Here’s the comprehensive list of the top 10 fastest soccer kicks ever recorded In the history of the sport:
| Rank | Player | Speed (kph) | Speed (mph) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ronny Heberson | 211 | 131.23 | 2006 |
| 2 | David Hirst | 183 | 113.71 | 1996 |
| 3 | Arjen Robben | 190 | 118.06 | 2014 |
| 4 | Steven Reid | 189 | 117.44 | 2005 |
| 5 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 180 | 111.85 | 2012 |
| 6 | Roberto Carlos | 172.88 | 107.44 | 1997 |
| 7 | Shunsuke Nakamura | 162 | 100.66 | 2006 |
| 8 | Gareth Bale | 161.7 | 100.47 | 2013 |
| 9 | Tugay | 135.5 | 84.20 | 2001 |
| 10 | Obafemi Martins | 135 | 83.89 | 2007 |
1. Ronny Heberson
Ronny Heberson Furtado de Araújo, known simply as Ronny, holds the record for the fastest kick in football history.
Born on May 11, 1986, in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, Ronny is a former professional footballer who mainly played as a midfielder.
Ronny started his career with Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, where he spent three seasons, mostly playing for the reserve team. In July 2006, he signed with Sporting CP in Portugal.
However, he struggled to become a regular starter. During the 2006–07 season, he competed with Marco Caneira and Rodrigo Tello, making 12 league appearances.
Despite the limited playing time, Ronny scored a remarkable goal on November 26, 2006, in an away match against Associação Naval 1º de Maio.
His free kick was unofficially measured at an astonishing speed of 211 km/h (131.23 mph), making it the fastest kick ever recorded in football history.
In the 2007–08 season, Ronny started as a regular but lost his position after Leandro Grimi joined Sporting in January. He played only six games that season.
In 2009–10, he was loaned to the U.D. Leiria, where he helped the team stay in the top division and scored three goals.
After his loan, Ronny transferred to Hertha BSC in Germany, where his older brother Raffael was also playing. He made his Bundesliga debut on September 17, 2011, in a 2–2 draw against FC Augsburg.
During the 2012–13 season, Ronny moved to a more attacking midfield role and scored a career-best 18 goals, helping Hertha return to the Bundesliga after one year. On August 31, 2016, Ronny and Hertha BSC mutually agreed to terminate his contract.
In March 2017, Ronny returned to Brazil, signing with Fortaleza Esporte Clube, and left the club in November 2017.
2. David Hirst
David Eric Hirst recorded one of the fastest kicks in football history. This happened on September 16, 1996, when he was playing for Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal.
His powerful kick reached a speed of 113.71 miles per hour (183 kilometers per hour). David Hirst started his professional football career with Barnsley.
However, he is best known for his time at Sheffield Wednesday, where he played for eleven years. During his career at Hillsborough, he became a key player and a fan favorite.
Hirst was a striker, scoring 106 league goals in 294 appearances. Hirst’s career included playing in the Premier League, which is the top level of English football.
He was part of Sheffield Wednesday’s team in the first seven Premier League seasons. Also played in both the 1993 FA Cup final and the League Cup final.
After his long spell at Sheffield Wednesday, he played for Southampton for three years before he had to retire due to injury at the age of 32.
In addition to his club career, Hirst played for the England national team. He was capped three times and scored one goal for the senior team.
3. Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is one of the players with the record for the fastest kick in football history. He reached a speed of 190 kilometers per hour (118.06 miles per hour) in 2014.
Arjen Robben is a former Dutch professional footballer known for his impressive skills. He played as a winger and was famous for his dribbling, speed, ball control, and powerful long-range shots.
Many people consider him one of the best players of his generation. Robben started his career with Groningen, where he was named player of the year for the 2000-01 season.
He then moved to PSV in 2002, where he became the Netherlands’ Young Player of the Year and won an Eredivisie title. His talent caught the attention of top clubs, and in 2004, after lengthy negotiations, he joined Chelsea.
Despite an injury delaying his debut, Robben helped Chelsea win two consecutive Premier League titles and was named Premier League Player of the Month in November 2004.
After three seasons in England, he transferred to Real Madrid for €35 million. In 2009, Robben moved to Bayern Munich for around €25 million.
His first season there was successful, with Bayern winning the league title. Robben scored the decisive goal in the 2013 UEFA Champions League final and was named to the Squad of the Season.
In 2014, he earned spots in the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year, and he finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Robben won 20 trophies during his time at Bayern, including eight Bundesliga titles and five DFB Pokals. He formed a successful partnership with Franck Ribéry, and together they were nicknamed “Robbery.”
Robben also had a notable international career. He played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, which the Netherlands lost to Spain.
He participated in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 UEFA European Championships, as well as the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. In the 2014 World Cup, he won the Bronze Ball and was named to the All-Star Team.
4. Steven Reid
On March 10, 2005, Reid kicked a football at an incredible speed of 117.44 km/h (73.0 mph) to record one of the fastest shots In soccer.
