15 shortest soccer players currently and in football history
The shortest soccer players, such as Élton José Xavier Gomes (5′1″), Daniel Villalva (5′2″), and Fanny Walden (5′2″), used flair and vision to dominate. These players remind fans that agility and intelligence often outshine physical advantages. Their stories showcase how small frames can deliver giant achievements.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- 15 shortest soccer players
- 15. Tariq Kwame Nii-Lante Lamptey — 163 cm (5′4″)
- 14. Lorenzo Insigne Cavaliere OMRI — 163 cm (5′4″)
- 13. Alan Geoffrey Wright — 163 cm (5′4″)
- 12. Maximiliano “Maxi” Moralez — 160 cm (5′3″)
- 11. Levi Roger Porter — 160 cm (5′3″)
- 10. Rui Gil Soares de Barros — 159 cm (5′3″)
- 9. Yeferson Soteldo — 160 cm (5′3″)
- 8. Madson Formagini Caridade — 157 cm (5′2″)
- 7. Daniel “Keko” Villalva — 159 cm (5′3″)
- 5. Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi — 157 cm (5′2″)
- 4. Saliu Popoola — 157 cm (5′2″)
- 3. Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari — 155 cm (5′1″)
- 2. Marcin Garuch — 154 cm (5′1″)
- 1. Élton José Xavier Gomes — 154 cm (5′1″)
- Who is the shortest male soccer player?
- Who is shorter than Messi?
- Can you play soccer if you are short?
- Who is the shortest football player in the Premier League?
- Who is the shortest football player in Europe?
- What is the average soccer player's height?
Key takeaways
- Élton José Xavier Gomes stands at just 5′1″ (154 cm), making him the shortest professional footballer.
- Diego Maradona, only 5′1″ (157 cm) tall, remains one of the greatest players in football history.
- Madson Formagini, 5′2″ (157 cm), gained recognition in Brazil with Vasco da Gama and Santos FC.
- Daniel Villalva, 5′2″ (157 cm), became the youngest debutant in Argentina’s River Plate history.
15 shortest soccer players
In compiling the list of the shortest soccer players, we used recorded statistics and achievements as of 2024, acknowledging that rankings may evolve as new players join the game. This list was crafted with data and insights from trusted sources, including The Modest Man, JokerMag, and GiveMeSport.
| Rank | Name | Height | Position |
| 1 | Élton José Xavier Gomes | 154 cm (5′1″) | Attacking Midfielder |
| 2 | Marcin Garuch | 154 cm (5′1″) | Right Winger/Midfielder |
| 3 | Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari | 154 cm (5′1″) | Midfielder |
| 4 | Saliu Popoola | 157 cm (5′2″) | Midfielder |
| 5 | Benedict Vilakazi | 157 cm (5′2″) | Midfielder |
| 6 | Fanny Walden | 157 cm (5′2″) | Outside Right |
| 7 | Daniel Villalva | 157 cm (5′2″) | Winger |
| 8 | Madson Formagini Caridade | 157 cm (5′2″) | Attacking Midfielder |
| 9 | Yeferson Soteldo | 157 cm (5′2″) | Left Winger |
| 10 | Rui Barros | 159 cm (5′3″) | Midfielder |
| 11 | Levi Porter | 1.59 cm (5′3″) | Midfielder |
| 12 | Maximiliano Moralez | 159 cm (5′3″) | Attacking Midfielder |
| 13 | Alan Wright | 163 cm (5′4″) | Left-back |
| 14 | Lorenzo Insigne | 163 cm (5′4″) | Left Winger |
| 15 | Tariq Lamptey | 163 cm (5′4″) | Right-back |
15. Tariq Kwame Nii-Lante Lamptey — 163 cm (5′4″)
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 30 September 2000
- Age: 24 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Hillingdon, London, England
- Position: Right-back/Right wing-back
Tariq Lamptey is a Ghanaian international right-back who is 5′4″ tall. The British player came through Chelsea's youth system, made 1 senior appearance for Chelsea in 2019, then transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he became a first-team regular (over 100 appearances).
In 2025, Lamptey signed with Fiorentina in Italy. Internationally, he represented England at youth levels and later made his senior debut for Ghana in 2022. As of late 2024, he has 11 caps for Ghana.
