The fastest players in Ligue 1 after the first third of the season, Mbappe out of the list

After completing one-third of the Ligue 1 season, the ranking of the fastest players in the elite has been unveiled. While Achraf Hakimi is the sole PSG player in the top 10, surprisingly, Kylian Mbappe, a regular in this category, has failed to make the cut.

The 12th matchday of Ligue 1, highlighted by PSG's victory on the Stade de Reims pitch (0-3), marks the initial third of the championship season. For the first time in the 2023-2024 season, the Rouge et Bleu lead the table. Despite PSG's collective dominance in the French league, the same cannot be said for individual statistics.

Kylian Mbappe, with 13 goals, and Ousmane Dembele, with 4 assists, lead the charts as the top scorer and assist provider in the elite. However, despite their reputation for speed, the two Parisian wingers do not rank among the fastest players after the first third of the Ligue 1 season. In fact, they are not even in the top 10.

On its official website, Ligue 1 has released the ranking of the fastest players this season after 12 matchdays. Moussa Al-Tamari (Montpellier) tops the list with a speed of 36.41 km/h, followed by Andy Pelmard (Clermont Foot) with 36.14 km/h, and Jonathan Clauss (OM) with 36.11 km/h.

While three players share the fourth spot, Moses Simon (Nantes), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (OM), all clocking in at 35.97 km/h, the only representative from PSG in the top 10 is Achraf Hakimi, recording a speed of 35.90 km/h, tying with Strasbourg's forward Emanuel Emegha.

The absence of any PSG forward in this top 10 can be partially explained by Kylian Mbappe's below-par start to the season after a truncated summer preparation. However, more significantly, it is attributed to the playing style advocated by PSG under the management of Luis Enrique. The Spanish coach, a proponent of possession-based play, does not favor deep runs, a key element of speed for the Parisian players.