Kylian Mbappe just clocked a ridiculous 37.6 km/h at this year's World Cup, putting every other player on notice. That's a flat out 23.4 miles per hour, folks, and if you haven't seen this dude in action, you are missing out on pure magic. Speed might not be the *only* thing on a soccer pitch, but when you're moving like that, it's pretty damn close to everything.
Mbappe's World Cup Blitz
Nobody is touching Mbappe right now, not even close. He's sitting two km/h faster than both Achraf Hakimi and Erling Haaland, who are no slouches themselves. We saw it live during Les Bleus' 2-0 quarter-final win over Morocco. The Atlas Lions turned the ball over in France's half, and boom, Mbappe was gone. He put on the jets, zipped past Morocco's defense, and forced Noussair Mazraoui to hack him down in the box. Penalty. That's what happens when you try to contain a blur like that. He just charges down loose efforts and dances towards the cage, lashing fiery shots that often find their way beyond the goalkeeper.How That Speed Stacks Up
Now, trying to convert his field speed to a 40-yard dash is always tough, right? It's a totally different beast. But his blistery top speed gives us some serious clues. Trainer Gareth Sandford took a deep dive into Mbappe's sprint data from the 2022-23 Champions League season, finding his maximal speed there hit 10.19 meters per second. That's not quite Usain Bolt level, who sits two meters per second faster, but Sandford actually said Mbappe's data was more like an 800-meter runner, not a 100-meter sprinter. Still, that explosiveness is elite. Think about it this way: Mbappe's top speed is right there with Tyreek Hill, who clocked 23.24 mph back in 2017. Sports Illustrated even reported him hitting 38 km/h, which is 23.6 mph, against AS Monaco back in 2019. So yeah, while he might not be a John Ross or Xavier Worthy in a pure 40-yard dash sprint, the numbers don't lie. He'd absolutely light up that event if he ever got the chance to run it. The guy is a pure speed merchant. This kind of speed isn't just flashy, it dictates games. Every time Mbappe steps onto the pitch, you know he's going to push defenders to their absolute limit. He's a game-wrecker with those legs. If he keeps this up, he's not just breaking records, he's setting a whole new standard for what's possible on the field. Get ready, because every time he plays, it's must-watch TV.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.