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.
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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
Bryce Harper hits for cycle, Kyle Schwarber blasts three homers in Phillies blowout win over Mets
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The Phillies’ turnaround following the dismissal of manager Rob Thomson reached a new milestone when two of the franchise’s biggest stars delivered a historic performance.
Kyle Schwarber launched three home runs, including two in the third inning, while Bryce Harper completed the cycle to add yet another achievement to his accomplished career.
The offensive explosion powered Philadelphia to a 15-3 rout of the New York Mets on Saturday, as the Phillies continued their surge and received a signature performance from two of the game’s most recognizable stars.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber celebrates his home run with Bryce Harper during the third inning against the New York Mets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 20, 2026. (Chris Szagola/AP)
Schwarber’s first home run traveled 456 feet, while his second blast of the third inning measured 457 feet off Mets reliever Cionel Pérez.
He capped his night with a two-run homer in the seventh inning. Schwarber’s major league-leading home run total climbed to 28, and the performance marked the fifth three-homer game of his career.
Cristopher Sanchez allowed one earned run in six innings to lower his ERA to 1.80.
It’s his 23rd straight start at Citizens Bank Park in which he allowed two earned runs or fewer, the second-most such starts by a pitcher at the same ballpark in MLB history since 1913, trailing only Jacob deGrom’s 24 at Citi Field for the Mets from Sept. 9, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2022.
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Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies leave the field after defeating the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 2026. (Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Schwarber is the 67th player in major league history and second this season with multiple home runs in an inning, joining Houston’s Yordan Alvarez on June 12.
Schwarber is the fourth Phillies player to hit two home runs in an inning, along with Trea Turner (Aug. 19, 2023), Von Hayes (June 11, 1985) and Andy Seminick (June 2, 1949).
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hits a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 20, 2026. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Harper hit a solo home run in the first inning, his 16th of the year. He doubled and singled in the third, then hit a two-run triple to the gap in left-center field in the fifth for his first career cycle and the 11th in Phillies history.
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The Phillies and Mets will wrap up their three-game series Sunday night, with first pitch set for 7:20 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is well into the second run of group play, with every team still eager to post wins and most looking to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Here’s everything you need to know about matches being played Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in the 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific). Tuesday’s matches will conclude the first two games of group play for every team at the World Cup.
Sunday’s Group G matchups:
Belgium vs. Iran
Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, right, is challenged by Egypt’s Ramy Rabia during a World Cup Group G match on June 15.
(Alex Grimm / Getty Images)
Where: SoFi Stadium
Time: noon
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Iran twice rallied from deficits to draw with New Zealand in its first game, while Belgium, outplayed by Egypt in its opener, was lucky to escape with a point on an own goal early in the second half. Belgium’s aging golden generation of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier and Axel Witsel is going to need to do much better if they hope to avoid another early World Cup exit.
New Zealand vs. Egypt
New Zealand’s Callan Elliot, left, and Iran’s Mehdi Ghayedi battle for the ball during a World Cup Group G match on June 15.
(Andre Penner / Associated Press)
Where: BC Place, Vancouver
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: One of these teams could make history since neither has ever won a World Cup game. New Zealand earned its first point in the World Cup since 2010 with a draw against Iran. The winner likely advances to the next round.
Sunday’s Group H matchups:
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal, top, challenges for the ball during a draw with Cape Verde on June 15.
(Mattia Ozbot / Getty Images)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Time: 9 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Both teams opened the World Cup with surprising results. Second-ranked Spain was unable to score in a draw with No. 67 Cape Verde. Saudi Arabia was 10 minutes away from upsetting Uruguay, only to settle for a tie. Spain desperately needs a win to get its World Cup back on track, while another good performance from Saudi Arabia — unbeaten in its last three games — would have the Arabian Falcons in position to reach the knockout stage.
Uruguay vs. Cape Verde
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha holds the nation’s flag after a draw with Spain on June 15.
(Buda Mendes / Getty Images)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: With all four teams playing to draws in their openers, the group is wide open. That creates a rare opportunity for tournament debutant Cape Verde, the second-smallest country to qualify for a World Cup. Vozinha, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, made seven saves to shut out Spain. If he can frustrate Uruguay the same way, Cape Verde could be through to the round of 32.
Monday’s Group J matchups:
Argentina vs. Austria
Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts after scoring his third goal against Algeria at the World Cup on June 16.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Argentina opened its World Cup title defense with a 3-0 win over Algeria on a hat trick from Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain, playing in his record sixth World Cup, is tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most career World Cup goals (16). Austria, meanwhile, would all but assure itself of a spot in the knockout round with a point.
Jordan vs. Algeria
Algeria’s Zineddine Belaïd kicks the ball during a World Cup loss to Argentina on June 16.
(Michael Steele / Getty Images)
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Little was expected of Jordan, making its first appearance in the World Cup. And it delivered little in a 3-1 loss to Austria. But Algeria, ranked 28th in the world, entered the tournament with high hopes and one of African soccer’s most potent attacks. However, it had only one shot on goal in its loss to Argentina and needs a big rebound to avoid an early trip home.
