When it comes to football players, the first impression is that they have good physique and extremely skillful techniques with the round ball. As football develops, the requirements for physique and especially height are gradually more focused on. However, this is not always true. In the history of world football up to now, there are still names with quite modest height. Let’s take a look at the list of 10 who is the shortest football player with Bestsoccertips.
Top 10 who is the shortest football player
10. Diego Buonanotte (160 cm)
Once considered one of the most promising talents of Argentine football when he played for River Plate, Diego Buonanotte made a strong impression with his brilliant performances at this big team. With skillful technique, excellent dribbling ability and accurate finishing, he is expected to be the next star of tango football. However, Buonanotte’s journey in Europe has not been as expected. After crossing the Atlantic to find opportunities at Malaga, he has largely disappeared from the pitch for two seasons. This failure continued when he moved to Granada, where he spent two more seasons but still failed to show his full potential.
Currently, Buonanotte continues his football career at Club Deportivo Universidad Católica in Chile, where he has found stability and the opportunity to re-establish himself. In 126 matches in various tournaments, the diminutive midfielder has scored 26 goals, a modest number but a reflection of his relentless efforts throughout his career. Despite not being as successful as initially expected, Buonanotte has remained an influential name in the teams he has played for.
9. Maximiliano Moralez (159 cm)
Maximiliano Moralez, an Argentine player who currently plays for New York City FC in the MLS in the United States, is one of the notable names in international football. Despite his modest height of only 1.60 m, Moralez has still proven his outstanding talent, to the point that he was called up to the Argentina National Team in 2011, a rare thing for players with small stature.
Starting his professional career in 2005, Moralez quickly proved his worth when he was trusted to participate in international tournaments for many consecutive years. He is known by the nickname “Frasquito” (roughly translated as “Little Bottle”), which not only reflects his height but also the agility, flexibility and creative style of play that Moralez brings. Although he does not possess a strong physique, his skillful skills on the field make opponents wary. As a technical and intelligent midfielder, Moralez is always a name that clubs are looking for, and despite being a small player, he is always a big threat to the opponent’s defenders.
8. Nguyen Thanh Hai (159 cm)
Nguyen Thanh Hai, with a modest height of only 1.59m, is one of the players who is considered to have the most physical disadvantages in Vietnamese football over the years. However, that does not prevent him from rising up and making an impression on his teammates and fans. Thanh Hai makes everyone admire not only for his tireless efforts but also for his professionalism and outstanding spirit of progress.
Although he does not have the physical advantage of many of his colleagues, Thanh Hai is always aware that in order to survive and develop in a competitive environment, he must have other outstanding factors. Therefore, he has constantly trained his skills, speed and ability to read the game, factors that help him compensate for his physical limitations. Thanh Hai always maintains his passion for football and considers it a driving force to continue to strive and overcome all challenges in his career. With perseverance and professionalism, he has become a shining example for young players on how to overcome difficulties and affirm their own value in football.
7. Riko Simanjuntak (158 cm)
Riko Simanjuntak, an Indonesian player, currently plays for Persija Jakarta in the Indonesian National Championship. Despite his attacking tendencies and his ability to run on the wing, his contribution to his home team has not been really outstanding. Since 2018, Simanjuntak has only scored 3 goals in the Indonesian domestic league, a rather modest number for an attacking player.
However, his talent has been recognized in important international matches. In the match between Indonesia and Vietnam in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Riko was the one who provided a great assist for Irfan Bachdim to score the only goal of honor for the Indonesian team. It is worth noting that despite being only 1.58m tall, he still constantly tormented Doan Van Hau, the 1.85m tall defender of Vietnam. Simanjuntak’s versatility, speed and vision of the game help him create dangerous chances for his team.
In addition, Riko Simanjuntak was also named one of the 11 best players in Southeast Asia in 2019 as a left winger, marking the recognition of his talent and dedication in the region.
