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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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.

In the past few years, many of Europe’s top clubs have proven that a mix of smaller, technically gifted players and taller, more physical ones is the recipe for success. In fact, last season’s champions in Europe’s top five leagues were among the shortest squads in their respective competitions. Clubs like Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid have built balanced teams, combining agile playmakers with towering defenders and forwards who can dominate aerial duels.

This balanced approach is also reflected in leagues like Serie A and the Bundesliga, where physicality is valued highly. In Germany, teams promoted from the second division often rely on size and strength to compete with technically superior squads, leading to a trend where taller players are favoured in defence. Meanwhile, Serie A remains a division that prizes set-piece proficiency, demanding strong and tall centre-backs to handle aerial threats.

La Liga, on the other hand, has long been a haven for smaller, technically skilled players. Known for its emphasis on possession-based play and the famous tiki-taka style, Spanish football doesn’t demand height in every position. The league gives more minutes to shorter goalkeepers and defenders under 5ft 8in than any other major European league. This reflects the league’s identity—where agility and ball control take precedence over physical presence.

Research from StatsBomb further supports this shift away from height obsession. They developed a ‘HOPS’ metric to quantify aerial performance relative to height and discovered that being taller doesn’t guarantee success in the air. In fact, height only accounted for 22 per cent of the variance in aerial success. For each extra centimetre of height, a player’s aerial prowess improved by just 0.7 per cent. This means that while height can help, it’s far from a guarantee of dominance in the air.

Football’s evolution towards more extreme player profiles is clear. Across Europe’s top leagues, the trend is moving away from the average-sized player. Players who are either 5ft 7in or shorter or those who are 6ft 1in and taller are now seeing more minutes than ever before. In the Premier League, this has been especially evident in recent years.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, renowned for his tactical innovations, has experienced this trend firsthand. In his earlier seasons at City, Guardiola leaned heavily on smaller, agile players who could execute his possession-based style. But from 2018-19 to 2022-23, Guardiola’s preference shifted towards taller players, culminating in the arrival of Erling Haaland (6ft 4in) and a move away from the false-nine setup to a traditional striker. Yet, last season, Guardiola appeared to rebalance his squad, once again increasing minutes for his smaller, technically gifted midfielders like Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva.

Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, are on a similar trajectory. Arteta’s emphasis on set-piece efficiency has seen the club recruit taller players, increasing the average height of their line-up each season. In a recent match against Bournemouth, nine of the starting XI were over 6ft, showcasing a trend towards physicality in the Gunners’ game plan. Yet, despite this focus on height, Arteta has not abandoned the need for quick, creative midfielders to control possession in tight spaces.

One often overlooked aspect of height in football is its influence on refereeing. A study of the German Bundesliga between 2014-15 and 2021-22 found that referees were more likely to call fouls or issue bookings when players were taller than them—a phenomenon referred to as the ‘Napoleon complex.’ According to the study, the likelihood of a foul or booking increased by 9.4 and 7.2 per cent, respectively, when a player towered over the referee.

This is something that teams could potentially exploit in the future as they search for those ‘marginal gains’ that can make all the difference. With VAR adding another layer of scrutiny, the potential impact of player height on refereeing decisions could become more significant—though it’s not yet something that clubs explicitly plan for.

The demands of modern football are only increasing. With congested fixture schedules, multi-competition campaigns, and an emphasis on high pressing and intense man-to-man marking, the game is as physical as ever. Taller players who can win aerial duels, break up play, and cover ground quickly are becoming more valuable. Yet, the role of smaller players—those who can dart between defenders, maintain tight control, and exploit gaps—remains crucial.

The key to success in today’s football lies in diversity. The best teams blend size with skill, ensuring they have players who can excel in possession, dominate set-pieces, and win aerial battles. As clubs search for that perfect mix, football continues to refine its ideal body type. A 2019 study from the University of Wolverhampton highlighted a shift among English players towards being slightly taller yet leaner, showing that physical expectations are evolving.

In 2024, football is embracing a wider variety of player profiles than ever before. While height has its advantages—especially in defending set-pieces and winning duels—the best teams are those that integrate smaller, technical maestros alongside their bigger, more physically dominant teammates. It’s a sport that continues to adapt, and in doing so, it’s becoming clear that success isn’t about being tall or small; it’s about finding the right balance.

As we watch the game evolve, we’ll keep you updated here in The Football Newsletter on how clubs adapt, which profiles emerge as dominant, and whether the smaller playmaker or towering defender will lead the way.

Stay tuned for more insights into the beautiful game’s ever-changing landscape!