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Euro 2020 has begun and we've already had a handful of exciting matchups. There's plenty to look forward to as the top teams on the continent battle it out to secure bragging rights until the next edition.
At tournaments like Euro 2020, teams often choose to play a very direct brand of football. It is difficult for players coming from various clubs at the end of a hectic season to settle down and get acclimatized with a fresh set of tactics.
Euro 2020 will feature a lot of young and pacy players
Teams usually play to the strengths of their best players. This means we'll see some of the finest footballers in the world playing some exciting football over the coming months. This time around, most teams have also leaned towards bringing in more young players to their setup.
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As a result, we'll see pace becoming a crucial component in games. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the fastest players at Euro 2020.
#5 Phil Foden - England/Manchester City
The promise that Phil Foden possessed has been there for all to see. But it is in the 2020-21 season that the young Englishman delivered on the early promise and truly established himself as one of the future superstars of the Premier League.
Foden is one of many technically proficient Manchester City stars who are excellent with the ball at their feet. His excellent control over the ball means that Foden can take on defenders and flit past them in the blink of an eye.
The 21-year-old is a calm and composed presence on the pitch but he can turn it up when his side needs him to. Quite surprisingly, he is one of the fastest players at Euro 2020. Foden reportedly clocked a top speed of 37.13 km/ in a game against Aston Villa in 2019.
He has shown glimpses of his incredible sprinting ability with the ball in the 2020-21 season as well. With a packed midfield and a sure-shot starter in Harry Kane in the frontline, Foden is expected to be deployed on the flanks. If that's the case, then we'll get to see the youngster showing off his incredible pace at Euro 2020.
#4 Daniel James - Wales/Manchester United
Dan James has already made an impression at Euro 2020, playing a starring role in Wales' opening match against Switzerland. He caused a lot of problems for the Swiss defence with his blistering pace.
The Manchester United man is renowned for his sprinting ability and once he gets past defenders and stirs his stumps, there is no stopping him. He has improved in other departments as well and can no longer be written off as a one-trick pony.
The Welsh winger is certain to go on to become a decisive factor for Wales at Euro 2020. Coupled with his incredible stamina and work-rate, he is the kind of player whose tenacious presence can prove to be a thorn in the neck for oppositions.
#3 Kylian Mbappe - France/Paris Saint-Germain
The only surprise here ought to be that Kylian Mbappe is not higher up the list of fastest players at Euro 2020. We've seen plenty of examples of the effectiveness of the Frenchman's direct running. Mbappe is a nightmare to defend against and his pace with the ball at his feet contributes immensely to that.
Mbappe is one of France's chief weapons at Euro 2020 and for good reason. He is a tricky forward whose technical ability is a cut above the rest. Once he gets in behind the defence and turns on his afterburners, the best thing that defenders can do is hope that he misses with his shot.
Mbappe is one of the fastest ball carriers in the game and although he is only 22-years-old, he has plenty of experience playing at the highest level. His presence makes France arguably the most threatening team on the counter-attack at Euro 2020.
#2 Kyle Walker - England/Manchester City
31-year-old Kyle Walker is not only the oldest player in the England squad but also the fastest. Speaking to The Independent, Walker talked about being the fastest player on a team with a lot of young pacy attackers. He said:
“I always say to the young ones, ‘You might think I’m old,’ and they gave me a bit of stick when I shout ‘oldest starts’ in the possession or games. But I say, ‘If any of you want to race me, I am more than happy…and I’ll probably give you a head start as well.
“Who would win a 100m race at England? Me. If anyone told you different, they’d be lying!"
He topped the list of the fastest players in the Premier League in the 2019-20 and it certainly didn't look like he had lost any of that pace in the 2020-21 campaign. In 2019-20, he reportedly clocked 37.8 km/hr. Walker will bomb down that right-flank for England this time around and he will be quite a test for opposition left-backs.
#1 Adama Traore - Spain/Wolverhampton Wanderers
The 25-year-old Wolverhampton Wanderers winger is the fastest player at Euro 2020. Traore's is a menacing presence on the football pitch. Built like a tank, it's incredible how quick he is. It is nearly impossible to shake him off the ball and he wrestles players away with brute strength, leaving them clutching at tufts of grass as he blazes off.
He offers Spain a great alternative on the wings. Traore has to improve in a lot of departments. His finishing, for example, is rather lackluster. But there's no one quite like him when it comes to getting into dangerous crossing positions and whipping in some inviting balls for his forwards.
Traore is without doubt the fastest player at Euro 2020. We're hoping he will recover from a minor injury issue just in time for La Roja's opening fixture against Sweden.
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