The Height Debate in Football: Does Size Really Matter?

In this issue of The Football Newsletter, we’re diving into a question that has been quietly shaping football for years: does height really give a player the edge on the pitch? While conventional wisdom suggests that being taller is always an advantage, football—unlike other sports—is proving that there’s more to success than towering over your opponents.

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Height: A Blessing or a Burden?

Across many sports, height is often seen as a natural advantage. Taller athletes dominate basketball, volleyball, and rowing, while swimmers at the Olympics have only grown bigger and bulkier over recent decades. But when it comes to football, the perfect body type isn’t as clear-cut. While height can offer certain benefits, it’s not always the deciding factor for success.

Research shows that humans, in general, have become taller over time, thanks to improvements in health and nutrition. In football, that trend is evident too. A 2019 study from the University of Wolverhampton observed a steady increase in the height of players in England’s top division from 1973 to 2013—roughly 1.23cm taller per decade. Surprisingly, this increase had no direct link to team performance, challenging the assumption that bigger is always better.