Photo by WikiMedia Commons, CC by 2.0
The Premier League is often called the most physically demanding league in Europe. You’ve probably heard it before: ‘But can he do it on a cold, rainy night at Stoke?’ It’s the go-to line when debating players who never tested themselves in the Premier League—and yes, even Lionel Messi hasn’t escaped it.
So it’s no surprise that some of the tallest players in world football have featured in the English top flight at some point in their careers. Names like Peter Crouch and Zlatan Ibrahimovic immediately come to mind when discussing towering Premier League figures; but are they actually the tallest to ever play in the competition?
Many players have also shattered the myth that smaller footballers can’t thrive in the Premier League. The likes of N’Golo Kante, Paul Scholes, and Jamie Vardy had no problem dominating the league, even though they were not the tallest players in their teams. So, it’s only fair that we give some love to the shortest Premier League players too, while discussing the tallest.
Before we begin, we must clarify that this list only includes players who have made at least one Premier League appearance. Those who were named in Premier League squads but never featured in a match were not considered. If you have been wondering why Kjell Scherpen (6 feet 9 inches, Brighton) or Lucas Bergstrom (6 feet 9 inches, ex-Chelsea) didn’t make the list, that’s why.
Tallest Premier League Players in History
Costel Pantilimon (6 feet 8 inches, 206 cm)
Costel Pantilimon literally stands tall in the list of tallest Premier League players of all time.
The Romanian is no shorter than a whopping 6 feet 8 inches. He remains a beloved figure among Manchester City fans for the professionalism he showed as the backup Citizen keeper between 2012 and 2014.
Pantilimon started in City’s 2014 League Cup final win over Sunderland and made enough of an impression to earn a move to the Stadium of Light soon after.
He also represented Watford in the Premier League after joining the Hornets in the 2016/17 season. Overall, he played 54 matches in the English top division and kept 17 clean-sheets.
Lacina Traore (6 feet 8 inches, 203 cm)
Everton were in the market for another forward in the January window of 2014 and decided to go for the rangy Ivorian.
It was a strange window for Traore who had only just joined Monaco from former Russian powerhouse Anzhi Makhachkala.
The plan was to loan him back to the Russian Premier League but several other clubs were interested in swooping in.
Everton won the race but the move was ultimately unsuccessful.
He scored in the fourth minute of his first appearance in an FA Cup tie against Swansea but then injured his hamstring a week later in the warm-up for a game against Chelsea.
That kept him out until May and his only Premier League appearance proved to be as an 89th minute substitute against Hull.
Peter Crouch (6 feet 7 inches, 202 cm)
It’s difficult to imagine a football fan who has never heard a Peter Crouch height joke. The internet is full of them, and over time, the former England international’s height almost eclipsed his well-regarded footballing ability in the public consciousness.
As of June 2025, no other Premier League player has scored more headed goals in the competition than the 6 feet 7 striker. He defeated Premier League goalkeepers a record 53 times during his playing days.
But he wasn’t a one trick pony. Crouch also scored some beautiful goals with his feet. He scored a perfect hat-trick against Arsenal in 2007 as a Liverpool player, meaning he scored one with his right foot, one with his left foot, and the other with a trademark header.
Shortest Premier League Players in History
Alan Wright – (5 feet 4 inches, 162 cm)
Alan Wright serves as inspiration to those who are rejected from the game for “being too small”.
The left-back carved out a very solid career in the Premier League after making his senior debut in the old third division for Blackpool in 1989.
Wright is best remembered for his eight-year spell at Aston Villa between 1995 and 2003, where he scored five league goals.
Early in his career he was viewed as a player with big potential, and he was duly capped by the England under 21s.
He also represented Blackburn and Sheffield United in the top flight before the back end of his career was punctuated by a series of short and forgettable loan spells.
Derby, Leeds, Cardiff, Doncaster and Nottingham Forest all had him on a temporary basis before his career ended in 2011 after spells with Cheltenham and Fleetwood.
Wright then cut his teeth in management in the North West for a short time, with stints at Northwich Victoria and Southport.
Tariq Lamptey – (5 feet 4 inches, 163 cm)
Like Alan Wright, Tariq Lamptey is a dynamic full-back known for tirelessly patrolling the flank. Another striking similarity between the Brighton youngster and Wright is that he too ranks among the shortest players to ever feature in the Premier League.
Paired with the imposing Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke, the fleet-footed Ghanaian offers a sharp defensive outlet and poses a constant threat on the break.
In the 2024/25 season, he scored two goals and assisted two more in only 15 appearances.Still in his mid-20s, Lamptey has significant room for growth and could find himself at a Premier League powerhouse in the near future.
Ryan Fraser – (5 feet 4 inches, 163 cm)
The pint-sized Scotsman certainly has all the traits to be a good winger – quick, skilful, and a low centre of gravity due to his lack of height.
He was one of Bournemouth’s most impressive performers during the Cherries’ Premier League stint from 2015-2020 with his best season coming in 2018-19.
Fraser scored seven goals and was linked with moves away, with Liverpool credited as an interested party.
That never happened and he left Vitality Stadium on a free transfer before the Covid interrupted 2019-20 season finished.
Since then he has played Premier League football for Newcastle and Southampton, but hasn’t been able to replicate that same form.
