Jakob vs Mbappe over 400m

I think Mbappe's best track event would be 110 hurdles.

It seems people here tend to both underestimate and overestimate the running prowess of world class soccer players. It's also not a well put problem. Do they get a few training sessions or do they have to run just like that? 400m is difficult distance and a newbie will either start way to fast and badly die after 250m or will run much to conservatively with a negative split. Anyway, from experience, 400-1500m are often the best events of teenage soccer players dipping into track and there are also quite a few middle distance runners who originally played soccer. So Mbappe is way better than average in the 400m and I'd guess he'd run about 50-52 sec. if he gets a few tries (to learn not to begin way too fast or to conserveratively) unless he totally botches the start.

Jakob might be the "slowest" 3:28 runner ever, but I'd still bet he runs ~49.

What doesn't matter. You mean my point that the fastest soccer players in the world can run fast?

Again, Borg ran a 12.1 FAT just a couple of years before that. In tennis forums, Borg is often called one of the fastest tennis players of all time. There is at least one historic thread on this forum claiming that Borg could have been a world class sprinter. Of course he couldn't, but 12.1 isn't slow off no sprint training (other than for tennis), and Pele at 42 beat him handily. Retired 42 year olds tend to be slower than their 25 year old athletic prime former selves.

Claiming Mbappe would be “no better than the average population” over 400m shows a complete underestimation of a professional soccer player’s fitness or a complete overestimation of the fitness of an average person. Perhaps both.

Leonard, in his prime had lightening quick hands. No one is going to convince me Leonard was slow twitch. Video demonstrates sprinting is a combination of leg strength to weight ratio and neuromuscular coordination.

Sounds like you've had an interesting life would be keen to read more about it...

Mats Hummels - one of the slowest Bundesliga players lost to Alica Schmidt (52,80 PB) by ca. 3s.

Mbappe has a very similar physique to that of Canadian decathlete Damian Warner, who has 400m PB of 46.54.

Since decathletes have to train for sprints, explosive strength and endurance, but also a bunch of technical things, it is somewhat comparable to the training soccer players go through. I'd say that Mbappe definitely could hit sub 47 after a season of specific training.

Without training he could sit behind Jakob and outkick him at the end.

At the same time Jakob is someone who couldn't win a single 200m dash of any decent-sized high school. When I was in high school (Hauptschule), we had kids with no t&f background show up and bust a 23s 200m.

Mbappe couldn't beat Jakob if he joins a mile after 3 laps.

The fact that people here are doubting whether Jakob could run under 49 just shows how very little time they have spent around world class athletes and training. Jakob runs a 47-46 no problem.

If I were in charge of Mbappe's training, he would Kick Six Different Kinds of Dog Sh!t Out of J.I., 400m dash. Give me six weeks.

You are not mentally well for believing J.I. has a sub-48.25 f.a.t. 400m in him. 46.xx or 47.xx 400m, that's peak Ivo van Damme/peak S Coe 400m speed. Two 800/1500 meter men who were not afraid to kick against anyone, final 200m of 1500m race. J.I. has to lead with (700 to 1100)m to, 1500m race or he knows he will lose.

nick symmonds, who was faster than jakob will ever be in the 800m, failed to ever run faster than 47.45. of course he could have run faster than that in the 400m when he was at peak fitness, but I'm not sure I agree that jakob could run 46-47 "no problem"

Jakob can definitely run 48, I'd put Mbappe around 51-52

You realize good 400m runners, whether in high school or college, don't even run their first 400m race of the season sub 49-50 seconds.

Mbappe could probably run sub 50, but it would take him months to get there.

High school teammate of mine ran 52 as a sophomore. He was a soccer player who played year round and didn’t even make it to track practice every day.

He was good, but not good enough to play D1.

Mbappe is much faster. Could definitely drop a 49-50

You're hilarious.

A soccer player in high school did a 400m without warming up in 54 seconds for PE.
He later did track and got down to 50 seconds in the same year.

I think Jakob can run a 49. 48 doubt it. He’s probably the slowest of all the 1500m Olympians and WC participants.