sports

In the earlier days of football, the players who dominated on the pitch were tall and had a strong build. We covered the latter in our previous tallest players overview. However, in modern football, short players are oftentimes superior on the field since many of them have better skills in terms of technique than taller footballers. 

In addition, many superb short players successfully used the lower center of gravity and their agility to surpass defenders. The legendary Argentinian players Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona are the best examples. 

In this segment, I’ll provide you with a list of the top 10 shortest football players in history. The main criteria for this countdown is that the players had to at least play as professionals sometime in their careers.

Keep reading to find out who the shortest football players ever are.

#10 – Rui Gil Soares de Barros (5’3” / 160 cm)

The tallest footballer on this list is the 5’ 3” soccer powerhouse—Rui Gil Soares de Barros. This Portuguese player, who’s currently a manager, was a formidable attacking midfielder. Barros was a hard-working and technically well-equipped soccer player known for his fast change of pace and superb agility.

He played for legendary football clubs like Monaco, Marseille, Juventus, and Porto during the late 80s and 90s. He didn’t let his short stature get in the way of being a successful footballer, and the numbers speak for themselves. Statistically speaking, his best playing days were at Monaco, where he scored 21 goals and had 13 assists in 3 years at that club. His biggest accolade is winning the UEFA Cup with Juventus back in 1990. 

Barros also played for Portugal’s national football team, had 36 appearances, and netted four goals on the international stage for his country. 

#9 – Levi Porter (5’ 3” / 160 cm)

Levi Porter is the prime example that height isn’t critical when it comes to being a good footballer. With a height of 5’ 3”, he was one of the best young left-wingers in his country. Levi represented England’s U16 as well as U17 national football teams in 2003 and 2004. 

He was also a product of the Leicester City youth academy, and even played for the senior team from 2006 up until 2010, apart from the fact that he was loaned out to Mansfield Town in 2009. Throughout his time at Leicester City, he bagged 3 goals and 7 assists in 45 appearances for this high-level English club. Later on in his career, he played for clubs in lower divisions like Histon, Oadby Town, Shepshed Dynamo, etc.

At 32, Levi retired in 2019 as a Melton Town player.  

#8 – Maximiliano Nicolas Moralez (5’ 2.5” / 159 cm)

Standing at 5’ 2.5”, Maximiliano Nicolas Moralez takes the No. 8 spot on this list of the shortest football players ever. 

Nicknamed “Frasquito” or “Little Flask,” he was one of the most talented attacking midfielders in the world at the beginning of his career. Moralez won the FIFA U-20 World Cup trophy with Argentina in 2007. He scored 4 goals during the competition and was the second-best goalscorer in his team, right behind the legendary Sergio Aguero with 6 goals.

Regarding his club career, Moralez boasted the likes of FC Moscow, Velez Sarsfield, Atalanta, New York City, etc.  

In 2017, he transferred to New York City, where he’s not just one of the best players in his team but also in the whole MLS. 

#7 – Madson Formagini Caridade (5’ 2” / 157cm)

The Brazilian Madson, who stands at 5’ 2”, has had a solid career despite being a player of short stature. He’s mostly known for being skillful in set-piece situations and having impressive passing abilities. 

Madson earned a reputation for being a promising youth footballer and eventually got the chance to play at Vasco da Gama and Santos, too. 

His most memorable stint was not in Brazil but rather at a club called Al-Khor, which is based in Qatar. Madson was one of the best players on the team in the 6 years he spent at this club, bagging 40 goals in 129 matches. 

He last played in 2020 for a low-tier Brazilian club, Sao Caetano.

#6 – Benedict Vilakazi (5’ 2” / 157 cm)

The next soccer player on the list is the South African Benedict Vilakazi. At 5’ 2”, he had no fear of engaging with taller players and was also praised for being a leader on the pitch, earning the nickname “Little Napoleon.” As a central midfielder, Benedict was tough and known as a physical player. 

