Soccer
Peter Crouch at Liverpool. Copyright: imago/Simon Bellis
The English Premier League is widely regarded as the flagship of league competitions in Europe, and it has continued to build the reputation over the past two decades, Soccernet.ng reports.
The league is known for having some of the best players in the world. Even most of the clubs are some of the richest, And interestingly, England has played host to some of the tallest players in the history of football.
A new ranking from Transfermarkt has emerged, and it shows just how tall some of the players who have played in the English top tier have been. Some really big Nigerians have played in the league, but just one makes the top ten rankings. We will dive into the top ten below.
Soccer 10. Brede Hangeland – 1.99m
Norway’s Hangeland spent close to a decade in the Premier League, from 2007 to 2016, and at 1.99m was a commanding presence at the back for Fulham and Crystal Palace.
Soccer 9. Per Mertesacker – 1.99m
The World Cup-winning German defender played in the Premier League from 2011 to 2018, standing at 1.99m and forming a key part of Arsenal’s backline during his time in England.
Soccer 8. Sasa Kalajdzic – 2.00m
Austrian striker Kalajdzic, active in the league between 2022 and 2026, stands at 2.00m, rounding out the group of players just shy of the two-metre mark.
Soccer 7. Lorenzo Lucca – 2.01m
Italian forward Lucca, whose Premier League career runs from 2026 onward, stands at 2.01m – level with several other names higher up this list.
Soccer 6. Paul Onuachu – 2.01m
The lone Super Eagles star on this list, Onuachu played in the Premier League for Southampton and he stands at 2.01m. The towering striker brings serious aerial threat to English football, a trait that has defined much of his goalscoring career across Europe, including a prolific spell in Belgium with Genk before his move to England.
Soccer 5. Dan Burn – 2.01m
Newcastle’s Burn, a Premier League fixture since 2011, stands at 2.01m and has become one of the league’s most recognisable defenders thanks to his imposing height.
Soccer 4. Peter Crouch – 2.01m
Arguably the most iconic tall player in Premier League history, Crouch played in England’s top flight for an incredible 21 years, from 1998 to 2019, standing at 2.01m throughout a career that made his height part of football folklore.
Soccer 3. Sebastian Maierhofer – 2.02m
Austrian forward Maierhofer had a brief Premier League spell between 2009 and 2012, standing at 2.02m during his time in England.
Soccer 2. Nikola Zigic – 2.02m
Serbian striker Zigic played in the Premier League from 2010 to 2011, matching Maierhofer’s height of 2.02m during his time in England.
Soccer 1. Lacina Traore – 2.03m
Topping the list is Ivorian forward Lacina Traore, who stands at a staggering 2.03m. He spent the 2013-14 season on loan at Everton, making him the tallest outfield player to ever grace the Premier League.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
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