Sports
Does height matter in football? Yes, but not in the way you might think
Conventional wisdom has it that being tall is advantageous. The problem with conventional wisdom is that it’s often wrong.
There are studies that correlate height with happiness and higher salaries, admittedly at the cost of shorter lifespans.
In certain sports, elite athletes are almost exclusively big, such as basketball, rowing (except the cox) and volleyball (except the libero). Successful Olympic swimmers have become bigger and heavier in recent decades.
Sports, their rules and their methods of scoring and movement select ideal body types. In gymnastics, horse riding and marathon running, athletes are much smaller.
Physiological specifics beyond rudimentary height measurements — such as the importance of wingspan in swimming and leg length in marathon running — impact and predict performance.
In football, height has always mattered, to a degree. It was historically a limiting factor for technically good but physically underdeveloped English academy players.
However, the first 59 winners of the men’s Ballon d’Or (up to 2016) had an average height of 5ft 10in (178cm), about the average height of a U.S. male. Lionel Messi, at 5ft 7in, has won the award, which recognises the world’s best footballer, more than any other male (eight times). He had to be medicated in his childhood for a growth hormone deficiency.
Lionel Messi’s lack of height has not prevented him from winning the Ballon d’Or eight times (Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Longitudinally assessing height within football, for performance benefits, is complex, since humans generally have grown taller in recent decades due to improvements in health, nutrition and medicine.
A 2019 paper from the University of Wolverhampton found a significant and linear increase in player height in England’s top division between 1973 and 2013 — a 1.23cm rise every decade. Notably, it had no correlation with team performance.
Recent title-winning teams are some of the shortest in the contemporary game. Last season’s champions in the top five European leagues rank below their league’s average height. It reflects their balanced squads, even with a mix of teams playing back fives (Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen) and back fours (Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid).
European title-winners and league height
|
League
|
Average height (cm)
|
2023-24 Champion
|
Average height (rank)
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bundesliga |
184.6 |
183.2 (16th) |
|
|
Serie A |
184.3 |
182.5 (18th) |
|
|
Premier League |
183.3 |
181.3 (19th) |
|
|
Ligue 1 |
182.2 |
181.5 (14th) |
|
|
La Liga |
181.8 |
181.3 (13th) |
Better teams are more balanced in all aspects — height included. They have a mix of smaller, more technical players that allow them to control games and keep possession, as well as bigger players for duels and to win matches in both boxes.
That is particularly true of Leverkusen and Inter, with the Bundesliga and Serie A the two tallest leagues in the world.
In Germany, that largely owes to weaker teams being promoted from the second tier, who compensate for technical/tactical inferiority through low blocks and defence-first styles that require height and physicality.
That has a domino effect in demanding more target-man striker profiles for counter-attacks and long balls — even as an 18-team league, the past two seasons have seen more minutes for forwards who are at least 6ft 1in in the Bundesliga than in the Premier League, La Liga or Serie A.
Former Romania goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon is 6ft 8in (VI Images via Getty Images)
The frequency of back threes partially explains Serie A players being tall, but there has long been a focus on set-piece coaching and recent title winners (Inter under Antonio Conte, AC Milan under Stefano Piolo) have won the league with physical and high-line approaches. Serie A is the division that gives the fewest minutes to defenders under 5ft 8in and the most to defenders over 6ft 1in.
Its minutes for tall players have gone up but La Liga is still the home for small(er) players. Spain is synonymous with tiki-taka and possession football. Importantly, La Liga also has a higher proportion of domestic players than Europe’s other major leagues.
Most successful Spanish teams have a style rooted in the country’s identity and therefore need height in fewer positions. Of Europe’s major four leagues, La Liga gives the most minutes to goalkeepers under 6ft 1in and defenders and forwards under 5ft 8in.
Logically, height should beget height, especially in central positions — it will never not be crucial for goalkeepers and centre-backs. However, research from StatsBomb led them to create a ‘HOPS’ metric for quantifying aerial performance, relative to height.
They found that height only accounted for 22 per cent of variation in ‘HOPS’ scores, and each extra centimetre of height improved aerial ability by just 0.7 per cent. Buying big guys doesn’t guarantee aerial success.
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Short centre-backs: How much does size matter in the Premier League?
Football is becoming more extreme. Across Europe’s top-four divisions, minutes for players 5ft 8in to 6ft have trended downwards since 2019-20. Head coaches use the smallest (5ft 7in and under) and tallest (6ft 1in and over) players more and more.
The Eurocentric rise of possession and positional play, and the subsequent emphasis on high and man-to-man pressing, means agile technicians are needed just as much as “proper defenders”.