He mostly played for South African clubs such as the Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, Black Leopards, Malanti Chiefs, etc. He also spent one season at the Danish club Aab Aalborg.

Even though Benedict was a midfielder, he is the no.1 Orlando Pirates’ goalscorer of all time with 52 goals.

Moreover, he represented the South African national team, amassed 32 caps for his country, and scored two goals. 

He retired in 2014 as a Botswana Meat Commission soccer player.

#5 – Samuel Peter Lee (5’ 2” / 157 cm)

Football fans like yourself have probably heard of Samuel “Sammy” Lee, who has had an illustrious career as a player and assistant manager of the football giant Liverpool FC. 

This legendary 5’ 2” midfielder was a sharp passer and excellent at man-marking. Lee’s time at Liverpool was full of accomplishments since he won two European Cups and three league titles with this club. In his 10-year spell at the Reds (1976-1986), Lee had 287 appearances, 19 goals and 45 assists. 

After Liverpool, Lee played for clubs like Queens Park Rangers, Osasuna, and Southampton. He ended his football career as a Bolton Wanderers player in 1991.  

Lee was also a part of England’s national team, making 3 appearances.

Regarding his coaching career, he was the assistant manager to renowned Liverpool managers like Rafael Benitez, Gerard Houllier, and Graeme Souness.

#4 – Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari (5’ 1” / 155cm)

A player who sits in the 4th position of the top 10 shortest footballers in history is the 5’ 1” Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari from Qatar. He left a huge mark in Qatar, since he was a captain for his national football team from 1992 up until 2002, playing in 51 matches and scoring two goals.

Jafal was known for being a fierce and agile midfielder, who played for Al Sadd his whole career. 

He retired back in 2009 after a farewell testimonial game versus the mighty AC Milan. Since his retirement, Jafal led Al Sadd as a manager as well as a spokesperson. It’s interesting that he also played beach soccer for the national football team of Qatar.

#3 – Marcin Garuch (5’ 1” / 155 cm)

Marcin Garuch from Poland, with a height of 5’ 1”, is the shortest football player from Europe. 

He’s a midfielder whose strengths are excellent passing and distributing the ball to wingers and strikers. 

Besides being an impressive passer, Garuch can also put the ball into the net, scoring 33 goals in almost 300 games in his career. 

Garuch is a football veteran who primarily played for Miedz Legnica and their reserve team, Miedz Legnica II. He had short spells at Chojniczanka, OfK Grbalj, and GKS Belchatow.  

Garuch is living proof that short stature can’t keep you from being a solid football player.  

#2 – Daniel Alberto Villalva Barrios (5’ 1” / 155 cm)

The second shortest soccer player in the world is the Argentinian Daniel Alberto Villalva Barrios. 

He’s mainly famous for being an accurate passer and an outstanding dribbler. Despite being barely taller than 5 feet, this striker showed potential while playing at the River Plate youth club. At 16, he debuted for the senior team of River Plate and became the youngest player ever in this elite Argentinian club. 

After his River Plate, Barrios played for clubs like Argentinos Juniors, Veracruz, Goias, etc. While playing for Veracruz, he was an essential part of the team, scoring 19 goals and assisting 12 times in his five-year stint with this club.  

He represented the Argentina U17 team at the World Cup in 2009. 

In 2024, he went to a Mexican football club called Atletico La Paz.

#1 – Elton Jose Xavier Gomes (5’ 0.63” / 154 cm)

The shortest football player to set foot on the football pitch is Elton from Brazil. Although he’s just 5’ 0.63” tall, he didn’t let his diminutive size get in the way of being a dominant attacking midfielder. 

Edson was an impressive dribbler that was able to surpass much taller defenders. Besides his dribbling prowess, Gomes was also a prolific striker, scoring 71 times in 331 games as a professional football player. 

He changed 15 clubs in his career, playing for teams like Corinthians, Al-Nassr, Fortaleza, Al-Fateg, Al-Qadisiyah, etc. 

