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In sports, being tall has its perks and advantages, certainly when it come to aerial balls. Goalkeepers for instance are better off collecting the ball in mid-air during set-pieces, and a taller goalkeeper will be more effective and commanding in this department as compared to a shorter one.
However, tall football players also find it difficult to control the ball and keep up with shorter and faster players.
On the up side, taller players always have the odds in their favour during aerial duels, either offensively or defensively. It is not surprising to find out that taller players dominate the list of most headed goals for instance in the Premier League.
Having taller players in a team gives a manager an extra tactical option of long balls forward. This is a strategy that teams such as Manchester United heavily depend on. At one time, they could have six to seven players all above six feet in height.
In this compilation, being tall is a factor, but not the only one. There is an element of diversity with regards a player's progress on the pitch. There exists so many tall football players who could easily be confused for NBA players, but not all have been exposed to the global stage.
The team is a 3-4-2-1 formation, which allows midfield dominance, and a lot of aerial balls forward, they are football 'giants' after all.
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (6 ft 6)
The Real Madrid shot stopper is one of the tallest goalkeepers in the world, and he is a stand out player from the rest due to his height. He is in this selection because of his pedigree and the accomplishments in his career.
On a good day, Courtois puts his big frame, reflexes, and long hands to good use. He is a good goalkeeper, and first choice for his country. He has played in the biggest matches when at Atletico Madrid, Chelsea and now Real Madrid. I would fancy him to command all aerial balls that come into his territory.
Centre backs
Salif Sane (6 ft 6) - CB
Sane is a powerful Senegalese centre back who has established himself in the Bundesliga as a starter for Schalke. He is a typical commanding centre back with the height to match.
He represented his nation at the World Cup, and can be a nightmare in the box during set pieces as a target man. Despite his height, he has decent speed to neutralise attacks, and strength to shield the ball from opposition players.
Joel Matip (6 ft 5) - LCB
Matip is comfortable on the ball, and very confident of himself. This is why he makes the list on the left centre back position. His marking is also good, and it is a quality that is pivotal in the modern game.
The strikers are set nowadays to time their runs well, so even the slightest of margins could be the difference as to whether a goal is scored or not. His positioning on the field has been commendable. According to the Premier League, he has a tackle success rate of 73 percent.
Nikola Milenkovic (6 ft 5) - RCB
This Serbian international is a rising star, and a huge transfer target for Manchester United. He came to full limelight at the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he represented his country in all their matches.
He is versatile and can even slot in at right back. This is precisely why he takes the right side of defence. Milenkovic can push forward at every opportunity, and look to feed the other tall players who will be targets in the box. At 21 he is already seen as a combative defender destined to succeed.
Holding midfielders
Nemanja Matic (6 ft 4) - LCDM
Matic is renowned as a proper defensive midfielder. His role would be to break up play, and he is also good on the ball. According to the Premier League, he averages about 60 passes in a game.
He also makes very few errors which lead directly lead to goal. Matic has a successful tackle rate of 72 percent, and in his Premier League career, he has made whopping ball recoveries. The Serb can also slow down a high pressure game to allow his teammates settle down.
Steven Nzonzi (6 ft 5) - RCDM
The full impact of Nzonzi's input was clearly seen as Sevilla put Manchester United to sleep in last season's UEFA Champions League tie at Old Trafford.
His defensive qualities are exceptional, as he can easily break up fast play and man-mark high value players out of a game. His great leaping ability is also pivotal when it comes to defending set pieces. He is not the type of defensive midfielder who dives into tackles, but rather calculates his interceptions.
Central midfielders
Marouane Fellaini - RCM
Fellaini is one of the most impactful players when it comes to attacking play in the box. He is very good in the air, and dominates his peers. A good example was in the Juventus vs Man Utd game in Turin.
Very many people overlook the fact that it was Fellaini who made the last-gasp winner happen. He pulled about three Juventus players to his side which allowed the ball to fall behind them, and made defending it hard. One would fancy him to win every ball in a one on one situation.
Sergej Savic (6 ft 4) - RCM
The Lazio man is the future of proper central midfield play. He has good defensive contribution, strong ball distribution, and always looks for ways to make direct forward passes.
He is a blend of a defensive and offensive midfielder. Savic uses his strength and height to assert dominance in the midfield area. No wonder he is a subject of interest from top European clubs.
Attackers
Fernando Llorente (6 ft 4) - #10
The Spanish international is at an advanced stage in his career, he has that element of creativity, can support the main striker, and can no longer do much of the hustle.
He is a power target in the box, and good at heading balls into the net. He is also a proven scorer with over 180 career goals to his name.
Peter Crouch (6 ft 7) - Second striker
Despite his age, Crouch is still a huge threat in the box. He is one of the tallest players in the world, and he has made a habit of out jumping all of his markers to either score directly, or feed a teammate.
He is a consistent starter for Stoke City, and could be a real danger in the box when the long ball strategy is used. He has scored over 200 goals in his career, and one would fancy him to finish off the chances that come his way.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (6 ft 5) - CF
Zlatan still surpasses expectations with his overall play and goals, and one would think he is ten years younger. Ibrahimovic is still a clinical goal scorer, as in the MLS, he has netted 22 goals in 27 appearances at the time of writing.
Over the last century, Ibrahimovic has been the complete package. He is tall, strong, and has a lethal shot. It comes as little surprise that the Swede has over 450 career goals to his name.
