Although traditional number nines once again find themselves as part of the real-world meta, pace remains an important factor in FIFA 23. Whether playing a ball over the top or taking defenders on at speed, acceleration and pace are incredibly useful and continue to be the two most important stats for most FIFA players.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the fastest players in FIFA 23 aren't all that different from the ones in previous FIFA games, though there are a few new faces for players to familiarize themselves with. Whether they're assembling an ultimate team or starting out a new career mode, they'll definitely want to keep an eye out for these unstoppable speedsters.
7 Kevin Schade (94 Pace)
Last season was a huge one for 20-year-old Kevin Schade, with the versatile right midfielder being called up to the SC Freiburg first team for the very first time. He managed five goals and two assists in 24 appearances across all competitions, which saw his rating jump from 62 to 70.
Most of his stats were given a healthy boost, but none more so than his speed. Schade only had 69 pace at the start of FIFA 22, but following a somewhat ridiculous +25 increase, he's now among the fastest players in FIFA 23. His potential has also risen from 76 to 83, making him a solid pick for career mode.
6 Ismaïla Sarr (94 Pace)
It was starting to look as though Sarr may have secured a move back to the Premier League with Aston Villa at one point during the transfer window. For whatever reason, though, the deal fell through at the last minute, meaning that the young Senegalese will now remain with Watford until at least the January window.
Villa's loss is Watford's gain, with the lightning-fast winger having enjoyed an excellent start to the season. Granted, the player himself may be a little disappointed to be playing in England's second tier, though he can at least find some comfort in knowing that he's easily the fastest player in the Championship.
5 Sheraldo Becker (95 Pace)
Players usually tend to slow down a bit as they start to get a little older, but that's not the case with Union Berlin winger Sheraldo Becker. To be clear, he's still on the right side of 30 and has always been a pacey player, but at 95, his pace in FIFA 23 is higher than it's been in any other FIFA game despite him now being in his late twenties.
For what it's worth, Becker definitely deserves his rating increase, having enjoyed a fantastic end to last season. His form at the start of this one has been even better, with the player having banged in six goals and four assists in just seven league appearances. No player in Europe boasts a better shot conversion rate at the time of writing.
4 Daniel James (95 Pace)
After leaving Manchester United for Leeds in the summer of 2021, many expected Dan James to really start to kick on. Sadly, however, things didn't quite work out for the pacey winger at Elland Road, which led to a deadline-day loan move to high-flying Fulham just 12 months later.
If James is able to work on his end product a little, he still has the potential to be one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League. He showed what he's really capable of in glimpses while in Leeds and in Manchester, so he definitely has it in him to up his game.
3 Vinícius Júnior (95 Pace)
Vini may have taken a while to come good on his potential, but his performances last season showed why Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelloti had put so much faith in him. He struck up a formidable partnership with Ballon D'or favorite Karim Benzema, which saw the team win the Champions League for a record fourteenth time.
With 17 goals and 10 assists in 35 league matches last season, the speedy Brazilian was always likely to see a big rating increase. Few could have predicted a +6 jump in his overall rating, yet it's hard to argue that he doesn't deserve it. Vini's pace remains the same at 95, but this is still more than enough to terrorize defenses with.
2 Adama Traoré (96 Pace)
Not only is Adama Traoré one of the fastest players in FIFA 23, but he's also one of the strongest. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old Spaniard's end product is incredibly hit and miss, which has prevented him from ever really fulfilling his potential despite regularly featuring in lists of the fastest FIFA players.
Some were surprised when Barcelona decided to take a punt on Traoré last season, but it just goes to show how highly-regarded he still is in world football. Sadly, though, the loan deal didn't quite work out for either party, meaning that Traoré is now back at Wolves for the coming season.
1 Kylian Mbappé (97 Pace)
Following yet another sterling campaign that saw the 23-year-old forward become the highest-paid football player in the world, it should come as little surprise to learn that Kylian Mbappé is the fastest player in FIFA 23. It's the third year in a row that he's held the title, and, if current form is anything to go by, it probably won't be the last.
That Mbappé has been the cover star for all three years in which he's been crowned the fastest player in FIFA may raise a few eyebrows here and there, but anybody who's actually seen him play will know just how rapid he really is. He knows how to use his pace too, which isn't the case with some of the game's other pacey players.
FIFA 23 is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.