He hung up his football boots in 2021 at 35. 

Footballers come in all shapes and sizes, but one physical characteristic can come in handy while playing this game, which is height. Being a tall player is especially beneficial when you’re a goalkeeper, thanks to long arms and wide reach. Moreover, forwards and strikers who are gifted with superior height greatly utilize their long legs. 

These colossal figures play an essential role in the game, particularly when it comes to aerial contests. Starting from the giant goalkeepers who effortlessly catch the ball in set-piece situations to towering strikers scoring headers with ease. Tall players are unique, and many clubs thrive when they have them in their teams. 

In this review, I’ll cover football’s top 10 tallest players. 

Delay aside, let’s find out who are these long-limbed footballers!

#10 –  Costel Pantilimon ( 6’ 8” / 203 cm)

The 10th spot on this list goes to the Romanian goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon. This giant was a goalie for ten different clubs during his career. Some of them are Omonia Nikosia, Deportivo La Coruna, Watford, Poli Timisoara, Sunderland, etc. Costel also played for Manchester City from 2011 to 2014 and was highly praised for having 15 clean sheets in 29 matches for this Premier League club. 

It’s also worth mentioning that Pantilimon appeared 27 times for Romania’s national football team, where he was the tallest player. In those 27 appearances, he didn’t concede a goal in 11 games. 

He retired in 2021 as a player for a Turkish club called Denizlispor. 

#9 – Tor Hogne Aaroy (6’ 8.5” / 204 cm)

Standing at 6’ 8.5”, Tor Hogne Aaroy is one of the tallest soccer players in history. Throughout his career, Tor played as a striker for numerous clubs, such as Spjelkavik, Frigg, Rosenborg, and JEF United Chiba, while his most memorable spell was at Aalesund. Tor played for Aalesund for 11 years, and in 227 appearances for the team, he scored an impressive number of 70 goals for this top-tier Norwegian football club. 

Many football experts also praise him for his short, but successful stint at JEF United Chiba, a Japanese club that competes in J2 League, which is the second-best football league in Japan.

Tor also got a call from the head coach of the Norway national football team in 2009, but unfortunately couldn’t join the team, since he decided to be at home while he waited for the birth of his second child. 

He hung up his football boots in 2014 as an Aalesund player. 

#8 – Yang Changpeng (6’ 9” / 205 cm)

The next towering player is the Chinese 6’ 9” striker Yang Changpeng. 

This forward was mainly known for his short spell at the famous Premier club, the Bolton Wanderers. Some football pundits even called him the “Chinese Peter Crouch.” Unfortunately, he failed to impress the Wanderers in his one-month trial and returned to play football in China. 

He played for a number of Chinese clubs, like Meizhou Kejia, Yinchuan Helanshan, Chengdu Blades, and Shenzhen Fengpeng. 

He wasn’t the most prolific striker since he only scored six goals in his career. Yang stopped playing professional football in 2021 after leaving Wuhan Jiangcheng. 

#7 – Vanja Ivesa ( 6’ 9” / 205 cm)

Another goalkeeper on the list is the colossal Croatian, Vanja Ivesa, who stands at 6’ 9”. He utilized his long reach to stop shots for over twenty years as a professional footballer. He had successful spells at clubs like Eskisehirspor, Elazigspor, NK Opatija, Slaven Belupo, etc. 

He broke a record at the age of 40 for being the oldest active football in Croatia’s no.1 football league. Thanks to his shot-stopping abilities, Vanja was a nightmare for numerous forwards over the years. The peak of his abilities was achieved at Eskisehirspor, where he had 46 clean sheets in 151 games for the club. 

After 26 years as a goalkeeper, Ivesa retired in 2021 as an NK Opatija player.

#6 – Kyle Hudlin (6’ 9.5” / 206 cm)

The youngest tall player on this list is the English striker Kyle Hudlin, who was born in 2000. 

