Football
The Shortest English Premier League Player
Football is a sport for all shapes and sizes. Goalkeepers, central defenders, and target men are tall. Wingers, midfielders, and playmakers are shorter. These are the shortest footballers in the English Premier League.
Image Credit: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
The adage that a “good big’un always beats a good little’un” is not necessarily true in sports. There have always been many short players in the English Premier League (EPL), despite England’s propensity for ‘big’ footballers. Several players measure equal in height in the top division. There is an Englishman, a Ghanaian, and a Brazilian among the shortest-ever Premier League players.
England has always been enthralled with strong, physical footballers. English football tradition is about ‘target men’ and big number nines and monster midfielders, never mind the hulking central defender. While the midfielders fought for possession through crunching tackles, the forwards spent entire matches waiting in the box for lumped-in long balls, crosses and set pieces.
Several players share the top spot for shortest EPL footballers. There is not much difference in height between the ten tiniest players. SportsBoom created a list of the shortest English Premier League players in history. The list includes past and present Premier League footballers. Surprisingly, Michael Owen does not make the list of shortest-ever EPL players.
Image Credits: Gordon Flood
Premier League Footballers Have Not Traditionally Been Short
Throughout English football history, players have tended to be big, tall, and strong. Football has always been a physical sport, although not as brutal as in past years. Governing bodies and officials have clamped down on tackling because star players began to get injured for months, sometimes seasons, which is bad for the brand.
However, smaller football players have been en vogue since Pep Guardiola fielded a team of short players at Barcelona in the late 2000s. Guardiola went against the grain, against the misconception that small players struggled to compete against taller opponents.
Image Credits: Tsutomu Takasu
Guardiola fielded a team with Lionel Messi - who suffered from growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and required treatment since he was twelve years old, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves, and Pedro, among others. Due to Guardiola’s sustained success, clubs tried replicating his blueprint. Despite many managers and clubs buying small players, not all have achieved his success. Guardiola’s influence has paved the way for shorter, smaller footballers in the Premier League.
List of 10 Shortest English Premier League Players
| Rank | Player | Main Club/s | Height |
| =1 | Tariq Lamptey | Brighton & Hove Albion | 163cm (5’4’’) |
| =1 | Ryan Fraser | Newcastle united | 163cm (5’4’’) |
| =1 | Alan Wright | Aston villa | 163cm (5’4’’) |
| =4 | Juninho | Middlesbrough | 165cm (5’5’’) |
| =4 | Billy Gilmour | Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 165cm (5’5’’) |
| =4 | Ethan Nwaneri | Arsenal | 165cm (5’5’’) |
| =4 | Jody Morris | Chelsea | 165cm (5’5’’) |
| =4 | Aaron Lennon | Tottenham Hotspur / Burnley | 165cm (5’5’’) |
| =4 | Daniel Podence | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 165cm (5’5’’) |
| =4 | Nathan Dyer | Swansea City | 165cm (5’5’’) |
| =10 | Nampalys Mendy | Leicester City | 167cm (5’6’’) |
FAQS
Lamptey is the shortest African player in the EPL. He is a Ghana international footballer who plays fullback or wingback for Brighton & Hove Albion.
Ethan Nwaneri is the tied fourth shortest EPL player, past and present. He is 1.65m ( 5 feet & five inches) tall. Nwaneri is also the youngest player in the Premier League.
Juninho is the shortest Brazilian to play in the Premier League. The midfield maestro is a cult hero at Middlesbrough. He is the tie second-shortest player to grace the EPL, standing at 1.65m (five feet & five inches) tall.
N’Golo Kanté is the shortest player to win the EPL. Kanté won back-to-back English league titles with Leicester City (2015/16) and Chelsea (2016/17). The France 2018 FIFA World Cup winner is 1.68m (five feet & six inches) tall.
Harvey Elliot is the shortest footballer to win all four domestic trophies in the Premier League. He is 1.70m (five feet & seven inches) tall. Elliot has won the 2018/19 Premier League title, the 2022 FA Cup, the 2022 & 2024 Carabao Cup, and the 2022 FA Community Shield.
Kaylan Geekie is a sports fanatic. He attended Durban High School before moving to Scotland, where he lived for 15 years. During his time in the United Kingdom, Kaylan graduated with a first-class BA Honours Degree in Sports Journalism at the University of the West of Scotland. Kaylan worked for nine years as the Match-Day Editor of SuperXV.com, reporting on Super Rugby, The Rugby Championship, the 2015 Men's Rugby World Cup and the 2017 British & Irish Lions series for the website.