Rico Lewis, the 5ft 7in Manchester City player, and Pep Guardiola (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
That was a phrase from Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola, who was referencing the necessity for speed, size and physicality against dribbling wingers. Last season, Guardiola said that if Rico Lewis (5ft 7in) “was a little bit taller, he’d be considered one of the best players in the league”.
Lewis, a small playmaker who operates as a hybrid full-back and midfielder, is a profile that City used in abundance in Guardiola’s early seasons in Manchester. For four consecutive seasons between 2018-19 and 2022-23, though, Guardiola gave increasingly fewer minutes to players under 5ft 8in and more to ones 6ft 1in and taller.
That peaked in 2022-23, Erling Haaland’s (6ft 4in) first season, and cemented a move away from the false-nine system to one with a fixed striker. At times, Guardiola has fielded a back-four of centre-backs, with Rodri (6ft 3in) as their first-choice defensive midfielder.
The decline of the small midfielder has been a league-wide trend in the Premier League in the last four years. Minutes played by 5ft 7in or smaller midfielders have dropped by 28 per cent from 2019-20 compared to 2023-24. After three years in a row of the Premier League being the top league for small midfielders, the last two seasons have seen them find the most minutes in La Liga.
Guardiola has found a balance with City. Last season, the taller trend stopped, City’s minutes to smaller players went up and taller players back down. His attacking midfielders, for instance, will always be positions taken by the best technicians, such as Phil Foden (5ft 7in) and Bernardo Silva (5ft 8in).
Arsenal are on the same growing curve that City were on. In their most recent Premier League game away to Bournemouth, nine of Arsenal’s starting XI were 6ft or taller — though, ironically, in David Raya (6ft), Arsenal have one of the Premier League’s smallest goalkeepers.
David Raya is by no means Arsenal’s tallest player (Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images)
In each season under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have given more minutes to players who are 6ft 1in-plus and in 2023-24, they accounted for almost half of their minutes played.
“The height is really important on set plays,” Arteta said in February. Their set-piece success, from corners in particular, has become such a cornerstone of their attack that Arsenal are buying bigger players and relying increasingly on corners and free kicks.
GO DEEPER
Short centre-backs: How much does size matter in the Premier League?
An under-discussed aspect of height is its impact on refereeing decisions. Academics have identified a ‘Napoleon complex’: referees give out fouls and bookings more regularly when players are bigger than them.
A study of the German Bundesliga between 2014-15 and 2021-22 found increased likelihoods of 9.4 and 7.2 per cent for fouls called and bookings given when players were taller than referees.
Football is not like rugby, where referees are analysed and their tendencies considered when constructing game plans, though it feels ripe as a possible ‘marginal gain’ for teams to factor height and differences in — particularly in the VAR era, with its extra scrutiny.
The height factor could be correlated to Arsenal’s league-high 18 red cards since Arteta’s arrival in December 2019, though they finished second in the fair-play table to City last season.
William Saliba’s sending off against Bournemouth was Arsenal’s 18th red card in the Premier League since Mikel Arteta’s first game as manager on 26 December 2019.
That’s at least five more than any other team in that time. 😬#AFC pic.twitter.com/8fLYOg5QDN
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) October 19, 2024
The demand for physicality is still rising. Congested game schedules, multiple competitions, and the intensity of man-for-man pressing means players who can cover ground quickly and repeatedly engage in duels are needed. That tends to suit taller players, or short(er) ones who have exceptional speed, positioning and decision-making.
The same paper from the University of Wolverhampton identified a “J-shape” trend of English footballers’ ‘RPI’ between 2003-04 and 2013-14. RPI, reciprocal ponderal index, is a more robust way of quantifying body types than BMI — it divides height by the cube root of weight. To summarise, across one decade, English footballers got marginally taller but much slimmer and more angular.
Football, like all sports, is artificially selecting its ideal body type(s). In 2024, it’s a sport that suits tall players, especially with the value placed on set pieces, but the best teams will always benefit from small technicians and athletes with physical prowess, whatever their size.
(Header design: Eamonn Dalton; Photos: Getty Images)
Sports
Roman Reigns domesticates Jacob Fatu to retain World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Clash in Italy
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Roman Reigns has been called the “Head of the Table” for a reason.
He was an undisputed WWE champion for years and leader of The Bloodline before he made his way back to the top of the company at WrestleMania 42, defeating CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Since the win, Jacob Fatu has been the biggest thorn in his side. Fatu made clear he wanted everything that Reigns had. Reigns’ win over Fatu at Backlash earlier this month wasn’t enough. He challenged Reigns to Tribal Combat at Clash in Italy – a match meant to put Reigns’ title of “Tribal Chief” on the line.
