Height (m) | Player | Club | Nationality | Position |
---|---|---|---|---|
1.55 | Jafal Rashed | Al Sadd (Qatar) | Qatar | MF |
1.58 | Élton Jose Xavier Gomes | Al Nasr (Saudi Arabia) | Brazil | MF |
1.60 | Madson | América de Natal (Brazil) | Brazil | MF |
1.60 | Maximiliano Moralez | Racing (Argentina) | Argentina | MF |
1.60 | Levi Porter | Leicester City (England) | England | MF |
1.61 | Diego Buonanotte | River Plate (Argentina) | Argentina | MF |
1.61 | Elgabry Rangel | Tecos (Mexico) | Mexico | DF |
1.62 | Carlinhos Bala | Sport Recife (Brazil) | Brazil | FW |
1.62 | Christian Lara | Barcelona SC (Ecuador) | Ecuador | MF |
1.62 | Juan Cuevas | Gimnasia (Argentina) | Argentina | FW |
1.62 | Franco Niell | Argentinos Juniors (Argentina) | Argentina | FW |
1.62 | Joãozinho | Levski Sofia (Bulgaria) | Brazil | MF |
1.63 | Mohammad Al Shalhoub | Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) | Saudi Arabia | MF |
1.63 | Pablo Piatti | Estudiantes (Argentina) | Argentina | MF |
1.63 | Christian Bermúdez | Atlante (Mexico) | Mexico | MF |
1.63 | Zinha | Toluca (Mexico) | Brazil/Mexico | FM |
1.63 | Bakari Koné | OGC Nice (France) | Cote d'Ivoire | FW |
1.64 | Danilinho | Atlético Mineiro (Brazil) | Brazil | MF |
1.64 | Ludovic Giuly | A.S.Roma (Italy) | France | MF |
1.64 | Sebastian Giovinco | Juventus (Italy) | Italy | MF |
1.64 | José Joel González | CF Monterrey (Mexico) | Mexico | MF |
1.64 | Maximiliano Biancucchi | Flamengo (Brazil) | Argentina | MF/FW |
1.64 | Allan Alemán | Liberia Mia (Costa Rica) | Costa Rica | FW |
1.64 | Alejandro Gómez | Arsenal da Sarandi (Argentina) | Argentina | MF |
1.64 | Maximiliano Estévez | Racing Club (Argentina) | Argentina | FW |
1.65 | Aaron Lennon | Tottenham (England) | England | MF |
1.65 | Emiliano Insúa | Liverpool (England) | Argentina | DF |
1.65 | Massimo Murdocca | Queensland Roar (Australia) | Australia | MF |
1.65 | Alex Nimo | Real Salt Lake (USA) | Liberia | FW |
1.65 | José Francisco Torres | Pachuca (Mexico) | Mexico/USA | MF |
1.65 | Luis Montes | Pachuca (Mexico) | Mexico | MF |
1.65 | Martín Bravo | San Martin de San Juan (Argentina) | Argentina | FW |
1.65 | Tita | Ankaraspor (Turkey) | Brazil | MF |
1.65 | Milton Núñez | Olimpia (Honduras) | Honduras | FW |
1.65 | Rodrigo Ruiz | Tecos (Mexico) | Chile | FW |
1.65 | Naji Majrashi | Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia) | Saudi Arabia | FW |
1.65 | Erivélton | Atlético Paranaense (Brazil) | Brazil | DF |
1.65 | Jadílson | Curzeiro (Brazil) | Brazil | DF |
1.65 | Paulinho | Maccabi Haifa (Israel) | Brazil | MF |
1.65 | Vitor Júnior | Santos (Brazil) | Brazil | MF |
1.65 | Boris Sagredo | Colo-Colo (Chile) | Chile | MF |
1.65 | Miroslav Ivanov | Levski Sofia (Bulgaria) | Bulgaria | MF |
Depending on which number you believe, Élton Jose Xavier Gomes may be the shortest player. He is listed at 1.53m on wikipedia, 1.56m at this Corinthians site, and in this Reuters article he is listed at 1.58m.
I didn't find any goalkeepers that met the criteria for this list, but Oscar Perez Rojas of UANL Mexico came the closest at 1.69m (5ft7in).
