Hakimi named Bundesliga’s fastest player since data collection began

Borussia Dortmund wide-man Achraf Hakimi has been named the Bundesliga‘s fastest player on record, with the Real Madrid loanee’s feat marking the third time this season that a fresh face has appeared on the top 10 list.

While Germany‘s top flight may only have began collecting detailed data in the 2011-12 season, current Arsenal man and former Dortmund speedster Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s placement at number seven provides context as to just how impressive the pace in the league is this term.

Hakimi, still just 21, first broke into the top 10 during Lucien Favre’s side’s action-packed 3-3 draw at home to RB Leipzig, clocking a top speed of 22.49mph (36.20 km/h), according to the Bundesliga’s official website, to take him to the summit of the charts.

However, with the season wearing on as the league went into matchday 20, Hakimi literally hit his stride, beating his own record with an improved top speed of 22.67mph (36.49 km/h) when Dortmund trounced Union Berlin 5-0 at Signal Iduna Park.

Marco Reus, Hakimi’s captain, and himself easily capable of beating his man with pure acceleration, earlier this season described the wing-back as one of the key cogs in Favre’s attacking machine.

“Achraf is a real weapon for us,” he told reporters. “His speed is incredible.”

Indeed, Hakimi’s value to the Dortmund cause is such that the Morocco international has not missed a single Bundesliga match this term, delivering four goals and laying on 10 assists throughout the campaign to date, while also netting four goals in eight Champions League appearances.

Aubameyang aside, another player on the list with links to the Premier League is former Manchester City youth Rabbi Matondo, who blazed into second on matchday 26 despite his struggling Schalke side falling to yet another defeat, this time a 2-1 loss at Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Kingsley Coman improved his personal best earlier in the season during Bayern Munich‘s clash with Paderborn, while his namesake Kingsley Ehizibue made himself known by holding the record from Matchday 7 until Hakimi’s first entry.

Top 10 fastest Bundesliga players since records began in 2011-12

1) Achraf Hakimi (22.67 mph / 36.49 km/h)
2) Rabbi Matondo (22.35 mph /35.97 km/h
3) Kingsley Ehizibue (22.3 mph / 35.85 km/h)
4) Kingsley Coman (22.16 mph / 35.66 km/h)
5) Jeremiah St. Juste (22.12 mph / 35.60 km/h)
6) Fabian Johnson (22.05 mph / 35.50 hm/h)
7) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (22.02 mph / 35.44 km/h)
8) Sheraldo Becker (22.01 mph / 35.43 km/h)
9) Lukas Klünter (21.99 mph / 35.40 km/h)
10) Artjoms Rudnevs (21.98 mph / 35.39 km/h)
=10) Jan Rosenthal (21.98 mph / 35.39 km/h)