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Felix Afena-Gyan measured as the fastest player in Serie A
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While Italian football is often played at a slower pace, there’s no shortage of speedsters in the top flight
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Read below for the 10 fastest players in Serie A
There are some who dare claim that Serie A is played at a leisurely pace, a Premier League or La Liga at half-speed.
Clearly such detractors of the Italian game have not witnessed these ten speed-merchants, haring past opponents as if they’re not there.
Fastest Serie A Players (2023/24)
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Marcus Holmgren Pedersen
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Gerard Deulofeu
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Victor Osimhen
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Festy Ebosele
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Noah Okafor
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Leonardo Spinazzola
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Federico Chiesa
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Manuel Lazzari
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Theo Hernandez
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Rafael Leao
Made up of four full-backs, three wingers and three strikers, here are the fastest players in Serie A according to EA FC 24. Blink and you’ll miss them.
Marcus Holmgren Pedersen
Having signed for Sassuolo on loan from Feyenoord with an option to buy, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen immediately places among the fastest players in Serie A for 2023-24.
Pedersen has 19 caps for Norway and was part of the Feyenoord team which finished runners up in the 2022-23 Europa Conference League.
He ranks in the 99th percentile among full backs in progressive carries, and in the 87th percentile in progressive passes received.
Gerard Deulofeu
Former Watford man Gerard Deulofeu has not played a single minute of 2023/24, sidelined with a serious knee injury, but a contract extension recently signed demonstrates how highly Udinese regard him.
Having turned 30 this March the hope is that we will once again see him scamper down the flanks, cutting in to great effect, perhaps even evoking his vintage campaign of two years back, when he fired in 13 goals and carved out five assists.
Victor Osimhen
It felt nailed-on in the betting that Osimhen would move to the Premier League last summer, with Chelsea readied to make a hefty bid, only then he didn’t, meaning the current Serie A Footballer of the Year has stayed in Naples, attempting to replicate a quite astonishing title triumph.
With Napoli well off the pace this time out, and the striker’s season interrupted by injury and a full stint at AFCON, that has regrettably not been possible but there has still been stand-out moments for the player voted eighth at the most recent Ballon d’Or awards.
A hat-trick in February meant the lightning-quick forward became only the third Napoli star to ever reach double figures for four seasons running in the Italian top-flight.
Festy Ebosele
The second Udinese player on this list, Festy Ebosele signed for the Little Zebras from Derby County in 2022, a move that raised an eyebrow or two.
Two years on and those brows have now come down, the Irish international establishing himself as a regular presence down the right.
Still developing, still improving, Ebosele has the pace to get out of trouble and the footballing intelligence to rarely be troubled in the first place.
A propensity to pick up a cheap yellow does not do him any favours though.
Noah Okafor
An impudent Champions League goal for Red Bull Salzburg against Milan in 2022 gained the attention of a lot of clubs, no more so than the Rossoneri who wondered if the Swiss international could do likewise for them.
Alas, getting the opportunity to pull off something spectacular has been kept to a minimum for the 23-year-old, with the Italian giants well-stocked for attacking options.
Favourites as they are in the Serie A odds to win a second Scudetto in three years, that’s not likely to change anytime soon either.
Regardless, five goals this term from mainly cameos bodes well for the future.
Leonardo Spinazzola
Comfortable on either flank and with pace to burn, Leonardo Spinazzola is a lot of fun to watch. It’s no surprise he has cited Gianluca Zambrotta as a major influence in his footballing development.
The wrong side of 30, however, the Roma flyer may not be appearing on lists such as this for too much longer.
Still, he’s far more than a track runner out on the wings, with exceptional dribbling skills and a reliable end product making him an effective chance creator.
Federico Chiesa
A prolific start to 2023/24 saw the winger featuring in the football betting as a Golden Boot contender but sadly it proved to be a false dawn and not for the first time, a player once touted as a future Ballon d’Or winner has seen a campaign give way to injury frustrations.
Worse yet, for the second season running Max Allegri believes he has better options elsewhere and a failure to make much of an impact off the bench has left Chiesa firmly on the periphery.
At least his Euro spot for Italy looks assured, with Azzurri boss Luciano Spalletti a fan.
Manuel Lazzari
Into his fifth season at Lazio, Manuel Lazzari’s versatility makes him a useful asset down the right-hand side.
Once again in 2023/24 he has been a solid performer for the club from the capital, even if he is seldom considered when talk turns to Serie A’s best wide men.
Lazzari has made three appearances for Italy, debuting in 2018 but subsequently others have surpassed him in the international pecking order. Now 30, it seems unlikely he will get another chance for the national team.
Theo Hernandez
Still only 26 years old, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Theo Hernandez plays his way into the all-time Serie A top scorers.
The Frenchman has thrice been named to the Serie A Team of the Year and looks set to excel at the highest level for a long time yet.
Hernandez is more than a sprinter down Milan’s left, but it certainly helps him to impact the game at both ends of the pitch. Offensively, his overlapping runs are a nightmare for opponents to track.
Defensively, very few wingers are going to get the better of him in a foot race.
Rafael Leao
Top spot on this list goes to another Milan player in Portuguese star Rafael Leao.
