can we compare the top speed of Kylian Mbappé to that of Usain Bolt?

The French striker was flashed at 38 km/h Tuesday evening during PSG’s victory against Real Sociedad (2-1) in the Champions League. Fast, but far from the standards of the Jamaican, ultimate 100 meter legend.

He not only scored a double on the Real Sociedad pitch on Tuesday March 5. Kylian Mbappé also distinguished himself with a sprint, flashed at 38 km/h during the victory of Paris Saint-Germain (0-2) in the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League. These 38 km/h are even faster than the speed recorded during his famous raid against Argentina in the World Cup (37 km/h), during the round of 16 in 2018. With such a top speed, the Kylian Mbappé’s time over the queen distance of the sprint, the 100 meters, is estimated at 10.90.

Mbappé, French 100m record in… 1921

This time of 10.90 puts him just over a second behind the world distance record, established by Jamaican Usain Bolt in Berlin during the World Championships in 2009 (9.58). But many specialists have already warned that no parallel can be drawn between the two athletes. Firstly because an athletics sprint is done from a standing start, on a track, while a footballer runs on grass, with a flying start. The other reason is the difference between the notion of instantaneous speed and average speed.

On the day of his world record in 2009 in Berlin, Usain Bolt ran the 100 meters with an average speed of 37.7 km/h, which places him, it is true, below the 38 km/h recorded for the Parisian striker Tuesday evening. But at top speed, the Jamaican exceeded 44 km/h.

Another reason to put things into perspective: 360 French athletes ran the 100 meters in 10″90 or less, in 2023 alone according to the French Athletics Federation (FFA). And 10″90 was the French record time in 1921.

Not the fastest player in Ligue 1 this season

Kylian Mbappé is not the only athlete, outside of specialists in the discipline, to stand out for his speed qualities. On Sunday, March 3, American football player Xavier Worthy broke the 40-yard dash speed record (36.6 meters) at the NFL Combine – a week-long event in which young players complete physical and mental tests in front of championship recruiters.

According to a ranking established by the Professional Football League (LFP), Kylian Mbappé is currently “only” the 6th fastest player in Ligue 1 this season, with a peak of 36.07 km/h recorded in December during a match in Le Havre. The fastest player in the French championship is currently Stade Brestois midfielder Mathas Pereira Lage (36.35 km/h).