This remarkable achievement showed the immense power Reid had in his legs during his playing days. Steven Reid is a former professional footballer from England.
He mainly played as a right-back but spent much of his career as a midfielder. Today, he works as a first-team coach at Nottingham Forest, passing on his knowledge and experience to the next generation of footballers.
Reid’s football career began in 1998 when he started playing for Millwall. His talent quickly became apparent, and after five years, he moved to Blackburn Rovers.
He played with Blackburn Rovers for several years before moving to West Bromwich Albion in 2010. Initially joining West Brom on loan, he later signed a permanent deal with the club.
Despite his skills and strong performances, Reid’s career was often affected by injuries. One notable moment was when he played for 45 minutes with a broken leg in a match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
In 2015, after a season with Burnley, Reid decided to retire from professional football. Although his career had many challenges, including injuries, Reid also had many achievements.
He was capped 23 times for the Republic of Ireland, scoring two goals for the national team between 2001 and 2008.
He was also part of the Ireland squad that played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, an impressive milestone in any footballer’s career.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimović
Zlatan Ibrahimović shot at a speed of 111.85 km/h (69.5 mph) in 2012 is also one of the fastest kicks In football history. He is a former Swedish professional footballer born on October 3, 1981.
Zlatan played as a striker and was known for his amazing skills, like acrobatic strikes and volleys, excellent technique, and great ball control.
He was also known for his strength and physical presence on the field. Many people consider him one of the greatest strikers of all time.
Throughout his career, he won 34 trophies, making him one of the most decorated footballers ever. He scored over 570 career goals, including more than 500 goals in club matches. Remarkably, he scored in each of the last four decades.
Zlatan started his career at Malmö FF in 1999. Two years later, he moved to Ajax, where he quickly became known as one of Europe’s most promising forwards.
In 2004, he signed with Juventus and then joined Inter Milan in 2006, winning three Serie A titles in a row. In 2009, he moved to Barcelona, which was one of the most expensive transfers at that time.
After one season, he returned to Italy to play for AC Milan and won the Serie A title in his first season with the club. In 2012, he joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and helped them win their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years.
During his four seasons in France, Zlatan became PSG’s all-time leading scorer and the top scorer in Ligue 1 for three seasons.
In 2016, Zlatan joined Manchester United and won a European trophy in his first season. He then moved to LA Galaxy in 2018 and returned to AC Milan in 2020, winning another Serie A title in 2022.
Zlatan played for the Swedish national team for 20 years and is the country’s all-time top scorer with 62 goals.
He played in many major tournaments, including the World Cups and European Championships. Zlatan won the Guldbollen, an award for the best Swedish player of the year, 12 times.
His 35-yard bicycle kick goal against England won the 2013 FIFA Puskás Award and is considered one of the best goals ever.
6. Roberto Carlos
Football fans often wonder how fast Roberto Carlos’ shots are. Roberto Carlos kicked the ball at an incredible speed of 172.88 km/h (107.44 mph) during a free-kick in 1997.
This amazing kick is one reason why Roberto Carlos is such a legend in football. Roberto Carlos is a retired Brazilian football player.
Many people think he is the best-attacking left-back ever and one of the greatest full-backs in football history.
In 1997, he almost won the FIFA World Player of the Year award, coming in second place. Roberto Carlos is best known for his long career at Real Madrid and his time with the Brazilian national team.
He started his career in Brazil as a forward but soon moved to the left-back position, where he made a big impact. Roberto Carlos joined Real Madrid from Inter Milan in 1996 and played there for 11 successful seasons.
He played 584 games for Real Madrid and scored 71 goals. During his time with the team, he won four La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies.
In 2013, Marca named him in their “Best Foreign Eleven in Real Madrid’s History”. Roberto Carlos is one of the few players to have over 1,100 professional career appearances for both club and country.
After he stopped playing in 2012, Roberto Carlos became a manager. He managed Sivasspor in Turkey and later managed Akhisarspor before he came out of retirement to play and manage for the Indian Super League team Delhi Dynamos.
7. Shunsuke Nakamura
Shunsuke Nakamura, a former Japanese professional footballer, recorded one of the fastest kicks in football history.
He achieved this incredible feat in 2006 while playing for Celtic, a Scottish football club. The speed of his kick was 162 km/h (100.66 mph).
After retiring as a player, he became a first-team coach for Yokohama FC. During his playing days, Nakamura was renowned for his free kicks.
Steve Perryman, a famous football manager, once said that Nakamura “could open a tin of beans with his left foot,” emphasizing his incredible accuracy and control.
Nakamura began his professional career with Yokohama Marinos in 1997, a club in the J1 League. Over two separate periods with Yokohama Marinos, he played in 338 league games, spending more than twelve seasons with the team.
In between, he played for European clubs such as Espanyol, Celtic, and Reggina. Nakamura’s time at Celtic was especially notable.
