Here are the top 10 tallest footballers that are still active in the game.
Football is a sport that requires athleticism, and having a tall frame can sometimes be advantageous. Positions such as goalkeepers, defenders, and centre-forwards are where being tall can help you have an upper hand, especially during scouting.
According to a survey by CIES Football Observatory, the average height among footballers is 182.1 cm, which is about 5feet 9 inches.
Compared to sports such as basketball, volleyball, and rowing, footballers are averagely short, which is why exceedingly tall footballers are easy to notice as they standout.
Pulse Sports has compiled a list of the 10 tallest footballers that are still active in the game, based on data from Transfermarkt.
10. Carlos Miguel (2.04m / 6ft 7in)
Carlos Miguel is a 25-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper, who plays for Sport Club Corinthians Paulista. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he started his youth career at Flamengo before moving to Internacional in 2016. After loan stints at Santa Cruz and Boa Esporte, he joined Corinthians in 2021. While not the regular starter, he did see some action in the 2023 Serie A season, including a clean sheet performance in December. With a contract until the end of 2025, Miguel looks to solidify his place as a key goalkeeper for Corinthians.
9. Armin Spahic (2.05m / 6 foot 8in)
Armin Spahic is a 23-year-old center back who plays for NK TOSK Tesanj in his home country Bosnia-Herzegovina. Born in Austria, he startedhis youth career at SV Lebring Youth before to Hengsberg in 2017. In his young career, he has moved around quite a bit, having featured for Preding, Gralla, FC Gratkorn who are all Austrian clubs. In 2022, he moved to OFK Gradina in Bosnia, where he spent one year before moving to his current club.
8. Milan Ziric (2.05m / 6 foot 8in)
Milan Ziric, a 24-year-old Austrian defender, currently plays for SK Vorwärts Steyr. Standing at an impressive 205 cm, Ziric started his career with Union St. Florian before moving through various clubs in Austria. He spent a significant portion of his career with FC Blau-Weiß Linz, progressing from their youth academy to the senior team. While primarily featuring for the Linz reserves, Ziric also saw some first-team action. In July 2023, he joined SK Vorwärts Steyr. Though yet to make a significant mark on the scoresheet, Ziric brings height and defensive strength to the team.
7. Lucas Berstrom (2.05m / 6 foot 8in)
Lucas Bergstrom, a 21-year-old Finnish goalkeeper, is currently on loan to Allsvenskan club Brommapojkarna from Chelsea. Despite being signed by Chelsea in 2018, Bergstrom has not played for the Premier League team yet. He has represented Finland at various youth levels and even earned his senior national team debut in a friendly against Sweden in January 2023. Standing at an impressive 2.05 meters, Bergstrom is a promising young goalkeeper to watch for the future.
6. Kevin Gadella (2.06m / 6 foot 9in)
Kevin Gadella is a 21-year-old goalkeeper who currently plays for FC Utrecht II in his home country, the Netherlands. Born in Zaandijk, Gadellaa has played 13 times in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie for Utrecht’s under 21 and is yet to feature for the senior side.
5. Kjell Scherpen (2.06m / 6 foot 9in)
Kjell Scherpen is a 24-year-old towering Dutch goalkeeper who is currently on loan at Austrian club Sturm Graz, but is signed to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. He began his career with his hometown club, FC Emmen, before moving to Ajax in 2019. Scherpen has represented the Netherlands at U19 and U21 levels, but is yet to make his senior debut. After a brief stint with Oostende in Belgium, he spent last season on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in the Dutch Eredivisie, making 26 appearances. Known for his impressive size and shot-stopping ability, Scherpen is seen as a promising prospect for the future.
4. Denys Tvardovskyi (2.06m / 6 foot 9in)
Denys Tvardovskyi is a 21-year-old goalkeeper from Ukraine who is currently with Shakhtar Donetsk. Born in Chernivtsi, the goalkeeper began his career in the Shakhtar’s academy before earning promotion to the senior team in 2023. He has featured for the Ukraine U21 side and participated in the UEFA Youth League. Tvardovskyi has already appeared twice for Shakhtar in the league.
3. Issak Toure (2.06m / 6 foot 9in)
Isaak Toure is a 21-year-old French footballer who currently plays as a defender for FC Lorient in Ligue 2. He started his professional career with Le Havre in 2020 and quickly impressed, earning a move to Ligue 1 giants Olympique de Marseille in 2022. After a loan stint at AJ Auxerre, he returned to Lorient in 2023. Known for his strength and ability to win the ball, Toure is a left-footed defender who can also play as a stopper. He has already garnered interest from bigger clubs and is considered a rising star in French football.
2. Tomas Holy (2.06m / 6 foot 9in)
Tomas Holy, a 32-year-old Czech goalkeeper, is currently the number one shot-stopper for EFL League Two club Carlisle United. Holy started his career with Sparta Prague but spent most of his time on loan spells before moving to England in 2016. He found success at Gillingham, making over 100 appearances, before joining Ipswich Town. After two seasons as their first-choice keeper, he was loaned out to Cambridge United and Port Vale. Now at Carlisle, Holy's contract expires in June 2024, making him a free agent come July.
1. Kyle Hudlin (2.06m / 6 foot 9in)
Number one on our list is Kyle Hudlin, a towering 6ft 9in English striker, who is currently on loan at Burton Albion from Huddersfield Town. Born in June 2000, he started his career playing for non-league clubs before impressing at Solihull Moors, scoring 13 goals in the National League. This earned him a move to Huddersfield in 2022. After a loan spell at AFC Wimbledon, he now finds himself at Burton Albion, hoping to break into the first team and showcase his physical dominance and finishing ability in League One.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the tallest footballer in the world right now?
The tallest active footballer is Kyle Hudlin, who plays for EFL League One club Huddersfield Town as a striker.
Who is the tallest footballer ever in the world?
After extensive research, the tallest ever footballer we could find on record is Simon Bloch Jorgensen, who is from Denmark and was a goalkeeper during his active days. He stood at 6ft 10.5 inches (2.09m) and retired in 2022.
Tallest footballer in the Premier League
The tallest footballer in the Premier League right now is Kjell Scherpen (6ft 75in/2.06m), who is a goalkeeper for Brighton & Hove Albion but currently out loan. He is also the tallest footballer in Premier League history.