Yira Sor continues to make headlines after emerging as the fastest player in European football, with the KRC Genk winger attracting attention for his explosive pace and rising influence in Belgium.

The Nigerian forward recently reached remarkable sprint numbers in league action, placing him among the quickest players recorded in professional football, Footballrover reports.

Yira Sor proud of fastest player recognition in Europe

For Sor, however, the recognition is both a proud moment and motivation to keep improving.

Speaking about the achievement, the former Flying Eagles star admitted the honour still feels surreal considering the number of elite players known for their speed.

“Amazing feeling, obviously, I must say. The likes of Mbappé, a lot of great and fast players in Europe, and to be recognised as the fastest, I see this as an honour.”

Tracking data from Genk’s recent league clash against KAA Gent showed Sor hitting a top speed of 37.7 km/h, while some internal sensors reportedly clocked him close to 39 km/h during a sprint.

For context, Kylian Mbappé — widely regarded as one of the quickest footballers in the world — has recorded speeds around 38.0 km/h this season.

If Yira Sor’s reported 39 km/h burst is officially confirmed, it could place him ahead of some of the fastest players in recent years, including Anthony Gordon and Micky van de Ven.

Yira Sor confident as Genk chase domestic and European success

Despite the attention surrounding his speed, Yira Sor insists his focus remains on helping Genk achieve results on the pitch.

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“Yeah, a lot of people. They come in here; I keep saying to them, it’s the gene, it’s in the family, and also the environment where I am, the trainings and everything also help.”

His recent performance against Gent highlighted that impact. Sor came off the bench to score in stoppage time as Genk secured a convincing 3–0 victory, replacing Nigerian-born winger Noah Adedeji-Sternberg in the 72nd minute before sealing the win late on.

The goal took his league tally to four in the Belgian top flight, underlining his growing importance to the team.

Online reaction has also been significant after the speed data circulated across social media.

“Yeah, a lot of posts; a lot of people commented on this, but it’s an amazing feeling.”

While the headlines have focused on his pace, Yira Sor says his personal focus remains on consistency and continued development.

“Confident. The team, we are doing everything possible to win every game, and I think the energy is there in the team, and I feel confident in myself.”

Yira Sor aiming for improvement and big European nights

The Genk winger believes he still has room to improve despite the attention around his speed and performances.

“Of course. Every footballer, I think there is always room to improve a lot of things. I also need to work on my limitations, my shortcomings. I can still get better, for sure.”

Genk now face important matches both domestically and in Europe, with the squad preparing for crucial fixtures in the Belgian league as well as a Europa League encounter.

“The boys are ready mentally; the energy is there, the belief. We hope we can scale through.”

European competition remains particularly special for the Nigerian attacker.

“That’s always been a special feeling, you know, playing against great teams like Zagreb. It gives you a lot of opportunities; it gives the gang also a lot of recognition, and we also need to experience a different style of football.

And if we want to be a top club, we also need to show our performance in these games.”

Yira Sor also highlighted the tactical difference between European fixtures and domestic league matches.

“I think in the Belgian competition, most of the teams, when they play against Genk, they just try to sit back and play the counter-attack.

But in the European games, we are playing against a lot of big clubs, big teams, so they want to attack us, and this also gives us a lot of opportunity, especially for a player like me.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming clash with SC Freiburg, Yira Sor expects a challenging contest but remains confident in Genk’s preparation.

“Of course, we know they are a top team in Germany. It’s going to be difficult, but we have our tactics, and we are going for the win.”

“Yeah, they are really physical. They play with a lot of energy and intensity. And if we must win, we must be ready for this.”

The winger’s ambition for the match is simple.

“Just to win. We just want to win; no other way. Because we know going to Germany is also going to be a difficult game, so now with our fans and our stadium and our ground, we need to give 100% to get the win.”

Genk are also aware that progressing further in Europe could be historic for the club.

“Ah, yeah, I know we had this just one time, and it will also be a nice feeling to get to this stage one more time, together with our fans and everyone.”

Before the big night, Yira Sor had one final message for supporters.

“Come out to support us, like always. We need the energy from the fans. They are the top players on the pitch. And with them, I think we are going to do this together.”

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Last Updated on March 12, 2026 5:05 pm by footballrover