14. Lorenzo Insigne Cavaliere OMRI — 163 cm (5′4″)
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 4 June 1991
- Age: 34 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Naples area, Italy
- Position: Left winger / Forward
Lorenzo Insigne, standing at 5′4″ tall, is an Italian winger known for his creativity and curling “tiraggiro” shots. Insigne became a star at Napoli, winning two Coppa Italia titles (2013–14, 2019–20) and the 2014 Supercoppa Italiana with the club. In 2023, he also won the Italian Serie A championship with Napoli.
The soccer player earned 54 caps and scored 10 goals for the Italy national team. His greatest achievement with Italy was winning UEFA Euro 2020. He was also part of Italy’s squad that finished third in the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League.
13. Alan Geoffrey Wright — 163 cm (5′4″)
- Date of birth: 28 September 1971
- Age: 53 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England
- Position: Left-back
Alan Wright is an English left-back who stands at 5′4″ tall. He played over 500 professional games, notably an eight-year spell at Aston Villa (1995–2003).
With Villa, he won the Football League Cup in 1995–96 and was named in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year that season. He also helped his first club, Blackpool, gain promotion by winning the Fourth Division play-offs in 1991.
12. Maximiliano “Maxi” Moralez — 160 cm (5′3″)
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 27 February 1987
- Age: 38 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Granadero Baigorria, Argentina
- Position: Attacking midfielder
Argentina-born playmaker Maxi Moralez is 5′3″ tall. He won two Argentine Primera División titles with Vélez Sársfield (2009 Clausura and 2011 Clausura), where he scored key goals in both championship campaigns. In 2017, he moved to Major League Soccer with New York City FC, where he won the MLS Cup in 2021 and the Campeones Cup in 2022.
Moralez has 1 senior cap for Argentina (2011) and was a star of Argentina’s 2007 U-20 World Cup–winning team, earning the Silver Ball as one of the best players in that tournament.
11. Levi Roger Porter — 160 cm (5′3″)
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 6 April 1987
- Age: 38 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Leicester, England
- Position: Winger/Midfielder
Levi Porter is an English winger who stands at 5′3″ tall. He came through Leicester City’s youth system and broke into the first team in 2006, scoring three league goals in 34 games in the 2006–07 Championship season. The player helped Leicester City avoid relegation that year and was named man-of-the-match in several games.
In 2008–09, he was part of the squad that won the League One title (third tier) with Leicester, although he made only a single league appearance that season. Internationally, Porter represented England at the U16 and U17 levels (8 caps total).
10. Rui Gil Soares de Barros — 159 cm (5′3″)
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 24 November 1965
- Age: 59 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Paredes, Portugal
- Position: Attacking midfielder
Midfielder Rui Barros is 5′3″ tall and has had a distinguished playing career. He starred for FC Porto in the late 1980s, winning the Primeira Liga in 1987–88 and five more times in the 1990s, as well as the 1987 European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup. After retiring in 2000, the Portuguese midfielder moved into coaching, including roles at Porto.
9. Yeferson Soteldo — 160 cm (5′3″)
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 30 June 1997
- Age: 28 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Acarigua, Venezuela
- Position: Winger/Attacking midfielder
Venezuelan winger Yeferson Soteldo stands at about 5′3″ tall. He began at Zamora FC in Venezuela, winning three league titles (2013–14 Adecuación, 2015, 2016). Soteldo played for Huachipato and Universidad de Chile before joining Santos FC in Brazil.
With Santos, he reached the final of the Copa Libertadores (runner-up 2020) and was twice runner-up in the Brazilian league (2019, 2020).
8. Madson Formagini Caridade — 157 cm (5′2″)
Source: UGC
- Date of birth: 21 May 1986
- Age: 39 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Volta Redonda, Brazil
- Position: Attacking midfielder/Winger
Madson is a Brazilian attacking midfielder known simply by his first name and his 5′3″ stature. The sports personality began at Vasco da Gama, where he scored 7 goals in 52 league matches, then transferred to Santos FC in 2009. In 2012, Madson moved to Qatar, spending six seasons with Al-Khor SC and scoring 43 goals in 141 league appearances.
7. Daniel “Keko” Villalva — 159 cm (5′3″)
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 6 July 1992
- Age: 33 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Caá Catí, Corrientes, Argentina
- Position: Attacking midfielder/Winger
Standing 5′3″ tall, Daniel Villalva is an Argentine attacking midfielder. He rose through the youth system at River Plate and in 2009 became the youngest player ever to appear for River Plate’s first team.
