3 min readNew DelhiJun 19, 2026 09:18 PM IST With each of the 48 competing teams having played at least once in FIFA World Cup 2026, the early markers have been laid down. Speed, as always holds special allure, and the likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are expectedly in the conversation. Neither of them are on top though, according to the BBC-cited official physical tracking data released by the global governing body. Australia defender Jordan Bos is number one with a best speed of 36.7 kilometres per hour, achieved during the Socceroos’ 2-0 win over Turkiye. The 23-year-old Feyenoord full-back has pipped Haaland, who recorded a top speed of 36.5kph en route Norway’s 4-1 thrashing of Iraq. The striker’s Manchester City teammate and Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov stands a close third (also 36.5kph), while another Aussie player Mohamed Toure is fourth (35.8kph) in the list. Comparison with other sports To put these numbers in context, Usain Bolt achieved a top speed of 44.7kph while notching up his world-record 100m sprint timing of 9.58 …