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Roman Reigns delivers a spear to Jacob Fatu during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Torino di Sangro, Italy, on May 31, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Reigns had already dispatched challengers to his place in his family when it came to Tribal Combat. Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa both tried and failed over the years. Reigns was trying to make sure that Fatu would never challenge him again in an effort to “domesticate” him. One of the strategies was to eliminate Fatu’s use of the Tongan Death Grip – a move that Fatu has pulled out over and over again.
Reigns used a toolbox to crush Fatu’s hand and, for a moment, keep the use of the Tongan Death Grip at bay. It would take way more than that to keep Fatu down. Reigns knew he needed to dig deep. He speared Fatu through a barricade, trampling security members in the process.
Jacob Fatu prepares for his match during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Torino di Sangro, Italy, on May 31, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
He walked around the ring yelling that he didn’t need anyone’s help as he took off the turnbuckles. Fatu tried to hit another Tongan Death Grip but couldn’t synch it in. Reigns countered with a Superman Punch, but Fatu ate all of them. Reigns tried for a spear, but Fatu hit it on Reigns first.
Fatu hit a pop-up Samona Drop and then a moonsault. Still, he couldn’t pin Reigns. On the second pin attempt, Reigns hit a low blow on Fatu. The two men, leaving it all on the line, were gassed in the middle of the ring.
Reigns got up and smashed Fatu’s head on the exposed turnbuckle. Fatu was dazed and Reigns speared him through the table. Fatu got back up and Reigns hit one more spear. It was the last one he needed.
Reigns defeated Fatu, keeping the World Heavyweight Championship and remaining the Head of the Table.
Roman Reigns celebrates his win during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Torino di Sangro, Italy, on May 31, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
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Fatu must now fall in line behind Reigns and The Usos. However, Solo Sikoa, Talla Tonga and Tama Tonga were also looking on to see Fatu’s loss.
Not a cake or a ribbon-wrapped present, but the Dodgers celebrated manager Dave Roberts’ 54th birthday with a 9-1 win over the Phillies on Sunday. The Dodgers ended their homestand with a 5-1 record despite their six-game winning streak ending the night before.
“I like the prospects of winning a baseball game,” Roberts said about what he wanted for his birthday. “It seems like we always play on my birthday. It’s just like any other day. Just kind of a little bit of gratitude, obviously.”
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (4-5) held the Phillies hitless over the first three innings thanks, in part, to the defense.
Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh tried to steal second in the second inning, but he took off too early. Yamamoto swung around and tossed the ball to Alex Freeland, who nabbed Marsh’s hands.
Yamamoto, much like Roki Sasaki the night before, threw his pitches faster than normal. But the elevated velocity didn’t seem to affect his performance. Despite throwing his four-seam fastball 1 mph faster than usual, the pitch resulted in a strike 76% of the time.
Philadelphia’s Trea Turner and Alex Bohm each snagged singles in the fourth inning, but little came to fruition. When Roberts pulled Yamamoto in the sixth, he had blanked his opponents with 10 strikeouts, four hits and two walks.
“Having a guy like Yoshinobu take the ball, it just gives you that extra confidence,” Roberts said. “You’re trying to win a series against a good team in the midst of 10 in a row. There’s just a lot of dependability with him.”
Yet no one — not the Phillies (30-29) nor the Dodgers (38-21) — had a harder game at the plate than home plate umpire Sean Barber, who had nine ABS challenges, three of which were upheld.
The Dodgers tallied 13 hits against the Phillies, and the runs followed close behind. In the second, Alex Freeland’s RBI double bounced off the center-field wall. As Philadelphia’s Justin Crawford rushed to track it down, Max Muncy sprinted around third and slid into home plate, avoiding the tag by catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Realmuto left in the bottom of the fourth inning with a left wrist contusion from a pitch that had hit him earlier in the game. He will undergo further testing, according to the team.
Kyle Tucker took a step toward overcoming his recent struggles with a third-inning RBI single down the first-base line. The ball skidded against the dirt and deflected off the base over Bryce Harper’s head. Freddie Freeman scored.
Ryan Ward receives a sunflower seed shower from teammate Andy Pages after hitting a home run for the Dodgers on Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Tucker was one for 17 at Dodger Stadium before he finally connected a hit off Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter (1-6).
