Despite Clocking 10.9 Secs in 100m, Kylian Mbappe Receives Harsh Reality Check From College Track & Field Athletes

Kylian Mbappe never misses a moment to blaze new trails with his exceptional talent. Last night, the Frenchman did more than just score a brace in the UCL RO16 return leg against Real Sociedad, as he clocked an impressive 10.9 seconds in the 100-meter. While Mbappe’s sprint time may seem remarkable, a stark reality awaits him when compared to college track and field athletes. 

Sure, covering 100 meters in just 10 seconds is quite an achievement. In fact, the former Monaco man was only slightly over a second slower than Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds. However, Mbappe isn’t just trailing behind the legendary sprinter. Compared with an average college student, the 25-year-old is considerably off. In 2017, Christian Coleman, representing Tennessee, clocked 9.82 seconds in the 100-meter race. Likewise, Bolt’s fellow teammate, Yohan Blake, registered 9.69 seconds in 2012. Additionally, many professional athletes are way ahead of Mbappe. 

Interestingly, Mbappe’s 100-meter sprint falls short of the fastest NFL players. Jim Hines clocked 9.95 in 1968, which later got him drafted by the Miami Dolphins. Speaking of the beautiful round, former American soccer player Marvell Wynne once recorded a remarkable 10.39 seconds in a 100-meter race, during his college years as a former athletics prodigy. As compiled by The Sportster, Mbappe also trails behind Claudio Caniggia (10.5 sec), David Odonkor (10.6 sec), Theo Walcott (10.6 sec), and Michael Owen (10.8 sec).

However, it’s important to note that these numbers were clocked on track rather than on the pitch. Hence, this cuts some slack for Mbappe, as one might argue that running with a soccer ball differs from sprinting on a track. So, does that mean the PSG superstar is the fastest soccer player? 

Is Kylian Mbappe the fastest soccer player in the world?

Unfortunately, Kylian Mbappe fans might feel some disappointment here. If we compare the top speed recorded on a soccer pitch, Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven tops the list with his 23.22 mph or 37.38 km/h speed. Trailing behind the youngster are Kyle Walker (23.1 mph or 37.31 km/hr) and Luton Town’s Chiedozie Ogbene (22.90 mph or 36.93 km/h). But where does Mbappe stand with his impressive sprint on the pitch? 

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Forget the top 10, the 2018 World Cup winner is way beyond the top 20 indexes, as his top speed is 22.41 mph or 36.08 km/h. Sadly, Mbappe trails by fine margins behind the likes of Erling Haaland (22.50 mph or 36.22 km/h), Mohamed Salah, and Ousmane Dembele (22.74 mph or 36.6 km/h). But these narrow differences easily broaden such comparisons. Nevertheless, it still doesn’t deny the fact that Mbappe clocking 10.9 secs in 100 meters is pretty impressive. 

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