He became one of the best Asian players to play in Europe, even being nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2007.
That same year, he was named Scottish Player of the Year and SFWA Footballer of the Year. He also became the first Japanese player to score in the UEFA Champions League.
With Celtic, Nakamura won several team trophies, including the Scottish Premier League in 2006, 2007, and 2008, the Scottish League Cup in 2006 and 2009, and the Scottish Cup in 2007.
On the international level, Nakamura earned 98 caps and scored 24 goals for the Japan national team. He played in the FIFA World Cup finals in 2006 and 2010 and won the AFC Asian Cup in 2000 and 2004.
Also, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2004 competition. Additionally, Nakamura represented Japan in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship and the 2000 Summer Olympics as part of the under-20 and under-23 teams, respectively.
8. Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale is one of the top 10 players with the record of the fastest soccer kick In football history. In 2013, he kicked a ball at a speed of 161.7 km/h (100.47 mph).
This is incredibly speedy and shows how powerful his shot can be. Bale is considered one of the best football players of his generation and one of the greatest Welsh players ever.
He played as a winger for clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and the Wales national team. He started his career at Southampton, playing as a left-back before moving to Tottenham in 2007.
Under the guidance of coach Harry Redknapp, Bale changed his position to a winger in the 2009-10 season and became a key part of the team.
Bale’s amazing performances earned him many awards, including two PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards and three PFA Team of the Year inclusions.
Real Madrid secured Bale for a then-world-record transfer fee of £85.1 million (€100.8 million) In 2013. At Real Madrid, Bale played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
He helped the team win the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, scoring in both finals. In the 2015-16 season, he was a top-three nominee for the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award.
One of his most memorable moments was scoring a fantastic overhead kick in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final.
That year, he also won the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball. Bale returned to Tottenham on loan for the 2020-21 season before playing his final season at Real Madrid.
During his time at Real Madrid, Bale won 15 trophies, including three La Liga titles and five Champions League titles. In July 2022, he joined MLS club Los Angeles FC and retired in January 2023 at the age of 33.
Internationally, Bale made his senior debut for Wales in May 2006, becoming the youngest player to represent the nation at that time. He earned 111 caps and scored 41 goals, making him Wales’ most-capped player and top scorer.
9. Tugay
Tugay Kerimoğlu had the record for the fastest kick in football history. His powerful kick was recorded at a speed of 135.5 kilometers per hour (84.20 miles per hour) during a match between Blackburn Rovers and Southampton in 2001.
Tugay was primarily known as a deep-lying playmaker in midfield. Pundits highly rated Tugay’s skills and abilities.
In 2000, Gheorghe Hagi, a former Romanian midfielder, said that Tugay was one of the best ball-playing midfielders in Europe.
This was high praise coming from someone as respected as Hagi. Six years later, in 2006, Sir Alex Ferguson, the famous manager of Manchester United, also praised Tugay.
Ferguson suggested that if Tugay were ten years younger, his talent would have made him a perfect fit for Manchester United. This shows just how much respect Tugay commanded in the football community.
Mark Hughes, who was Tugay’s manager at Blackburn Rovers, was once asked if he wished Tugay was ten years younger. His response was telling.
He said, “No, because if he was, he’d be playing in a Barcelona shirt.” This meant that if Tugay were younger, he would likely be playing for one of the best teams in the world, like Barcelona.
10. Obafemi Akinwunmi Martins
Obafemi Akinwunmi Martins is a Nigerian former professional footballer known for his incredible speed on the ball.
He played as a forward and made a notable mark in football history with the fastest kick ever recorded in a match.
This happened on January 14, 2007, when Martins was playing for Newcastle United against Tottenham Hotspur.
His kick was measured at 135 kilometers per hour (83.89 miles per hour). Martins left Nigeria at the age of 16 to pursue a football career in Italy.
He started his senior career in 2002 with Inter Milan. During his time there, he won several titles, including the Serie A title, two Italian Cups, and the Italian Super Cup.
In 2006, he moved to England to play for Newcastle United in the Premier League. His time at Newcastle was notable for his speed and goal-scoring abilities.
After his stint in England, Martins played for various top-division clubs across Europe. In 2009, he joined the Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg.
The following year, he moved to Rubin Kazan in the Russian Premier League and was loaned to Birmingham City in 2011.
At Birmingham, he scored the winning goal in the 2011 Football League Cup Final. Martins also had a successful time in Major League Soccer with Seattle Sounders FC from 2013 to 2015, where he scored 40 goals.
He then moved to China, playing for Shanghai Shenhua and Wuhan. In international football, Martins represented Nigeria in several major tournaments. He played in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, and 2010, and in the FIFA World Cup in 2010.
His highest-scoring league seasons included 11 goals in the 2004–05 Serie A season and 17 goals in both the 2006–07 Premier League and the 2014 MLS season.