to change direction and generate such great speed. In doing so, he can quickly accelerate, before slowing down and speeding up again. Defenders always have to be on their guard when up against Vinicius Junior. A case in point was Real Madrid’s 2024 Champions League game at home to Borussia Dortmund. With Madrid losing 2-0 at half-time, Vinicius Junior sprung to life in the second half, scoring a match-winning hat trick.
5
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal
Even now, Ronaldo still has one of the biggest contracts in sport. Over his long career, he has exploded into life in many big moments. They have ranged from saving Portugal’s eventual winning Euro 2016 campaign – with a stunning hat-trick versus Hungary – to continually producing on the big stage with many goals for Real Madrid during their domination in the Champions League in the 2000s.
4
Kylian Mbappe
France
Kylian Mbappe is in the top 10 when it comes to the fastest players to score 50 goals in the Champions League. Talking of fastest, Mbappe is exceptionally quick too. He has the ability to take off from a standing start. One of Mbappe’s tactics is to slow down his dribbling to an almost walking pace, then, having drawn in an opponent into a one-on-one situation, his next step is to accelerate and leave them behind.
There really aren’t many players who can live with the Real Madrid star in these situations. The Frenchman has played in two World Cup finals, scoring in and winning one in 2018. In the following World Cup in Qatar, he scored a stunning hat-trick in the final. Before that magic, France had looked dead and buried. Mbappe brought them right back into the game. Although he did still end up with a runners-up medal.
3
Hulk
Brazil
There was no denying Hulk’s physique, and he was strong on the ball as well. Yet it was his powerful shooting that was so explosive. He once kicked a ball so hard in training that it blew up. While he did have skill and grace, he also had awesome power in his shooting. Often, goalkeepers barely moved until the ball had hit the back of the net.
2
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Sweden
Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the very definition of explosive. He was no slouch in a foot race, but it was not his pace that was the most explosive thing about him. It was everything else. Whether it be injecting a match with a spectacular moment of magic, or bashing heads with the opposition, teammates, or even his manager, Zlatan never did it quietly.
He didn’t exactly see eye to eye with Pep Guardiola, while the current Manchester City manager was his head coach at Barcelona. The Swede had some words for Guardiola after their Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter Milan:
“Guardiola was staring at me and I lost it. I thought, ‘there is my enemy, scratching his bald head!’ I yelled: ‘You haven’t got any b***s!’ and worse than that I added: ‘You can go to hell!’ I completely lost it, and you might have expected Guardiola to say a few words in response, but he’s a spineless coward.”
1
Gareth Bale
Wales
The Brazilian right-back Maicon was a powerhouse in his own right, yet Bale left him in his dust on the way to a memorable hat-trick against Inter Milan at San Siro. Then there was Bale’s incredible winning goal for Real Madrid in the 2014 Copa Del Rey Final victory over Barcelona.
Receiving the ball in his own half with five minutes of the final left, Bale annihilated Barcelona’s Marc Bartra in a foot race, actually sprinting while off of the field to get around his opponent. Bale was an incredible athlete, with phenomenal explosive pace.
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