Top 10 Shortest Players In World Football Ever.
Updated: 2 days ago
Did you know that some professional footballers have stood barely five feet tall? Height has never been a requirement for becoming a successful footballer. While taller players can have obvious advantages in aerial battles and physical contests, smaller players have often made up for it with balance, acceleration, close control and an ability to move through tight spaces.
Football history is full of examples. Some of the smallest players to reach the professional game have played for major clubs, represented their countries and competed at the highest levels.
So, who are the 10 shortest players in world football history?
Note: Historical player heights are not always recorded consistently, so measurements can vary slightly between sources. The list below uses recorded heights from established player databases and historical football sources rather than claiming to be an absolute measurement of every footballer who has ever played professionally.
10. Maximiliano Nicolás Moralez – 5ft 3in (160cm)
Argentine attacking midfielder Maximiliano Nicolás Moralez, better known as Maxi Moralez, has built a long career despite standing only 160cm tall.
Moralez began his senior career with Racing Club before spells with FC Moscow and Vélez Sarsfield. He later moved to Europe with Atalanta and also played for León in Mexico. His most successful spell came in Major League Soccer with New York City FC, where his technical ability, passing and creativity made him an important attacking player.
Moralez also represented Argentina at Under-20 level and was part of the squad that won the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup alongside players including Sergio Agüero.
His height may have made him one of the smaller players on the pitch, but his technical ability allowed him to enjoy a career spanning two decades. Moralez is listed at 160cm by player databases.
9. Rui Barros – 5ft 3in (159cm)
Rui Gil Soares de Barros was a Portuguese attacking midfielder whose career included some of Europe's biggest clubs. Barros began his senior career with Covilhã and Varzim before joining Porto, where he established himself as an exciting attacking player.
His performances earned him a move to Juventus in 1988. He spent two seasons in Turin before continuing his career with Monaco, Marseille and Porto. Barros also won 36 caps for Portugal and scored four international goals.
Despite standing only 159cm tall, he became a respected player at both club and international level. His career included 409 club appearances and major spells in Portugal, Italy and France.
8. Martín Pando – 5ft 3in (159cm)
Martín Pando was an Argentine forward who played during the 1950s and 1960s for clubs including Platense, Argentinos Juniors, River Plate and Lanús.
Pando joined River Plate in 1962 and made 53 appearances for the club, scoring six goals. He also represented Argentina at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. Pando's only appearance at the tournament came in Argentina's goalless draw with Hungary, a match in which he captained his country.
He finished his Argentine league career with 242 appearances and 37 goals.
Pando died in May 2021 at the age of 86. He was listed at 159cm tall.
7. Daniel Villalva – 5ft 3in (159cm)
Daniel Villalva is an Argentine attacking midfielder and winger who made his name with River Plate. In 2009, Villalva became River Plate's youngest-ever player to make his senior debut, coming on as a substitute at only 16 years, seven months and two days old.
He subsequently played for several clubs in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil, including Argentinos Juniors, Veracruz, Querétaro, Goiás and Ferro Carril Oeste.
Villalva also represented Argentina at Under-17 level and played at the 2009 South American Under-17 Championship. His career has taken him well beyond his early breakthrough at River Plate, and his listed height of 159cm puts him among the shortest professional players in football history.
6. Madson Formagini Caridade – 5ft 2in (157cm)
Brazilian attacking midfielder Madson Formagini Caridade, known simply as Madson, is another player whose technical ability stood out despite his diminutive stature.
Madson developed through the Brazilian football system before establishing himself with clubs including Vasco da Gama and Santos. He later played in Qatar with Al-Khor before returning to Brazil, where he continued his career with several clubs.
Madson became particularly noted for his technique, passing and ability from set pieces. Standing at 157cm, he was one of the smallest players to make a career in Brazilian professional football. His height is listed as 157cm by both FBref and Transfermarkt.
5. Benedict Vilakazi (5ft 2" or 157cm)
South African midfielder Benedict Bongani Vilakazi was one of the smallest players of his generation, but his size did little to prevent him from becoming an important figure for Orlando Pirates and South Africa.