This center-forward began his professional career at a club called Solihull Moors F.C. In a span of two years that he spent at this club, he bagged 15 goals. 

Kyle is quite successful in using his height to score headers, and he is also really fast for being one of the tallest soccer players ever.  The next club for Hudlin was AFC Wimbledon, where he scored 4 goals in 18 appearances.

In June 2023, he joined Huddersfield, hoping to fulfill his true potential. 

#5 – Tomas Holy  (6’ 9.5” / 206 cm)

Goalkeeper from the Czech Republic, Tomas Holy, is the fifth tallest soccer player on the planet. Standing at 6’ 9.5”, he’s a giant between the posts.  

For a better part of his career, he was a Sparta Prague B player, but he was sent out on a couple of loans at low-tier Czech football clubs. Then, in 2017, he was transferred to Gillingham, where he spent two years as the starting goalkeeper. His career in England continued since he signed for Ipswich, where he found his proper form since he managed to have 28 clean sheets in 65 matches. 

Holy was also a part of the U16, U17, and U18 youth football teams of the Czech Republic. 

In 2022, he went to Carlisle United, a third-level English football club. 

#4 – Tonny Brogaard  (6’ 9.5” / 206 cm)

Tonny Brogaard, formerly named Tonny Nielsen, is a retired goalkeeper from Denmark. With a height of 6’ 9.5”, he was a towering shot-stopper. Throughout his short career that lasted over 5 years, Brogaard mostly played for clubs that competed in low-level Denmark football leagues like Fremad Amager, Greve If, and Avedore If.

The most known club where he played was Doncaster Rovers, but he was the third goalkeeper there and didn’t get much playing time.

The last club he played for was Frem, a club that competed in the second-highest football competition in Denmark. 

#3 – Paul Millar (6’ 10” / 208 cm)

Paul Millar was a British striker known for his tall stature, who posed a real problem to the opposing sides thanks to his height. Standing at 6’ 10”, he was mainly recognized for his successful time at Elgin City, a Scottish football club. During his stint at this club, Paul was a stable contributor to his team, with 18 goals and nine assists in four seasons.

Besides the fact that he was once a footballer, Millar was also a full-time fireman in Scotland.

His less memorable spells were with Formartine United as well as Deveronvale, where he retired at the age of 28. 

#2 – Kristof Van Hout (6’ 10” / 208 cm)

The second tallest soccer player in history is the Belgian colossal goalkeeper Kristof Van Hout. 

Thanks to his physical characteristics, height, and long arms, Hout was a superb shot-stopper.

His professional career started at the Dutch club Willem II. Kristof mostly played for well-known Belgian clubs like Standard Liege, Kortrijk, Westerlo, and Genk, with whom he lifted the Belgian Cup trophy back in 2013. In 2012, while playing at Kortrijk, he was at the peak of his abilities, amassing 15 clean sheets in 41 games in all competitions.   

He also had a short stint with Delhi Dynamos from India, where fans named him “The Belgian Giant.” 

In 2023, this lanky Belgian goalkeeper retired at the age of 36 as a Lommel SK goalie. 

#1 – Simon Bloch Jorgensen  (6’ 10.5” / 210 cm)

The tallest soccer player and goalkeeper to ever grace the football pitch is the towering Dane, Simon Bloch Jorgensen. Although he wasn’t a world-class goalkeeper, he still successfully used his imposing size for shot-stopping. 

In his career, Simon played for English and Danish football clubs such as Waltham Forrest, Accrington Stanley, Whitehawk, Waltham Abbey, Greve IF, Frem, Bronshoj, etc. The best season of his career was with Greve, where he didn’t concede a goal in 5 out of 10 matches he played for them. 

Before retiring in 2022, he was the goalkeeper for Waltham Abbey, an English club that competes in the lower divisions. 

Read next: Who Is The Shortest Football Player In History? – All-Time Top 10 List