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Being a good athlete is one of the prerequisites to becoming a great footballer. However, being physically eligible to succeed in football does not correspond to being tall. Although most footballers today are fairly tall, it is far from a necessity.
Plenty of 'short' footballers have proved to be world class players. In fact, it is scientifically proven that shorter height gives offensive footballers an advantage.
With short height, comes a lower-than-usual centre of gravity, which results in the player having better balance. Consequently, it helps in better ball control and movement - the reason why most short players are terrific dribblers of the ball.
For example, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Eden Hazard and Alexis Sanchez are all under 5'6'', and simultaneously terrific dribblers of the football. However, we shall be looking at players even shorter than the ones mentioned.
Also, we'll be sticking to only those footballers that are currently active. So, despite standing at only 5'4", Diego Maradona misses out. Finally, this list only involves well-known and established players, so apologies to the likes of Alejandro Chumacero.
The statistics used have been borrowed from WhoScored.
#5 Aaron Lennon (5 feet 5 inches)
Season Stats
Games : 29
Goals : 0
Assists : 2
Shots per Game : 0.5
Man of the Match Awards : 0
The fifth spot could belong to a lot of people if we're being honest. While Santiago Cazorla is just a couple of centimetres taller, fellow Englishman Nathan Dyer hasn't quite reached the same heights as Aaron Lennon has. As a result, the former Tottenham man slots into the fifth position and kickstarts our list.
Lennon is well short of the players he competes with - as the picture above with Danny Welbeck depicts. To make up for that lost physical battle, Lennon had trained himself to be one of the fastest wingers in the world in his prime.
Truth be told, he is still extremely fast and can be any fullback's nightmare. Lennon was destined for greatness, but his inconsistency hurt his chances big time. At 31, he has little hope of resurrecting his career. His 21st, and final, England appearance came way back in 2013.
#4 Mathieu Valbuena (5 feet 5.5 inches)
Season Stats
Games : 34
Goals : 7
Assists : 9
Shots per Game : 1.6
Man of the Match Awards : 2
Over the years, Mathieu Valbuena seems to have become everyone's favourite 'short' footballer. The way he can completely outfox his much taller opponents is a treat to watch.
Valbuena is one of the finest examples of players with short-height who are blessed with incredible footwork. Valbuena is well and truly a gem and not once has his height restricted him from achieving success. 52 caps for France is proof enough.
He has nearly 300 appearances in the Ligue 1 for Marseille and Lyon combined. His tenacity and work-rate are appreciated by all just as much as his incredible skills and goals are.
Now, 33 and with Fenerbahce, Valbuena is approaching the twilight of what has been an extraordinary career of an extraordinary player. Iconic Belgian manager Eric Gerets best described him as Le Petit.
#3 Sebastian Giovinco (5 feet 4 inches)
Season Stats
Games : 3
Goals : 0
Assists : 0
Shots per Game : 6
Man of the Match Awards : 0
After spending nearly 20 years with Juventus and rising through their academy, Sebastian Giovinco made the big decision of moving to the Major League Soccer aged only 28. He clearly had a lot more to offer to European football, but the Italian had made up his mind. Now 31, Giovinco has already become one of the finest the league has ever had.
He might be extremely short, standing only as high as 5'4", but Giovinco is the complete package. He is incredible with the ball at his feet and can make defenders dance to his tunes.
In addition to that, he is deadly in front of goal as his 55 goals in 89 league appearances for Toronto prove. However, we witness the best of Giovinco when he stands up to take a free-kick. He can really hit a dead-ball.
Capped 23 times for Italy, Giovinco is having the time of his life in America and proving to us that making the early shift to the States might not be a bad decision at all.
#2 Ryan Fraser (5 feet 4 inches)
Season Stats
Games : 30
Goals : 5
Assists : 3
Shots per Game : 1.1
Man of the Match Awards : 1
Ryan Fraser had a breakthrough season last year, making some inspirational appearances off the bench. His trickery and pace proved vital against tired legs and often helped Bournemouth stage late comebacks, notably against Liverpool and Arsenal.
Perhaps the reason behind his agility and ability to make quick turns is his short height. At 5'4", Fraser is interestingly the shortest player in the Premier League.
His performances have resulted in him earning his first Scotland call-up last year. Also, he made a landmark 100th appearance for the Cherries this season. At 24, the Premier League's shortest player has a long road to travel.
#1 Lorenzo Insigne (5 feet 4 inches)
Season Stats
Games : 43
Goals : 14
Assists : 9
Shots per Game : 4.6
Man of the Match Awards : 6
His height has been a hot topic for discussion in social media these days, as Insigne frequently gets paired up with the tallest mascots while stepping on to the pitch. We're pretty sure it's what the officials intend to do, and is not just a coincidence! Luckily, for Lorenzo, his performances are what make the headlines and not his height.
Insigne has been in fantastic form for Napoli ever since Maurizio Sarri took charge of the Naples club. He is part of the deadly trio comprising of Dries Mertens, Jose Callejon and himself.
He has played an instrumental role in Napoli's fight for the Scudetto this season. He was also expected to light up the World Cup this year, but it was not to be. There is still a long way to go for the 26-year-old. He is easily one of the best forwards in the world and has proved once again that height does not really matter.
