5 fastest players in the Champions League so far this season (2021-22)
The UEFA Champions League is Europe's most elite club competition. The best teams from all of Europe's top-flights fight it out for continental glory in the Champions League. It is a stage where legends are born and history is made.
Since every game starting from the group stage is important and matches are usually played between top quality sides, there is never any shortage of entertainment.
The UEFA Champions League is one of the most exciting tournaments in the world
A goal on either side can help blow a match wide open and spectators love the Champions League for how matches become end-to-end affairs regularly. It is a competition where footballers give it their all to make a name for themselves.
Top European sides are blessed with some incredible athletes who relish these occasions. Pace on and off the ball is a desirable attribute for football players. Today, we take a look at five of the fastest players in this season's Champions League so far.
#5 Meschak Elia (BSC Young Boys) - 37.8 km/h
Reigning Swiss champions Young Boys got off to a great start to their 2021-22 Champions League campaign. They beat 10-men Manchester United 2-1 in their first group stage matchup. Leading their attack against the English giants was 24-year-old Congolese striker Meschak Elia.
He has scored six goals and provided six assists in 17 appearances across all competitions for Young Boys so far this season. Elia is an athletically gifted attacker who packs explosive pace. The 24-year-old has clocked a top speed of 37.8 km/hr in the Champions League this term.
Young Boys forward Meschak Elia has come a long way. Was a regular at TP Mazembe in the African Champions League for 4 seasons. Good to see him in the UCL.
That 2019 age cheating scandal so nearly messed up his career. Happy for him. https://t.co/foCvSvRI6H
#4 Mario Hermoso (Atletico Madrid) - 38.3 km/h
Mario Hermoso has been a mainstay in Atletico Madrid's backline since the start of the 2020-21 season. The 26-year-old is primarily a centre-back but he is also quite effective playing at left-back.
Hermoso is one of the fastest centre-backs in the world. The Spaniard clocked a top speed of 38.3 km/h in the UEFA Champions League this term. That means Hermoso is unlikely to finish second best in a foot race with the vast majority of attackers in the world.
He has already helped his side keep four cleansheets in 10 appearances so far this season. Earning the trust of a defensive coach who's as effective as Diego Simeone is no mean feat and Hermoso seems to have achieved that.
1 - Mario Hermoso 🇪🇸 has scored his first goal for @atletienglish after 35 appearances in all competitions, becoming the first Spanish defender to score for the Red-And-Whites in the @ChampionsLeague. Premiere. https://t.co/SRltkrdMCR