Monday’s Group I matches:
France vs. Iraq
France’s Kylian Mbappé celebrates after scoring against Senegal on June 16.
(Adam Hunger / Ap Photo/adam Hunger)
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: 2 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Kylian Mbappé proved his fitness with a brace in France’s opening win over Senegal, giving him 14 World Cup goals, tied for fourth on the all-time list. He has a great chance to pad that total against an Iraq team that gave up four goals to Norway. Iraq still is looking for its first-ever World Cup point.
Norway vs. Senegal
Norway’s Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring against Iraq on June 16.
(Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: 5 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Norway, playing in its first World Cup this century, made up for lost time with a 4-1 win in its opener, getting two goals from Erling Haaland. Norway probably will move on to the next round no matter what happens, but a point would lock down a spot. Senegal and Sadio Mané, on the other hand, desperately need a win.
Tuesday’s Group K matchups:
Portugal vs. Uzbekistan
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo walks on the field during a match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17.
(Molly Darlington / Getty Images)
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Cristiano Ronaldo entered this World Cup with visions of winning his first title. But he’ll go home early and empty-handed unless fifth-ranked Portugal improves on the listless performance it had in a draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uzbekistan, playing in its first World Cup, was not intimidated by the big stage, weathering a withering Colombia attack in a 3-1 loss. Expect it to bunker in again against Portugal.
Colombia vs. DR Congo
Yoane Wissa, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring for the Democratic Republic of the Congo against Portugal on June 17.
(Karen Warren / Associated Press)
Where: Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s only other World Cup appearance came in 1974, when the country was known as Zaire; it lost all three games and didn’t score a goal. It’s already done better with Yoane Wissa’s score in first-half stoppage time giving the team a point against Portugal. A win here and it’s through to the knockout phase. The same is true of Colombia, which got a 65th-minute goal from Luis Díaz and another from substitute Jáminton Campaz deep in stoppage time to beat stubborn Uzbekistan.
Tuesday’s Group L matchups:
England vs. Ghana
England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring against Croatia on June 17.
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
Time: 1 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: England opened its World Cup with a surprisingly comfortable win over Croatia behind two goals from captain Harry Kane. But the Three Lions are only equal atop the table with Ghana, which got a goal deep in stoppage time from Caleb Yirenkyi to beat Panama. If there’s a winner here, it probably will decide the group. A point likely sends both teams through.
Panama vs. Croatia
Where: BMO Stadium, Toronto
Time: 4 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
Panama’s Ismael Díaz attempts a shot against Ghana on June 17.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
The buzz: Croatia has played in two straight World Cup semifinals, but that streak is in jeopardy after a 4-2 loss to England. Panama outshot, outpassed and outpossessed Ghana in its first game but came away with nothing after conceding a goal in stoppage time, leaving the Central Americans still looking for their first World Cup win.
Sports
Jazz Chisholm explains why he still won’t wear a cup after fouling a pitch into his own groin
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Men around the country are still wincing from the sight of New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. fouling a pitch straight into his own groin.
It was bad enough that Chisholm had to leave the game, and it left many wondering why he wasn’t wearing a cup to protect himself.
Well, now we have an answer.
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New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. took a brutal shot to the groin on Thursday night. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)
Yankees beat writer Gary Philips shared some quotes from Chisholm explaining why he wasn’t a cup guy before taking a foul ball to the cojones, and why he isn’t going to be a cup guy moving forward.
WEEKS AFTER BULLFIGHTER SUFFERED PERFORATED RECTUM, ANOTHER WAS GORED IN GROIN AND REQUIRED EMERGENCY SURGERY
Chisholm said that the pain level was a “million,” and that, “If you ever got hit in the testicles, you would know.”
Most males reading this just nodded at that statement.
But Chisholm revealed that despite cups being mandatory in the minor leagues, he still skipped them and will continue to because he trusts his own defensive abilities.
“I’ve never worn a cup,” he said. “I’ve never been hit in the balls. That was just unlucky.”
Now, there are times when I wonder why men don’t wear cups all the time just for some peace of mind (I feel that way about helmets too). You wouldn’t regret not wearing a cup until the moment you’re at a cookout and a rogue volleyball puts you in shambles.
But I also like that Chisholm trusts himself to react and protect the boys. I’ve always said that a fairly significant part of a man’s life is devoted to protecting his lower anatomy.
You’re ever vigilant, trying to steer clear of anything that could leave you doubled over on the ground, and spouting off every expletive you know and several others you didn’t realize you knew.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. says he’ll rely on his defensive abilities instead of wearing a cup moving forward. (David Richard-Imagn Images)
Waist-high branches, table corners, projectiles, bicycle seats, even a pet jumping in your lap when you’re not ready.
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Chisholm is self-aware enough to know where his self-preservation reflexes stand, and I respect that.
But if he takes another foul ball to the lower area of his body, he might want to start rethinking that stance on cups.
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