After seeing the U.S/Mexico game last week, I was really astounded by how fast DeMarcus Beasley is. He just blew by the Mexican defenders. It got me to thinking about players could keep up with him. I am curious as to who do you guys think is the fastest player (read: recognizable player) in the world right now. Add in variables like explosiveness and agility if you want too. I'll throw out the names: Roberto Carlos, Beasley, Ronaldinho, Shevechenko, Donovan, Ronaldo, Henry, Juninho, Basturk.
Moderators, Sorry I made a mistake. Can you take out Basturk's name from the poll and replace him with Thierry Henry please.
i was gonna say! henry is blinding ESPECIALLY with the ball - another guy worth a mention: marc overmars
a quarter of that list are us players. i bet craig bellamy or kieron dyer will give anyone on that list a run for their money. henry is blazing fast and owen before he picked up his hamstring injuries (think vs. argentina 98) was even quicker than he is now.
Cha Doo-ri (son of Cha Bum-kun) ,who plays for the Korean national team, has been clocked under 11 seconds in 100 meters. I'm not sure if you're just comparing amonst the best players but he could outrun many of those above.
There are two kinds of fast.. With the ball and off the ball. Henry is a good example of great speed on the ball (off too). Some are blazing fast until they get the ball but getting into space is important too!
Kieron Dyer is like lightning over 20 yards. Mikael Sylvestre is extremely quick, but I've seen Dyer leave him for dead. Michael Owen is no slouch either. Andy Campbell of Cardiff is extremely fast (but not much good at anything else), and I'm pretty sure there will be others like him kicking round Europe's lower divisions.
Henry I think would be my pick as it stands right now it is amazing how quick and explosive his speed with and with out the ball really is. Djibril Cisse the 21 year old striker for Auxerre and France(what do they put in the water over there?) is also blazing fast some say faster then Henry but time will tell on that one. He will soon be plying his trade in the EPL at least according to people in the know, maybe even at Highbury which would see maybe the fast strikeforce on the planet with the two of them in the line up. Cisse has already scored a few goals for the full national side and gets on prety well with Henry on and off the pitch, so if the do team up at Arsenal and when Euro 2004 rolls around expect a high pace of attack and fast forward line for Zidane to lend his playmaking skills to.
Darren Campbell the Olympic 200m Silver medallist, used to play for Barry or someone like that in the LoW.
Talking about more than 30mt runs, David Suazo (Honduras, Cagliari) If you manage to see the highlights of last cagliari's match you'll understand why I am saying this. He would be a top 200m sprinter if he trained for that. He's not rapid in the short distance but once he gains speed he is unstoppable.
Well, they're the two fastest players for a country where one of its biggest strengths is the pace of its players. Beasley can really haul. It's silly sometimes watching him go by people trying to keep up with him. I've seen enough of Henry and I don't think he's as fast as Beasley (much much better, just not as fast). Owen maybe. Bellamy, no, I don't think he can run with Beasley either. Beasley is crazy fast. But, it is kinda hard to tell unless you lined them up and had a race.
At the Gold Cup meeting between US and Korea last year, you can see how Cha just blew by Frankie Hejduk. Frankie is considered one of the fastest player in the US squad (might even be faster than Landon) but yet there's one play in the game where Cha beat Frankie to the ball and just outran him towards the goal. It was funny watching Frankie trying to catch up to Cha and it was Cha who was dribbling the ball. I remember the FSW's commentator just going nuts with the play.
I can only comment on the players I have seen(often) so i cant comment on the USA or Korean player but in the premiership Gronkjear Bellamy Dyer Henry Owen Vassel and outside the prem Rommedhal Carlos Cordoba
Jardel, Zague, Agoos, those guys can burn it up. Seriously, some of the fastest guys I've seen that haven't been mentioned here are the Hondurans, Tyson Nunez and David Suazo. Jesus Arellano gets down the field with the ball in a hurry. Most all the other people I might bring up have been mentioned already. ricv56