How Fast is Messi?

At his blistering best, Lionel Messi has reached top speeds of 30 mph (48 km/h). To put that into perspective, that‘s only 3 mph slower than some of the fastest sprinters in the NFL!

While raw pace is not the main aspect of Messi‘s game, his acceleration, change of direction, and overall quickness consistently allow him to breeze past defenders.

Head-to-Head: How Messi Compares to Other Elite Speedsters

According to benchmarks over the past five years, Messi ranks among the fastest in the game today:

As you can see, Messi is not far behind the likes of Mbappe and Ronaldo in top pace, which is exceptionally quick company to keep.

However, Messi‘s game has evolved to rely more on acceleration, agility, and technical skill rather than simply outsprinting opponents.

The Source of Messi‘s Pace: Explosive Acceleration

While Messi‘s top speed is impressive, his most dangerous weapon is his rapid acceleration – his ability to explode from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye.

The combination of a quick first step and flawless technique allows Messi to reach top speed after only 3-4 strides. This gives defenders no time to react when he puts the jets on.

Stats also show Messi can go from standing to 95% of his top speed in just 2 seconds flat. Compare this acceleration to the average human, who takes 5+ seconds to hit top gear. When combined with Messi‘s agile footwork to shift direction rapidly, you have a masterclass in quickness.

Skills & Control That Complement His Speed

Pace means little without the ball control and footwork to utilize it effectively. Luckily, Messi has both in spades. His low center of gravity allows sharp twists, turns, and changes of direction to feint defenders off balance.

Messi also utilizes skills like the lightning fast double touch to tap the ball rapidly between his feet and sprint away from closing defenders. His repertoire of feints like stepovers, shoulder drops, and jab steps all complement his acceleration.

This combination of blistering pace and masterful technique is almost impossible to defend against in the open field.

Clips Showcasing His Speed on Attack

To truly appreciate Messi‘s blink-and-you‘ll-miss-it acceleration, check out clips of him blowing past world class defenses:

As you can see, Messi goes from walking to sprinting past multiple defenders within milliseconds. They have no chance to react to his burst.

Why Defenders Can Rarely Catch Him on Counterattacks

While most players require lengthy run-ups to reach their highest gear, Messi generates elite speed within a few explosive steps.

By the time opponents realize Messi has accelerated into space behind them, he‘s already gone. The combination of instant speed off the mark and world-class technique is simply too much for most defenders to handle.

Verdict: Deceptively Fast and Quick

While other players may beat Messi over 60 or 100 meters in a flat sprint, his acceleration and change of direction allow him to consistently outpace defenders on the pitch.

Factor in his agile footwork and bag of tricks that complement his speed, and it‘s clear why Messi continues to breeze by opponents even as he advances deeper into his 30s.

So while the numbers on paper suggest others like Mbappe or Ronaldo are faster in terms of top speed, on the field Messi‘s level of quickness reigns supreme.