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5 most pacy midfielders in the world right now

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is widely renowned for his running
Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is widely renowned for his running

Pace is not exactly a primary attribute for midfielders. They need to have sound technique and great positional and spatial awareness. Midfielders need to have good vision too in order to orchestrate play.

Their job is to navigate the tight spaces in midfield and pace doesn't exactly become a factor unless they are breaking on the counter or have space to run into. But it is obviously a great auxiliary attribute to possess. While agility helps them wriggle out of tight spaces, pace can help them leave defenders stranded.

Box-to-box midfielders benefit from having a lot of speed and bursts of pace since they have to stir their stumps throughout games. Ranking midfielders on the basis of pace is not very common but we're going to take a shot at it today.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the five fastest midfielders in the world right now.


#5 Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid)

Atletico de Madrid v Athletic Club - La Liga Santander
Atletico de Madrid v Athletic Club - La Liga Santander

The jury is still out on whether Thomas Lemar has been a great signing for Atletico Madrid. He possesses great technique which enables him to play in multiple positions. The Frenchman's versatility allows him to play on either wing as well as down the centre.

Lemar can also pass and shoot with both feet and is a set-piece specialist as well. The 25-year-old had a rather underwhelming 2020-21 campaign in terms of numbers, but his influence cannot be overlooked. In 36 appearances across all competitions for the Rojiblancos, Lemar scored two goals and provided five assists.

But when he is in the mood, Lemar is an excellent player. He is a wonderful dribbler and can turn on the afterburners once he gets past defenders. Lemar is one of the fastest midfielders in the world.

#4 N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)

Chelsea FC v Porto - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final: Leg Two
Chelsea FC v Porto - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final: Leg Two

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is a relentless presence on the football pitch. There are hardly any midfielders in the world who can match the ball-winning abilities of the tenacious Frenchman. His running is one of his most praiseworthy attributes but he is quite tactically intelligent and technically proficient as well.

Kante turned in four back-to-back man-of-the-match performances in the UEFA Champions League last season as Chelsea secured continental glory. The 30-year-old is difficult to get past and even harder to shirk off.

Kante is also an excellent ball-carrier and his pace aids him in that aspect of his game. He is one of the best central midfielders in the game right now and is one of the most admired football players on the planet.

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