The soccer player won the Argentine Primera División twice with River Plate: the 2014 Torneo Final and the associated Copa Campeonato (effectively the 2014 overall championship).
5. Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi — 157 cm (5′2″)
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 9 August 1982
- Age: 43 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Soweto, Gauteng, South Africa
- Position: Midfielder
Benedict Vilakazi is one of the shortest athletes, standing 5′2″ tall. He was a South African midfielder famous for his time at Orlando Pirates. Vilakazi is Orlando Pirates' all-time leading league scorer with 52 goals for the club.
During his eight-year spell at Pirates (1999–2007), he won multiple league titles and cups, and in 2006, he appeared for South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations.
4. Saliu Popoola — 157 cm (5′2″)
- Date of birth: 7 August 1994
- Age: 31 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Lagos, Nigeria
- Position: Midfielder
Nigerian midfielder Saliu Popoola is 5′2″ tall. The Nigerian athlete began his career in Europe with Metz (France) but played most of his senior football in Belgium (on loan to RFC Seraing) and Morocco.
After three seasons in Belgium, he moved to Morocco, playing for Ittihad Khemisset, Wydad de Fès, and as of 2025 is with Rapide Oued Zem in Morocco’s second division.
3. Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari — 155 cm (5′1″)
Source: UGC
- Date of birth: 27 September 1972
- Age: 52 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Qatar
- Position: Midfielder
At only 5′1″ tall, Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari is a legendary Qatari midfielder who spent his entire club career at Al Sadd SC. From 1990 to 2009, he was a key player and captain for Al Sadd, winning multiple domestic titles in Qatar.
Jafal also captained the Qatar national team, earning 51 caps and scoring 2 goals between 1993 and 2007. He participated in the 1992 Olympics and the 2000 Asian Cup with Qatar. After retiring as a player in 2009, Jafal became Al Sadd’s team manager and also played for Qatar’s national beach soccer team.
2. Marcin Garuch — 154 cm (5′1″)
- Date of birth: 14 September 1988
- Age: 36 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Legnica, Poland
- Position: Right winger/Midfielder
Marcin Garuch is a former Polish midfielder standing just 5′1″ tall. He spent almost his entire playing career at his hometown club, Miedź Legnica, making over 300 appearances for the team in various Polish leagues. Garuch helped Miedź win the II liga (third tier) in 2011–12 and the I liga (second tier) in 2021–22.
1. Élton José Xavier Gomes — 154 cm (5′1″)
Source: UGC
- Date of birth: 7 April 1986
- Age: 39 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Palmeira dos Índios, Alagoas, Brazil
- Position: Attacking midfielder
Standing only 5′1″ tall, Élton is the shortest soccer player of all time. He began his career at Corinthians and later had spells in Romania (Steaua București) and the Middle East (including Al-Nassr and Al-Fateh).
He won the Brazilian Série A title with Corinthians in 2005 and later helped Al-Fateh to its first Saudi Pro League championship in 2012–13. During his career, he also won a Saudi Super Cup (2013) and a UAE Federation Cup (2010).
Who is the shortest male soccer player?
The shortest male professional footballers on record are Élton José Xavier Gomes and Marcin Garuch, both standing at 5 feet 1 inch tall.
Who is shorter than Messi?
Lionel Messi stands 170 cm (5′7″), which is above many professionals. Other prominent players like Élton (154 cm), Marcin Garuch (154 cm), and Daniel Villalva (159 cm) are all shorter than him.
Can you play soccer if you are short?
Shorter players often succeed because of agility, balance, and a low centre of gravity. Icons like Diego Maradona, Messi, and Insigne prove that height does not limit footballing excellence.
Who is the shortest football player in the Premier League?
The shortest football player in the modern Premier League is Ryan Fraser (163 cm or 5′4″) of Southampton F.C.
Who is the shortest football player in Europe?
With Marcin Garuch now retired, Tariq Lamptey appears to be the shortest active player in European football.
What is the average soccer player's height?
The average male footballer stands between 1.80 m and 1.83 m (5′11″–6′0″). This range varies slightly by league and position, with goalkeepers usually taller than midfielders and wingers.
These shortest soccer players prove that height is not a barrier to success. They relied on speed, balance, and technical ability to shine in top leagues worldwide. Their influence highlights that football rewards skill and determination more than physical stature.
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Source: Legit.ng
