Usain Bolt named World Cup winning footballer when asked who could beat him in a 100m race
Usain Bolt named a World Cup winning footballer when he was asked who could potentially beat him in a 100m race.
The legendary Jamaican sprinter won eight Olympic gold medals across three different Games, claiming both the 100m and 200m crowns at all of them.
Originally, Bolt had nine Olympic golds, but he lost one from the men's 4x100m relay in Beijing after a teammate was later disqualified.
In 2017, Nesta Carter who was part of the team which also included Michael Frater and Asafa Powell, was found guilty of doping by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
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As a result, the team were stripped of their medals. Bolt also holds the world record for all three sprint events: the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.
At the 2009 World Championships, he broke his own 200m world record, finishing in 19.19 seconds.
In 2012, Jamaica's 4x100m relay came home in 36.84 seconds.
Most famously, at the 2009 World Championships, Bolt smashed his own 100m world record, crossing the line in 9.58 seconds.
When asked in one interview if he thought any footballers would be able to challenge him, Bolt initially scoffed and said 'no'.
That was before naming Real Madrid star and World Cup winner, Kylian Mbappe.
He said: "I would love to have competed with Mbappe in my prime.
"You know what I mean, to see how close he would be.
"I feel like one day he needs to just run 100m and let me see the time."
Is there a way of finding out who would win?
Yes, well kind of.
A 3D simulation took their fastest recorded speeds and pitted them against each other.
Bolt's top speed of 27.8mph [44.72 km/h] from Berlin in 2009, was pitted against Mbappe's from a PSG match against Real Sociedad, when he clocked 27.8mph [44.72 km/h].
In the simulation, Bolt comfortably beat Mbappe, with one camera angle from the Frenchman's point of view showing the gulf in speed.
Who is Mbappe?
Mbappe is widely considered one of the best footballers in the world.
He started his career in France with AS Monaco, before he joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for an astonishing ā¬180 million (Ā£152 million).
The attacker won six Ligue 1 titles at PSG.
Despite them having the most expensive forward line ever with Mbappe alongside Neymar and Lionel Messi, they were unable to win the UEFA Champions League.
Last summer when Mbappe's contract expired, he moved to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
But it is on the international scene where Mbappe has excelled.
In 2018, he became the first teenager since Pele to score in a FIFA World Cup final, scoring the fourth goal as France defeated Croatia 4-2.
And four years later, he became the first player since Sir Geoff Hurst in 1966 to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
Despite the 26-year-old's best efforts, his side fell short in a dramatic final, losing on penalties to Argentina.
Central to Mbappe's footballing success has been his blistering pace, which has given him the ability to get clear of defenders.
Topics:Ā Usain Bolt, Kylian Mbappe, Athletics, Football, Olympics, Football News
James Taylor