Gordon Tops Champions League Speed Charts as Premier League Dominates
Newly released data from the CIES Football Observatory has revealed that Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon is the fastest player still competing in this season's UEFA Champions League. The statistics, sourced from football analysts Gradient, show Gordon reaching a blistering top speed of 37.92 kilometers per hour during competition.
Premier League Dominance in European Speed Rankings
The comprehensive analysis demonstrates remarkable Premier League dominance, with 29 English top-flight players featuring among Europe's 100 quickest footballers in the Champions League. This represents nearly one-third of all elite speedsters in Europe's premier club competition.
Gordon's Newcastle teammate Anthony Elanga follows closely behind with a recorded speed of 36.65km/h, while Harvey Barnes completes a formidable Magpies trio at 35.48km/h. Eddie Howe's counter-attacking specialists boast five representatives on the prestigious list, with midfielders Sandro Tonali (33.24km/h) and Joe Willock (32.36km/h) also making the cut.
Manchester City's Speed Arsenal
Manchester City emerge as the Premier League's speed kings, fielding an astonishing nine players among Europe's fastest 100. Their contingent includes center-back Abdukodir Khusanov, who recorded 35.80km/h to claim the title of Champions League's quickest defender, narrowly outpacing Tottenham's Micky van de Ven (35.11km/h).
The Citizens' speed demons extend to Josko Gvardiol (33.25km/h), Nico O'Reilly (35.91km/h), Rayan Ait Nouri (34.49km/h), Matheus Nunes (34.01km/h), Tijani Reijnders (32.93km/h), Savinho (33.80km/h), Erling Haaland (34.87km/h) and Omar Marmoush (33.06km/h), creating a formidable pace-based advantage for Pep Guardiola's side.
North London's Speed Contrasts
Tottenham Hotspur showcase significant pace throughout their squad, with van de Ven joined by Djed Spence (34.58km/h) among Europe's elite. New manager Igor Tudor inherits additional speed options including Archie Gray (34.82km/h), Lucas Bergvall (33.64km/h), Rodrigo Bentancur (32.61km/h) and Joao Palhinha (32.21km/h). Wilson Odobert (34.41km/h) and Randal Kolo Muani (33.60km/h) provide further pace resources for European campaigns.
In stark contrast, Arsenal's Champions League group stage leaders contribute just two players to the top 100 rankings. Surprisingly, striker Viktor Gyokeres - often criticized for perceived lack of pace - recorded 33.26km/h, while Gabriel Martinelli reached 34.68km/h, outpacing Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr (33.68km/h) in the process.
Additional Premier League Speedsters
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike leads the Reds' contingent with 34.91km/h, followed by Ibrahima Konate (34.54km/h), Jeremie Frimpong (34.62km/h) and Ryan Gravenberch (32.15km/h). Chelsea's sole representative among Europe's fastest is winger Pedro Neto at 33.85km/h.
European Speed Elite Beyond England
Paris Saint-Germain's defending champions feature prominently with Achraf Hakimi (36.40km/h) and Nuno Mendes (36.12km/h) ranking among the competition's top five fastest players. Club Brugge's Carlos Forbs impressed at 35.93km/h, while Qarabag's Emmanuel Addai recorded 35.87km/h ahead of hosting Newcastle in midweek fixtures.
Real Madrid's pursuit of a record-extending 16th Champions League title receives pace support from Kylian Mbappe (35.67km/h) and Federico Valverde (35.53km/h). Barcelona's speed comes from Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford (35.37km/h), supported by Eric Garcia (34.09km/h) and Jules Kounde (33.77km/h).
The comprehensive data reveals how pace has become a crucial tactical component in modern Champions League football, with Premier League clubs particularly investing in speed across their squads to gain competitive advantages in Europe's elite competition.
