Footballers compete in one of the most grueling sports in the world, and strong legs are essential for career success. All top footballers boast a powerful kick, but some can hit the ball so hard that it travels as fast as a car on the highway—150 kilometers per hour or even faster.
Get your feet comfortable and we'll tell you who has the most powerful kick in football.
Hulk is the owner of the hardest hit on the ball
When the coach of the Brazilian national team was asked what forward Hulk adds to the team, he answered briefly and succinctly: «Strength». «It gives us more power.»"," Mano Menezes added with a chuckle about the man nicknamed after the comic book superhero. Although 31-year-old Givanildo Vieira de Sousa isn't among the most popular Brazilian football stars, he continues to work hard to silence his critics and prove his worth to his fans.
He got the nickname "Hulk" as a child. As the footballer explains, he really liked the superhero, and his father still calls him by it.
«I am big and strong»"," Hulk says of himself, who looks more like a rugby player or an NFL quarterback.«And I use that power when I'm on the field to help my team.».
The hardest hit in football history Hulk committed the crime while playing for Portuguese club Porto against Donetsk team Shakhtar. In September 2011, during a Champions League match, the Brazilian hit the ball so hard that at one point it traveled at 214 km/h. And all this from a distance of just 34 meters.
Shakhtar's goal was defended by Ukrainian national team goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov. But what could he do against a shot that nearly knocked the net out of the net?
The incredible Hulk scored another astronomical goal while playing for Zenit. In a match against Amkar, the Brazilian's shot reached a speed of 176 km/h.
The Brazilian currently plays for Chinese team Shanghai SIPG and earns approximately $21.4 million per year. His transfer from Zenit to the Chinese club cost €55.8 million, a record for the Russian Premier League.
10 football players with the most powerful shots
- Hulk (Shanghai SIPG Club) - 214 km/h.
- Ronny Eberson (Fortaleza) - 210 km/h
- Lukasz Podolski (retired) – 202 km/h.
- Roberto Carlos (retired) – 198 km/h.
- Stephen Reid (retired) – 189 km/h
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) - 186 km/h.
- Wayne Rooney (Everton) - 180 km/h.
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 179 km/h.
- Paul Scholes (retired) – 170 km/h.
- Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa (retired) – 165 km/h.
While Hulk currently holds the record for the most powerful shot in football, the longest shot in football wasn't scored by the mighty Brazilian. That record belongs to Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. During an English Premier League match (2013-2014 season), Begovic's shot traveled 91.9 meters and found the net against Southampton.
But the most spectacular and beautiful strikes were made by Roberto Carlos. His free kick, during the 1997 World Cup match between Brazil and France, became one of the legends of the sport. Fabien Barthez, the French goalkeeper, simply stood and watched as the ball flew in an impossible arc into his goal.