If you searched this topic because you want to play soccer, but you are not too sure about it because you are very short… I’ve got some very good news for you!
I would dare to say that soccer/football is the only contact sport in which being tall doesn’t give you an advantage of any type (except for some positions). In fact, most of the best soccer players in history were short players in stature.
What are the best positions for short players? I would consider a 5,4 feet (1,65 meters) to 1,78 feet (5,9) person, to be short. According to these parameters, I would suggest that someone between those two heights would have no problem performing at any position in the soccer field EXCEPT as a goalkeeper, central defender, and, in some cases, as a central forward.
This can vary a lot. It is not an absolute reality that short players can only play this positions. There are many variables to this topic.
The most important thing you need to know, is that height should not be an obstacle to play soccer. In fact, it can become an extra motivation, and I would be pretty sure to say that soccer is one of the best sports for short players to play at.
Advantages of being short
I think that the most memorable players I’ve played with, are relatively short. Being of short stature actually gives you different characteristics that tall players are hard to have.
One of them is the agility. Usually short players are a lot more agile than tall players. Why is this? It happens because, the shorter you are, the closer your center of gravity will be to the ground. This gives you a considerable advantage when making quick cuts, changes of speed and direction.
Usually short players are the best dribblers and the hardest to stop for defenders. They can easily squeeze in between tight spaces and leave defenders behind. When you get to read the 23 player examples you’ll see what I am trying to say.
Recommended positions
As I said before, short players will perform great in any position in the field EXCEPT as goalkeepers, central defenders, and, in some cases, as central forwards. I’m not saying it is impossible for a short person to play at these positions, but it is preferable to avoid them.
Goalkeepers tend to be very tall players. You can read my article Average Goalkeeper Height and Weight where I made a study analyzing the average height of 45 top class goalkeepers and got as a result that the average goalkeeper height was 6.2 feet (1.89 meters).
This is because goalkeepers need to cover as much space as possible of the goal. Tall players can do this duty better than short ones. If you are too short at these position, you may have trouble competing against tall players.
Next are Central Defenders. It is ideal for players in this position to be tall for many reasons. The first one is to defend the air game. Central defenders play inside the box and need to defend crosses from tall forwards. In corners, the central defenders from the opponents (which are also tall) will come up to your inside box and try to score via air game.
If you are too short in this position, possibly it will be hard for your team to defend the air game. Not saying it is impossible, but harder. Also, it is probable that your team has poor air game because, most of the times, the ones that go up the field to header the ball are central defenders. For example: Sergio Ramos which is 1.84 meters tall (about 6.1 feet).
If you’re not sure if you would be a good defender, go see my article about The 35 tips to be a better defender to see what defending is all about and what you’ll need to succeed.
Finally, central forwards. Actually this is the one I was not completely sure of mentioning because there are a lot of great forwards with short height. The factor that will determine if you will play well or bad at these position is your team playing tactic.
If the team you are playing at likes to do a lot of crosses to the box, and most of their game is by air, then they will need a tall central forward like Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win by air.
However, if the team plays with lots of passes, through balls, and quick feet, then it is totally fine to play at this position for short players.
If you’re not sure about this position, I also wrote an article explaining what it takes to be a great forward. It will help you figure out if you fit in this position.
23 Player Examples
Let’s start with these three beasts:
- Pele: 5.6 feet (1.73 meters)
- Diego Armando Maradona: 5.4 feet (1.65 meters)
- Lionel Messi: 5.6 feet (1.70 meters)
Pele, won three world cups. Maradona won a world cup “by himself”, carrying Argentina in 1986. Lionel Messi, 5 time Balon’d’Or winner (best player in the world award).
We are talking here about three players that can easily be considered the three best players in football/soccer history. In fact, what made them be so notable is their short height, which gave them the ability to make quick cuts and changes of direction, being super fast players in reduced space. Maybe in a straight line run, a tall player could be faster, but in tight spaces, that require changes of speed and direction, it is very hard to find someone better.