Other famous short players who didn't quite make the list:
Lionel Messi (1.69m), Philip Lahm (1.70m), Freddy Adu (1.73m), Paul Scholes (1.70m), Shaun Wright-Phillips (1.66m), Javier Saviola (1.68m), Omar Bravo (1.69m), Edgar Davids (1.70m), Claude Makelele (1.70m), Michael Owen (1.72m)
Interesting that more than half of these short players are from Argentina, Brazil, or Mexico.
There are certainly discrepencies in these players listed heights, depending on what site you're looking at. If you have any corrections or additional players I can add to the list, please feel free to let me know.
Thanks for the list very interesting. Any chance you might have the data for what the average height of players are in the English Premier league or La Liga or the Italian division one.
ReplyDeleteThanks
You missed a few players.
ReplyDeletehttp://thetwelfthmanblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/worlds-shortest-footballers.html
there is another one:jesus navas[sevilla fc]
ReplyDeletehats off to you
ReplyDeletenice information
you've missed Rui barros :)
ReplyDeleteNice job guy, but where do u put Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal FC)
ReplyDeleteAntonio González.
ReplyDeleteWayne Neville Anthony Routledge, Newcastle United (England)
ReplyDeleteRui Barros was 1.60m hehe. he would get a top 5 on you rlist. i loved to watch him play
ReplyDeleteandik vermansyah, indonesian football player from Persebaya Surabaya, 162 cm..
ReplyDeleteOther shortest players;
ReplyDeleteFull name Benedict Bongani Vilakazi
Date of birth August 9, 1982 (1982-08-09) (age 29)
Place of birth Soweto, South Africa
Height 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Playing position Central midfielder
Full name Oupa Matthews Manyisa
Date of birth July 30, 1988 (1988-07-30) (age 23)
Place of birth Mohlakeng, South Africa
Height 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Playing position Central midfielder
Sources; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Vilakazi_(soccer)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oupa_Manyisa
Daniel Villalva, 155cm / 5ft 1
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Villalva
hahaaah
Alanzinho, 164 cm
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alanzinho
this player look short but seems that they have talent. my height is 169cm 5'7ft. i am a good player in forward. i am from Belize and i would like to play at any country with any team.
ReplyDeleteI am 5t 1 in,from Nigeria and Austine by name.I am a talented striker and 19 in age.i will like to play for any country or club.
ReplyDeleteI`m 171cm & 19 yrs.Good to see the heights.I ve realized I`m not too short,a bit taller than Messi.Thanks a lot...
ReplyDeletewhat about Indian football players they are too short...
ReplyDeletealexis sanchez of barcelona is around 5ft6 same height as me.
ReplyDeleteHa ha. Im 181.5 cm and only fourteen. Would hate to be that short.
ReplyDeleteWow tnx nice site I though shaun wright-phillips is the smallest player in world but now I see theres more.Im 194 cm
ReplyDeleteFull name: Jafal Rashed Al Kuwari
ReplyDeleteDate of birth: September 27, 1972
Place of birth: Qatar
Height: 155 cm
Playing position: Midfielder
Nationality: Qatar
Even Santi Cazorla He is 1.65m
ReplyDeleteMarco Verratti, PSG midfielder is 1.65m, one of the shortest in French football, he's famous too; a good player
ReplyDeleteMatthew Balvuena?????
ReplyDeleteMarcin Garuch from Polish league, is 154 cm I believe
ReplyDeleteAlexis Sanchez is as short as Messi (169 cm).
ReplyDeleteGustavo Lorenzetti (U. de Chile), argentinian midfielder (164)
Federico Valentini
ReplyDeleteDate of birth
January 22, 1982 (age 31)
Place of birth
San Marino
Height
5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Playing position
Goalkeeper
Guissepi Rossi former Man utd, Sevilla and now I don't know
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is, the best players ever are Maradona and Romario with 1.65m and 1.67m.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason why short players occur often in south America, is they get chances to prove themselves. In Europe you have a little chance to be a professional player, as they disqualify you simply based on length.
But if you look at Maradona, Romario and Messie, these are the best players ever and yet they're shorter than 1.70 m.
but they really look dwarfish though on the field and on tv, esp. when their body is too built, like that pictured of 'diego buonanotte' above with towering giants. at least everyone is given a chance to play and get noticed based on talent and skills, and not discriminated because of lack of "average" height. that's why i love this sport!
ReplyDelete