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Despite Beating Usain Bolt’s Record, Kylian Mbappe Deemed ‘Slower’ Than $37M Barcelona Flop

Published 03/07/2024, 10:16 AM EST

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via Reuters

Kylian Mbappe has become a raging force in soccer. His achievements until now speak for themselves as the Paris Saint-Germain star has won a World Cup and also a Golden Boot already. But feathers don’t stop adding to his cap as the Frenchman was compared to the mighty Usain Bolt recently. Mbappe’s blitz on the pitch has placed him just a little slower than the track and field-legend. However, a former Premier League star doesn’t count Mbappe as the fastest player in soccer. It is a former FC Barcelona player that he chose astonishingly.

While speaking to GOAL in his recent interview, Theo Walcott, a former Arsenal icon, chose former FC Barcelona player Adama Traore as the fastest player he has seen. Theo was asked to stay quiet until the name of the player, who he feels is the quickest soccer player, the host put forth. And breaking the silence after the Fulham player’s name arrived, Walcott said, “Okay, Adama Traore! I was waiting for you to say Adama. Every time I see this guy play, I’m in awe of just how quick he is,” snubbing Kylian.

 

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The list, apart from Mbappe, also had legends like Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior, and even Premier League’s fastest-deemed player, Kyle Walker, among a few others. However, the Spanish winger was the player who repeatedly amazed Walcott with his speed, which is approximately 23.5 mph. Walcott, who himself was known to clock high speeds, expressed his appreciation for Traore earlier in 2022, hailing him as ‘an incredible athlete.’

On the other hand, it is elevating to be placed above players like Mbappe, but Traore will hope more from his career forward. The player’s stint at FC Barcelona was under par, scoring just once and providing four assists after a 6-month loan. They had an option for the club to buy him for $37 million approximately, which they rejected. Traore has now landed up in Fulham as their #11. Meanwhile, Mbappe has been hitting the net successfully along with top speed.

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Usain Bolt laughs off Kylian Mbappe comparisons

Known to have a speed of approximately 22.4 mph, it was reported that Kylian Mbappe took 10.9 seconds to cover 100m in the UEFA Champions League game against Real Sociedad. However, the following comparisons with him did not impress Bolt, who said, “I was laughing when I saw it. The girls are running faster than that,” with a bit of humor.

Real Madrid-Bound Kylian Mbappe Dethrones Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo in Europe’s Trademark Race

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In regards to this, Mbappe’s run clocks just 1 second more than the Jamaican, but in terms of track and field, the unit makes a drastic difference. Records show that the feat could place Mbappe at joint 433rd, even in the under-18 boys’ list noted over the last year. And ultimately, it looks like the player falls pretty short of many other athletes in track and field.

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Written by:

Ruthu

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One take at a time

Ruthu is a Soccer Writer at EssentiallySports. Growing up in a sporting background, he found a passion for soccer through the remarkable 2002 World Cup-winning Brazilian team. Ruthu brings an out-of-the-box perspective with writing, as he possesses the ability to view the game from different critical angles, a skill that sets apart a sports journalist.
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Edited by:

Jacob Gijy