Lightning-Fast Debut: Barcola Rockets to 35.93km/h in Premier League Opener, Temporarily Leads This Season's Speed Rankings but Falls Short of the Historical Threshold
On September 9, the Premier League released a notable statistic: Liverpool's new summer signing, forward Barcola, set a new record for the fastest speed this season in his Premier League debut.
According to the Premier League's official statement, Barcola entered the match against Ipswich Town as a substitute in his debut and broke the current season's speed record for the Premier League in less than 10 minutes on the pitch.
The French winger, who transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Liverpool this summer, reached a stunning 35.93km/h just 6 minutes after coming on as a substitute. This performance places him at the top of this season's speed rankings, surpassing Manchester United's Mbembe, who recorded 35.36km/h in the third round against Everton.
This Season's Premier League Speed Rankings Top 10
1. Barcola (Liverpool) 35.93km/h
2. Mbembe (Manchester United) 35.36km/h
3. Van Evick (Coventry City) 35.26km/h
3. Neto (Chelsea) 35.26km/h
5. Rayan (Bournemouth) 35.14km/h
6. Ayer (Brentford) 35.08km/h
7. Mattson (Aston Villa) 34.96km/h
8. Mandawar (Sunderland) 34.87km/h
9. Elanga (Newcastle United) 34.86km/h
10. Mosquera (Arsenal) 34.83km/h
However, when looking at Premier League history, Barcola's achievement is still not enough to crack the top 10. Since the Premier League began recording speed data from the 2020/21 season, the all-time fastest record is still held by Tottenham defender Van der Fijn, who claims three spots in the Top 10 with times of 37.38km/h, 37.23km/h, and 37.12km/h.
All-Time Premier League Speed Rankings Top 10 (from the 2020/21 season onward)
1. Van der Fijn (Tottenham) 37.38km/h
2. Walker (Manchester City) 37.31km/h
3. Zachua (Wolves) 37.30km/h
4. Van der Fijn (Tottenham) 37.23km/h
5. Van der Fijn (Tottenham) 37.12km/h
6. Ogbe (Luton Town) 36.93km/h
7. Elanga (Nottingham Forest) 36.91km/h
8. Neto (Wolves) 36.86km/h
9. Model (Brighton) 36.84km/h
10. Szoboszlai (Liverpool) 36.76km/h