5 tallest footballers of all time
Even though stature is not a decisive factor in modern football, we cannot deny the fact that tall, intimidating players are indeed an asset for their respective teams.
While we realize a certain talented midfielder or forward can overcome his diminutive stature with the skillsets he possesses, we've also got to admit that the same can't often be the case if that player is a defender or a goalkeeper.
Height comes into question while addressing a lot of factors. Be it aerial abilities, intimidating the opposition or using physicality during the game, it certainly provides an edge.
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gianluigi Buffon, among others, are some of such players who have dominated the game with a combination of their skills and stature.
Former Stoke City striker Peter Crouch is the first name that comes to mind after hearing the term 'tall player'. Surprisingly, despite standing at a staggering 2.01 meters tall, he didn't make it to our list of tallest players to ever play the sport.
Find out below about some of the tallest players ever to play football. The criteria being — the player must have had a decent number of professional appearances for club and/or country. Without further ado, here are the
5 tallest footballers to have played the sport professionally
#5 Costel Pantilimon - 2.03 m
The Romanian international earned the limelight while guarding the goalpost for the national team's under-19 side.
Joining the Romanian team FC Politehnica Timișoara (now dissolved) as the second choice goalkeeper at a tender age of 19, Costel Pantilimon's prowess and build got him promoted as the club's first-choice goalie.
After playing about 115 games for Politehnica Timișoara over the course of six years, Costel Pantilimon arrived at the Etihad as a cover for Joe Hart. Despite majorly being second-choice, Pantilimon managed to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield titles with Manchester City.
#4 Lacina Traoré - 2.03 m
Nicknamed 'The Big Tree' for obvious reasons, Ivory Coast international Lacina Traore was a known figure during his youth days.
Over the course of his career, Lacina Traoré managed to feature for some of the reputed teams in Europe. This includes the likes of AS Monaco, Everton, CSKA Moscow and Sporting Gijón.
Traoré was also an important element in Ivorians' continental outings. He graced the role of a full-timer as well as of a cameo at both U-23 and senior levels during the early 2010s. The gigantic forward narrowly missed out on Ivory Coast's 2014 FIFA World Cup squad.