Soccer is a global pastime that people all over the world enjoy. But, as you are watching or playing a game, you may find yourself asking, “How fast is the ball moving after a player kicks it?”. In this article, you will find the answer.
The fastest a player has kicked a soccer ball is 131mph (211 km/h). However, professional players kick the ball at an average speed of up to 70 mph(112 km/h), while youth players can kick a soccer ball as fast as 40 mph (64 km/h).
Reading on and you’ll discover all about how a soccer player can kick a soccer ball so fast, including some of the fastest shots on record by professional players.
I’ll also show you different factors that impact the speed of a soccer ball.
Understanding this will help you improve your technique and become awe-struck at professional soccer players’ sheer talent and power.
How Fast Can a Player Kick a Soccer Ball?
How fast a player can kick a soccer ball depends on their age and competence.
On average, the speed a soccer player can kick a soccer ball is:
- 60 MPH for an average person (not professional)
- 30-40 MPH for Youth soccer players
- 70 MPH for Professional soccer players:
At the youth soccer level, the players don’t kick the ball nearly as fast as adult soccer players.
The reason for this comes down to a mix of experience, technique, muscle strength, and length of the player’s legs.
At a professional level of soccer, the ball moves at speeds of almost 100 mph (161 km/h). However, the majority of the time, the ball moves around the field slower than this.
How Fast Do Professional Players Kick a Ball?
Seeing a professional soccer player kick a soccer ball at 70 MPH is not uncommon.
Cristiano Ronaldo kicks the ball at an average speed of around 80 MPH. In contrast, David Beckham could kick up a ball to 98 MPH.
Professional players spend hours and hours on the soccer training field working on their technique of kicking the ball. If they want to be able to kick the ball fast, they need to make just the right contact with the ball.
They also spend countless hours in the gym working on their leg strength to give them the power needed to move the ball through the air at speed.
For some players, this pays off with kicks that reach unbelievable speeds.
Which Professional Soccer Players Have the Fastest Recorded Shots?
To understand how fast the ball moves at times, it’s worth looking at the fastest kicks recorded.
What’s the fastest a soccer player has kicked a soccer ball?
The fastest a soccer ball has ever been kicked is 131mph (211km/h). Brazilian soccer player Ronny Heberson is credited with this honor after scoring a free-kick against the Portuguese team Associação Naval 1º de Mai in 2006.
You can check out his goal in this compilation video below.
Professional soccer players get to where they are today partly because they can kick the ball with such power.
However, some soccer players have exceeded the average fastest kicks.
The fastest recorded kicks in soccer are:
- Ronny Heberson: 211 km/h
- Arjen Robben: 190 km/h
- Steven Reid: 189 km/h
- Ronald Koeman: 188 km/h
- David Hirst: 183 km/h
- David Beckham: 158 km/h
How Fast Does the Average Player Kick a Soccer Ball?
Although pro players kick the ball at phenomenal speeds, the ball moves a little slower for the average player or youth player.
It is estimated that youth soccer players wearing premium cleats can kick a soccer ball up to speeds of between 30 and 40 MPH.
A non-professional adult soccer player can typically kick a soccer ball as fast as 50 to 60 MPH.
Again, different factors need to be considered that can impact the speed at which someone can kick a soccer ball.
What Factors Affect the Speed of the Soccer Ball?
One of the main factors that impact the speed of a soccer ball is the soccer ball itself.
That’s why there are such strict requirements for the balls that teams use for soccer games.
There is also a science factor to consider.
Physics makes a difference when it comes to how fast a person can kick a soccer ball.
For instance, Newton’s laws of motion play a significant role in the trajectory of the balls depending on how the ball is kicked.
The ball will move in a very different way when you kick with your toes than when you kick with the side of your foot.
There’s also the power and speed of the kick to consider.
The time that it takes for the player’s foot to hit the ball and the power used to kick it can affect the speed of the ball. The more force behind the kick, the faster it will go.
If your aim is to kick the ball as fast as you can, then your goal should be to kick the ball as fast as possible with the best technique you know.
It can take a lot of practice, and there is are specific techniques that you need to learn that will help you become more efficient as you play.
These are skills that you will develop when you continue to practice and play in games.
What are the Benefits of Kicking the Soccer Ball Fast?
Why does the speed you kick a soccer ball really matter?
Knowing how to kick the soccer ball fast is extremely important and offers three benefits:
- It’s easier to score a goal
- A player can kick the ball further
- It creates more passing options
1. Easier for You to Score
The obvious benefit is that you are going to have an easier time scoring.
The faster you shoot the soccer ball, the less time the goalie or anyone else has to react or save it from going in the goal.
If you are both fast and accurate with your kicks, you will have a higher likelihood of scoring, which will make you a major asset to your team.
2. Can Kick the Ball Farther
If you can get good with your kicking, you can make it so that the soccer ball travels a farther distance.
This can be especially great if you are a defender trying to clear the ball or a goalie that is performing a goal kick.
3. More Passing Options
When someone can kick the ball hard and fast, you have more options for passing the ball.
Instead of only being able to pass to those close to you, you can consider the players at the other end of the field as options for a pass.
How Can I Get a More Powerful Shot?
There are three things you can do that can help you get more power behind your kick.
These are:
- Relax as you kick the ball
- Take a long stride as you kick the ball
- Watch the ball as your foot makes contact
1. Relax as you kick the ball
Let your body relax.
You don’t want to feel any tension in your body except for your ankles, which are responsible for getting you that powerful kick.
You want your kick to be smooth and effective.
2. The last Stride Should be a Large Stride
The longer your stride is before taking your shot, the more power that you’ll have for your kick.
This extra length gives your kicking leg more time and a greater swing to build up power.
3. Make Sure that You Can See Yourself Make Contact with the Soccer Ball
If you can see your foot make contact with the soccer ball, you can see that you are correctly kicking the ball.
Watching your foot make contact with the ball ensures you are using the correct technique and making good contact.
Next Steps
Every player is different, from youth to casual to professional.
Their experience level and other factors can impact just how fast a soccer player can kick a soccer ball.
To learn more about a soccer ball, I recommend you check out one of the following posts:
- How to Score in Soccer: Helpful Tips and Tricks
- The History of the Soccer Ball: From Origin to Modern Day
- Why are Soccer Balls Black and White?
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