Football players are known to have some of the strongest legs in the world. Roberto Carlos was known to hit power shots at speeds exceeding 120 km/h. Speedy shots make for great play because the opponent has little time to react. Indeed, some of these power shot hitters are also some of the greatest footballers. Here are some of the fastest ball speeds recorded in football history;
Ronny Heberson – 211 km/h
Ronny Heberson Furtado de Araujo (1986) is a Brazilian middleman and defense who played for several European clubs. He began his career at the Brazilian age top side Corinthians. He later moved to Germany, playing for Hertha Berlin, and next to Sporting CP. It was at Sporting CP where he made the record-setting 211 km/h power shot against Associacao Naval de Maio.
Arjen Robben – 190 km/h
Arjen Robben (1984) is one of the most decorated Dutch players. He played as a winger for Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Groningen. Robben won all the continental and club titles in his career. This is to no surprise really when you take a look at some of the clubs he played for. You could have bet that the Real Madrid, Chelsea and Bayern team that he was involved in were winning silverware. If you want to place any footballing bets, then take a look at some of the newly licensed UK bookmakers. It was at Bayern Munich where he made his thunderous shot against Borussia Dortmund. The goalkeeper was too stunned to react. It was a friendly game, but the shot was one of the most impressive to be captured on camera.
Steven Reid -189km/h
Steven Reid (1981) was an English midfielder and later coach. He started his football career at 19 years playing for Millwall. He later moved to Blackburn Rovers and then West Bromwich Albion. His toughness on the field was proven when he played against Arsenal with a fractured leg, suffering 45 minutes before he was substituted. He was part of England’s 2002 World Cup squad.
It was during his stint at West Brom that he made the flash shot against Wigan Athletic to net one of the most exciting goals in the Premier League. Reid later went on to join the Scottish National team as part of the coaching staff.
Ronald Koeman – 188 km/h
Ronald Koeman (1963) was a Dutch midfielder and defender in the 80s and early 90s. He was also one of the most talented football players of his time. He had superb long-range shooting and free kick skills. He played for top clubs Ajax and Barcelona.
Koeman scored more than 200 goals in his career. He was at Barcelona when he scored one of the club’s most memorable goals. His 188 km/h shot went into the Sampdoria net to claim the 1992 Champions League final.
David Hirst – 183 km/h
David Hirst (1967) is remembered as one of Sheffield Wednesday’s most popular players. He started his career at 19 years. His largest stint was at Sheffield Wednesday, where he scored more than 149 goals in 358 appearances for the club. He was also capped three times for the English national team. His 183 km/h shot was the most famous in the 1995/96 premier league season.
David Beckham – 158 km/h
David Beckham (1975) is no doubt one of the most popular names in English football. His 20-year career saw him lift 19 major trophies. Beckham was the first English player to lift four different major league titles. His career included stints in Manchester United, Real Madrid, PSG, Milan, Preston End North, and LA Galaxy.
He was also part of England’s FIFA world cup team in 1998 and 2002. However, his most memorable stint was at Manchester United, where he wore the No. 7 jersey. It was in1997 that he scored an amazing 158 km/h goal past Chelsea.
Ritchie Humphreys – 154 km/h
Ritchie Humphreys (1977) is a former English professional football player who played for several premier league and championship teams in the 90s. His most notable stint was at Sheffield Wednesday, where he joined in 1996. In the same year, he scored his marvelous 154 km/h goal against Aston Villa.
Anthony Yeboah – 154 km/h
Tony Yeboah (1966) is one of the most celebrated Ghanaian footballers. He made his name playing for top European clubs such as Eintracht Frankfurt, Leeds United, FC Saarbrucken, and Hamburger SV. He also made 59 appearances for the Ghanaian national team, scoring 29 goals. He won the Bundesliga Golden Boot award twice 1992/93 and 1993/94. During the 1995/96 season, he hit a stunning 154 km/h howler past Wimbledon. It was the goal of the month.
Honorable mention – Roberto Carlos
Power shots cannot be discussed without the name of Brazilian Roberto Carlos. His impressive shots during World Cup matches won him many fans around the world. One power shot was measured at 137 km/h in a friendly against France.
