Top 10 Highest Jumps in the History of Football

The ability to jump high and effectively meet the ball is always considered a very valuable skill throughout football history. It can help you in both a defensive and attacking sense, as it can be used to clear any crosses being put into the box by the opposition or it can be used to score at the other end.

As the game continues to expand and evolve, and with the help of modern technology, the height at which footballers jump also continues to steadily increase, reaching heights that were unheard of a few decades ago.

The list of the highest jumps in the history of football is heavily dominated by one of the greatest footballers of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Here are the top 10 highest jumps in the history of football:

The Highest Jumps in the History of Football

10. Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid vs Osasuna, 2011 (2.44 m)

Kicking off the list is none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo scored a hattrick against Osasuna in 2011, for Real Madrid in a dominating 7-1 victory. But the Portuguese star’s incredible  2.44 m leap to win a header on the right wing caught the headlines.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo | Juventus vs Torino, 2019 (2.44 m)

Ronaldo joined Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018, winning the UEFA Champions League in his final match for the Los Blancos. Ronaldo enjoyed a fairly successful first season with the Old Lady, scoring 21 goals and further assisting nine in 31 Serie A games.

Juventus lifted the Serie A trophy at the end of the season. Ronaldo’s incredible 2.44 m leap to score an equaliser against Torino in the Turing derby was one of the key highlights of the 2018-19 season.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo | Juventus vs Sassuolo, 2021 (2.44 m)

Another hat-trick for Cristiano Ronaldo as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner also claims the 8th spot on the list of the highest jumps in football history. In January 2021, Ronaldo beat Sassuolo shot-stopper Andrea Consigli in an aerial contest, yet again matching the mark he set in 2011 and 2019.

7. Zlatan Ibrahimović | AC Milan vs Inter Milan, 2020 (2.53 m)

The Sweden legend stands at an incredible 195 cm (6 ft 5 in). Ibrahimović was always known for his leap and heading ability. The former AC Milan star recorded a 2.53 m jump against Inter Milan in February 2020.

The fact that he was able to head the ball to his teammate Rebić, who opened the scoring in the clash makes the jump even more incredible. Ibrahimović retired from football in June 2023.

6. Cristiano Ronaldo | Juventus vs Sampdoria, 2019 (2.56 m)

Claiming the 6th spot is once again the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, this time for his 2.56 m leap against Sampdoria in 2019. Time almost stood still as Ronaldo went up to head the ball from Alex Sandro's cross. Ronaldo’s goal was crucial as it helped Juventus win the match 2-1 against Sampdoria.

5. Victor Osimhen | Napoli vs Spezia, 2023 (2.58 m)

Plenty of questions and eyebrows were raised when Napoli paid a reported €68 million to acquire the services of Victor Osimhen from Ligue 1 side Lille.

But Osimhen proved everyone wrong as he has been the main man for his club in the last couple of years and also helped Napoli win their first Scudetto in 33 years during the 2022-23 season.  

Also during the 2022-23 season, Osimhen etched his name in history as he rose 2.58 m high to win a header against Bartlomiej Dragowski to help his side double their lead and gain all three points from the match.

4. Fikayo Tomori | AC Milan vs Juventus, 2021 (2.61 m)

Tomori joined AC Milan from Chelsea in January 2021, initially on a six-month loan deal that was later turned into a permanent switch. Tomori helped AC Milan clinch the 2021-22 Serie A title and has been a key part of the Milan squad ever since.

In May 2021, AC Milan beat Juventus 3-0, in the match Tomori rose 2.61 m to score a towering header from an indirect free-kick cross.

3. Bevis Mugabi | Motherwell vs Ross County, 2021 (2.62 m)

Bevis Mugabi might not be as well known as the rest of the stars mentioned on the list so far, but let’s just sat nobody is taking his spot anytime soon. In February 2021, Mugabi a towering header for his club Motherwell in a 2-1 win over Ross County in the Scottish Premiership. 

Mugabi recorded a leap of 2.62 m, making him 3rd on the all-time list of highest jumps in football.

2. Youssef En-Nesyr | Morocco vs Portugal, 2022 (2.78m)