“I think that speaks to not being selective enough, because he is a guy that by nature can run deep counts and still be fine getting to two strikes, but it just seems like he’s much more hyperaggressive than I recall,” Roberts said before the game. “That’s just what my eyes see. But, yeah, he’s working hard to try to work through it.”
From there, the Dodgers kept scoring.
Ryan Ward and Freeland each homered to right field. It was Ward’s first home run in his first game at Dodger Stadium. Alex Call, who pinch-hit for Ward in the fifth, also drove in two runs with an RBI single to shallow center left field.
Andy Pages scored in the sixth inning on a Freeman sacrifice fly, and Max Muncy hit a seventh-inning home run.
Bryson Stott finally put the Phillies on the board with a home run in the ninth. By then, though, the Dodgers had already wrapped the bow on Roberts’ birthday gift.
Dodgers activate Jack Dreyer
The Dodgers activated left-handed reliever Jack Dreyer from the injured list and, in a corresponding move, optioned Paul Gervase to triple-A Oklahoma City.
Dreyer had been one of the Dodgers’ most consistent relievers before he missed 13 games with left shoulder inflammation. In 20 appearances, he held a 2.08 ERA with five earned runs and 24 strikeouts.
“Really excited to be back, obviously to do what I can to help the team,” Dreyer said. “Feeling great, so just ready to go whenever my number is called.”
Blake Snell, recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, is throwing plyo balls but is not on a throwing progression yet like closer Edwin Díaz.
Sports
Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann explains why Commanders are poised to bounce back from disappointing season
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Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann, who spent his entire career with the then-Washington Redskins, is excited for the Commanders this season despite an underwhelming season last year.
Last season, the Commanders went 5-12 after making the NFC Championship in 2024. Theismann, 76, said the team ran out of gas last season as they dealt with injuries.
“It was a lot of injuries in key places last year. The defense, I think, was very susceptible in certain areas,” Theismann told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “With Bobby (Wagner) getting older now, obviously, we just sort of ran out of gas. 17 games is a lot of football games, right? I mean, that that’s a lot of wear and tear on your body. I don’t care how young you think you are, your body’s going to tell you you’re not that young.”
Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders looks on from the sidelines after leaving the game during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Dec. 7, 2025. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)
The Commanders defense struggled last season, giving up 26.5 points per game, which was 27th in the NFL. The team addressed their porous defense in the NFL Draft, drafting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick.
“Our number one pick is going to be something special going forward,” Theismann said. “I think we added some really great pieces on defense.”
The Commanders invested heavily in their defense. Former Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Odafe Oweh (four-year, $100 million), former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (three-year, $24.75 million), and former Houston Texans defensive tackle Tim Settle (three-year, $24 million) were among their key free agent additions.
Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin missed the majority of the Commanders’ offseason program due to a contract holdout, and Theismann pointed out he will be an active participant in this year’s program.
SUPER BOWL CHAMPION JOE THEISMANN WEIGHS IMPACT OF JAXSON DART-ABDUL CARTER TRUMP CONTROVERSY ON LOCKER ROOM
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl quarterfinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 31, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
The Commanders made a change at offensive coordinator after mutually agreeing to part ways with Kliff Kingsbury. The Commanders promoted David Blough to replace Kingsbury, and Theismann noted how the offense will be called differently.
“I think David Blough will call the games a little differently than Kliff did. A Little more play action, a little more under center. And this is what Jayden (Daniels) had a chance to work on while he was not participating in the games at the end of the season. So, he’s a little bit ahead of the curve when it comes to that as well,” Theismann said.
Daniels was limited to just seven games due to injury last season, giving him the opportunity to get a head start on a new system late in the season.
Theismann did note that while the Commanders got better, the rest of the NFC East got better as well.
“The division itself has improved. The Giants got better. I think the coaching change makes a difference. Jaxson Dart is coming into another year. Defensively, they really didn’t play to the talent that they have,” Theismann said. “The Cowboys added defensive talent. They needed some help there. The Eagles are the Eagles; they’re not going away. I mean, everybody is trying to bust on Jalen (Hurts) and all he does is show up and do the job and win football games.”
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Former player Joe Theismann speaks during the announcement of the Washington Football Team’s name change to the Washington Commanders at FedExField in Landover, Md., on Feb. 2, 2022. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Theismann played in the NFL for 12 seasons, spending his whole career with the then-Washington Redskins. He was named the league MVP in 1983 and made the Pro Bowl twice.
He led the Redskins to the Super Bowl in 1982, when they beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII. In his career, Theismann completed 56.7% of his passes for 25,206 yards with 160 touchdowns and 138 interceptions.
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Theismann will be competing in the American Century Championship from July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe. The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
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