FIFA 23 speed test, featuring Haaland & Mbappe, proves who is the fastest player

Pace is a vital component of top-level football and it is probably even more important in the virtual world of FIFA 23.

Whether it is strikers looking to get away from the last defender, full-backs moving across to cover, midfielders carrying the ball forward or wingers trying to beat their defender, speed is a massive advantage.

Pace is a very general term. There are some players who are very quick off the mark or on the turn, while there are others who may lack that initial acceleration but once they get into their stride rapidly eat up the ground.

FIFA 23, the latest and final version of the franchise, has accounted for this. There are now three new sprint types for all.

It is differentiated between explosive, lengthy and controlled. While explosive supports the smaller, more agile players, who are especially quick on the first few metres, lengthy is the exact opposite. Lengthy is the style for bigger and taller pros, who start off slower and reach their full speed at the end of their sprint. Most players have the controlled style, which accelerates more evenly.

TFV Gaming have taken this a step further on their YouTube channel, producing a FIFA 23 pace test, where the top 32 players go up against each other in a knockout competition. The test produced some interesting results.

The first thing to note is that a player with a pace rating of 95 will not automatically outstrip a player with 85 in this test. The distance covered is from box to box and the test is completed with the ball.

Therefore dribbling, control and agility all play a part. Likewise, players have to be on their optimum sprinting style to suit the nature of the task as well as their agility, stride length and body type.

When looking at the result, the