Full Back Defenders
- Dani Alves: 5.7 feet (1.72 meters)
- Jordi Alba: 5.6 feet (1.70 meters)
- Dani Carvajal: 5.7 feet (1.73 meters)
- Marcelo: 5.7 feet (1.74 meters)
- Roberto Carlos: 5.5 feet (1.68 meters)
Alves, Alba, Carvajal, and Marcelo can easily be considered the best full backs in world football/soccer right now. Roberto Carlos is said to be, by many, the best full back in the history of the sport. For me, Marcelo can enter that list with Roberto Carlos too.
What is great, for short players, playing as full backs, is that they don’t need to be the one heading the ball, but the ones making the crosses to the box. In corner kicks, they usually stay outside the box waiting for a rebound, meaning that height doesn’t play an important role in their game.
Central Midfielders
- Andres Iniesta: 5.6 feet (1.71 meters)
- Xavi Hernandez: 5.5 feet (1.68 meters)
- Luka Modric: 5.6 feet (1.72 meters)
- Ngolo Kante: 5.5 feet (1.68 meters)
I think the names talk by themselves. Iniesta made the winning goal for Spain to win the 2010 world cup. Xavi Hernandez is one of the best to ever play the position, and Luka Modric is currently one the best Central Midfielders in the world.
Creative Midfielders
- Isco: 5.8 feet (1.76 meters)
- Paulo Dybala 5.8 feet (1.77 meters)
- Phillipe Coutinho: 5.6 feet (1.71 meters)
This are 3 of the best creative midfielders. I actually thought Isco was smaller. What characterizes them is their quick feet, changes of direction, and creativity.
If you are a short player, this could be a great position for you because most creative midfielders dedicate to move the ball around the field, putting great “through balls”, and making the best shots you’ll ever see. They have very little participation in the air game.
Wingers
- Neymar: 5.7 feet (1.75 meters) Best player in world after CR7 and Messi
- Douglas Costa: 5.6 feet (1.72 meters)
- Raheem Sterling: 5.6 feet (1.70 meters)
- Eden Hazard: 5.7 feet (1.73 meters) Won the Premiere League Player of the year in 2015
- Franck Ribery: 5.6 feet (1.70 meters) Best player in Europe 2012/2013
Starting with Neymar. The Brazilian is always among the final top three players in the Ballon d Or award. There are only two players in the world that might be better than him: Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. When they retire, possibly Neymar will be the best player in the world.
Something characteristic of all, is that they are SUPER fast. It’s just terrifying to see the fast and easy the leave defenders behind. Again, winger is a position that mostly makes crosses or penetrates the box by himself, height doesn’t play an important role if you don’t participate too much in the air game.
Forwards
- Antoine Griezmann: 5.7 feet (1.75 meters)
- Gabriel Jesus: 5.7 feet (1.75 meters)
- Sergio “Kun” Aguero: 5.6 feet (1.73 meters)
I said central forward is not a position I recommend if you are short, but I brought this players (there are many more) to give you the example that it is possible to be a forward if you are short.
Griezmann was named the third best player in the world in 2016 and Segio Kun Aguero is a long time considered one of the best forwards in the world.
If you wan to be a forward, just be careful that your team’s strength is not the air game. Otherwise, you’ll probably have to migrate to another position, like a winger.
Conclusion
There is a ton of the best soccer players in history that are short. In fact, the best soccer players ever are most from short stature. Some people insist that being short may give you an advantage in this sport, while others say the opposite.
If you are a short guy, soccer may be one of the most favorable sports for you to play at. Being short, doesn’t give a disadvantage relating to other players like in Basketball or American Football.
However, there are some positions in soccer that require you to be tall like goalkeepers, central defenders, and, in some cases, central forwards. Just make sure to avoid this positions and you’ll be just fine, you can see what positions are in my article: How to choose the perfect soccer position for you.
Don’t let being short something that stops you from playing this beautiful sport. Make it a motivation to be the best at it.