Known by the nicknames “Tso” and “Little Napoleon”, Vilakazi developed at Orlando Pirates and went on to make 170 league appearances for the club, scoring 58 goals according to recorded career statistics.
He later played for AaB Aalborg in Denmark, Mamelodi Sundowns, Black Leopards and clubs in Eswatini and Botswana. Vilakazi also represented South Africa 31 times between 2002 and 2007. At 157cm tall, he demonstrated that physical size was certainly not the only factor determining whether a midfielder could succeed at professional level.
4. Fanny Walden – 5ft 2in (157cm)
One of the most interesting names on this list is Fanny Walden, the English outside-right who played during the early decades of the 20th century. Walden played for Northampton Town and Tottenham Hotspur and represented England during an international career that stretched across the 1910s and 1920s.
He was known for his quick, tricky style of play and was regarded as an exciting wide player despite standing only around 5 ft 2 in. Walden is widely cited as the shortest player to represent England at senior international level.
He was also a talented cricketer and later became an international cricket umpire, making his sporting career particularly unusual. Historical sources generally list Walden at around 157cm, or 5 ft 2 in.
3. Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari – 5 ft 1 in (155cm)
Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari is one of the best-known examples of a diminutive footballer making a long career at international level. The Qatari midfielder spent virtually his entire club career with Al Sadd and also represented the Qatar national team between 1992 and 2002.
Al-Kuwari earned 51 international caps and scored two goals for Qatar. He also captained his country. His professional career with Al Sadd eventually came to an end in 2009, when he played in a farewell match against Italian giants AC Milan.
Al-Kuwari stands at 155cm, according to FBref, making him one of the shortest recognised professional footballers in the historical record.
2. Élton José Xavier Gomes – 5ft 1in (154cm)
Brazilian attacking midfielder Élton José Xavier Gomes, commonly known as Élton, built a career across Europe, the Middle East and Brazil. Élton began his senior career with Corinthians before moving to Romania, where he played for Steaua București.
He subsequently became particularly well known in Saudi Arabian football, representing clubs including Al Nassr and Al-Qadisiyah. He also played for a number of clubs in Qatar and elsewhere during a long professional career.
His game was based heavily around technique, close control and dribbling, qualities that helped him succeed despite standing only 154cm tall. Player databases including FBref and Transfermarkt list Élton at 154cm, making him one of the smallest professional footballers recorded.
1. Marcin Garuch – 5ft 1in (154cm)
Polish midfielder Marcin Garuch has long been associated with the title of one of the shortest professional footballers in world football. Garuch developed with Miedź Legnica and spent much of his career with the Polish club, alongside spells with Chojniczanka, OFK Grbalj and GKS Bełchatów.
He also made appearances for Miedź Legnica's first team after returning to the club's senior setup. Garuch's career is particularly notable because he was able to remain involved in professional football despite standing only around 154cm tall.
His recorded height is 154cm according to FBref and Sofascore, rather than the 153cm figure sometimes quoted elsewhere. That makes Garuch one of the shortest professional footballers in the available historical records.
Who Is the Shortest Footballer in World Football History?
There is no universally accepted database covering the height of every professional footballer throughout football history, so it is difficult to state with absolute certainty who is the shortest player ever.
Marcin Garuch and Élton are both recorded at around 154cm, while Jafal Rashed Al-Kuwari is listed at 155cm. Historical measurements can also differ slightly between databases and sources.
What is beyond doubt is that all three were remarkably short by professional football standards and still built substantial careers in the sport.
Does Height Matter in Football?
Height can certainly influence the way a footballer plays, particularly in positions where aerial ability, physical strength and defending crosses are important. For smaller players, however, a low centre of gravity can help with balance, turning and close control.
Many of the players on this list were attacking midfielders or forwards, positions where dribbling, agility and technical ability can be more important than winning aerial duels.
Football has repeatedly produced players who challenged the idea that physical size determines how successful a player can become. The careers of Garuch, Élton, Al-Kuwari, Walden and the other players on this list are good examples.
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