Heavily linked last summer with a move to Chelsea, Leao has accrued 59 goal involvements since finding his feet in Serie A in 2021/22.
Standing at 6’2, Leao’s combination of pace, size and dribbling ability makes him a menace for full backs.
He’s capable of beating defenders in numerous ways and has often proved to be a valuable outlet for the Rossoneri. It seems like a matter of time until one of Europe’s financial powerhouses signs him.
Fastest Serie A Players In 2022/23:
Gerard Deulofeu
La Masia graduate Gerard Deulofeu has long held a reputation for being one of European football’s true speedsters.
Deulofeu has had a couple of stints in Serie A, playing for Milan on loan in 2017 before joining Udinese in 2020 (at first on loan, then permanently a few months later).
Primarily utilised in a central forward position, the Spaniard has cut down his attempted dribbles in recent years and upped his shot output.
While his role has altered, the former Everton man remains a nightmare for opposing left in space.
Victor Osimhen
Leading the line for Napoli, Victor Osimhen is a handful for defenders. The Nigerian is far more than a speed merchant, however, possessing great technical ability to find his way past opponents.
Osimhen has spearheaded a fearsome Napoli attack in 2022-23, as they have become overwhelming favourites in Serie A odds.
Having starred as the club from Naples have ended their Scudetto drought, Osimhen might not be among the fastest Serie A players for much longer. Chelsea and Manchester United have been rumoured as potential suitors this summer.
If Osimhen remains in Italy, he could make a case to be ranked among the best Serie A strikers of all-time.
Juan Cuadrado
Into his mid-thirties, Juan Cuadrado’s time with Juventus is coming to an end.
He is still rapid, though not quite as quick as he once was. His game has not aged well, however, with some costly mistakes made during the 2022-23 campaign.
His dribbling numbers have fallen off a metaphorical cliff. Defensively, Juventus would surely prefer someone more reliable.
This summer will be an interesting one for the former Chelsea man – he has not adapted as his physical attributes waned, perhaps meaning this is the end for him at the top.
Festy Ebosele
Albeit in under 250 league minutes, Festy Ebosele leads Serie A in dribbles attempted per 90 minutes in 2022-23.
Born in County Wexford, Ebosele moved to Udinese from Derby in 2022, and has earned several caps for the Republic of Ireland under 21s.
The 20-year-old has only started a few games this season, but has been used off the bench frequently since the World Cup.
He has work to do on his ball retention, yet there are signs Ebosele could develop into a starter for Udinese next season.
Leonardo Spinazzola
After starring at the Euros, Leonardo Spinazzola has recovered from injury and worked his way back into the Roma XI.
A marauding wing-back with pace to burn, Spinazzola’s style of play isn’t naturally suited to the managerial approach of Jose Mourinho, yet he has still found some good minutes this season.
Mourinho has favoured using Spinazzola in the Europa League, where he has attempted 5.5 dribbles per 90 minutes during Roma’s run to the last four.
Rafael Leão
Of players to play over 1000 Serie A minutes this season, just four have attempted more dribbles per 90 than Rafael Leão.
Linked with Chelsea heavily last summer, Leão stayed at the San Siro and impressed further during the World Cup with Portugal.
Standing at 6’1, Leão is not only quick-footed. He has the frame to compete physically with anyone on the field.
Direct and effective as both a play finisher and playmaker, there could be a real bidding war for the former Lille man this summer.
Federico Chiesa
Returning from an ACL rupture earlier this season, Juventus have been careful with Federico Chiesa’s minutes in 2022-23.
It has taken some time to work back to his pre-injury heights, yet Chiesa is still a nightmare for defenders when he was space to run into.
At points, Chiesa has looked on course to become one of the best players in the world. Time will tell if that potential can be realised.
At just 25 years old, the Italian has time on his side, though his future might be outside of Turin, with the Old Lady reportedly considering a sale.
Manuel Lazzari
Even if you’re regularly checking the Serie A betting pages, you might not have heard of Manuel Lazzari.
The 29-year-old plays at right-back for Lazio, fulfilling a far less glamorous role than many of his peers on this list.
Lazzari, though, is ranked as one of Serie A’s fastest players on FIFA 23. He isn’t the most eye-catching full-back in Italian football, but he has been a solid contributor for a Lazio team which has its eyes on Champions League qualification.
Hirving Lozano
Hirving Lozano has been in and out of the Napoli starting line up this season, with Luciano Spalletti spoilt for choice in attacking positions.
Lozano has been recognised as one of the world’s fastest players for several years, but has struggled to match that with sufficient end product since moving to Naples.
With only three goals and three assists in 29 Serie A outings, Lozano has been in the shadow of Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during I Partenopei’s historic campaign.
Theo Hernandez
How many left backs in world football would you take over Theo Hernandez? The list is short.
Hernandez has been a regular in the Milan starting lineup since joining from Real Sociedad. Very few players on the planet possess as much pace as the France international.
His ball-carrying has dropped off slightly this season, yet he is still an asset going forward when given the opportunity and his speed is incredibly useful in defence, too.
A transfer is the only way Hernandez relinquishes the title of fastest Serie A player any time soon. Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United are all interested.