6. Chanathip Songkrasin (158 cm)
Chanathip Songkrasin, a Thai player, is one of the brightest stars in Southeast Asian football, often playing as an attacking midfielder No. 10, behind the striker. He stands out with his speed, agility and excellent individual technique, making him a great threat to the opposing defense. Not only that, Chanathip also possesses the ability to shoot dangerously and accurately from outside the penalty area, which makes him a versatile and unpredictable attacker.
Despite his outstanding talent, Chanathip does not have the physical advantage of many other players. With a modest height and a weight of only 56kg, he does not possess a muscular body like South American players such as Carlos Tévez or Sergio Agüero, who are short but have strong muscles. Without wearing football clothes, Chanathip could easily be mistaken for a middle school boy. However, it is his agility and dexterity that have helped him overcome his physical limitations and assert himself on the field.
With his excellent playing style and ability to create great plays, Chanathip is loved by fans and given the nickname “Thai Messi”, comparing him to Argentina’s Lionel Messi, because of his technical, speedy and creative playing style on the field. This nickname not only shows the admiration of fans, but also affirms Chanathip’s talent in regional and international football.
5. Soukaphone Vongchiengkham (156 cm)
The 26-year-old midfielder of the Laos national team, with a modest height of only 1m56, is likened to the “Messi” of Lao football thanks to his skillful technique and extremely flexible use of his left foot. Although he does not have an advantage in terms of physique, he possesses special qualities that make him an important factor in the squad of the national team as well as the Kasetsart FC club in Thai League 2, where he is playing quite impressively.
Having started playing for the Laos national team since 2014, this small midfielder has become an indispensable pillar, contributing a lot to the creative play and flexibility in matches. Despite being a small player, he always knows how to take advantage of his agility and dexterity to overcome opponents and create dangerous situations. Along with talent and perseverance, he has proven that physical strength is not the decisive factor for success in football, but rather technique, speed and a cool head on the field.
4. Vu The Vuong (156 cm)
Vu The Vuong, born in 1994 in the rice fields of Thái Bình, is one of the outstanding young players of Vietnamese football. However, his path to professional football was not easy. It was not until he was in 7th grade that The Vuong began to pursue his passion for football, from small tournaments at the commune and district levels until he was called up to the Thái Bình U13 team. The life of the school-age boy has completely changed since then, with the first steps being difficult but also full of hope.
With his quickness and skillful technique, The Vuong quickly attracted the attention of coaches. However, like many other young players, he encountered physical limitations, which Coach Văn Sỹ once pointed out. “The Vuong is a fast and skillful player, but he is not physically fit enough to play from the start. If you want to use him effectively, you should only put him on the field in the second half,” commented coach Van Sy. However, The Vuong has proven the coach’s belief correct when he showed impressive performances when he was on the field in the second half, with his flexibility and ability to create breakthroughs.
3. Daniel Alberto Villalva Barrios (155 cm)
Who is the shortest football player Daniel Alberto Villalva Barrios, an Argentine player, although he has a modest body and is not too outstanding in terms of physique, his talent on the field is undeniable. He is considered a player born to play football, with technical qualities and agility that made him a remarkable talent from a very young age. Villalva showed his outstanding talent from a young age, and by the age of 10, he was playing for the senior youth team, which is not something that many people can achieve at that age.
Villalva Barrios is one of the rare young players to score their first goal in a professional career at a very early age. When he was about to turn 17, he scored his first goal for River Plate, an important milestone marking his rapid growth in football. After playing for big teams, Villalva is currently playing for Guaraní Club in Brazil, where he continues to contribute his talent to the team.
2. Elton Jose Xavier (154 cm)
Elton Jose Xavier, born in 1986 in Brazil, is a talented player with an impressive international career. He currently plays for Al-Hamriyah FC in the UAE, playing as an attacking midfielder or winger, depending on the team’s tactical scheme. Despite his modest height, Xavier Gomes still shows outstanding talent, making him one of the outstanding players in his football career.
Entering the professional path quite early, at the age of 18, Xavier was included in the squad of Corinthians FC, one of the big teams in Brazil. After that, he continued to join and play for many clubs around the world, including Steaua Bucuresti (Romania), Al Nasr (UAE), Dubai Club (UAE), Sport (Brazil) and Al Fateh (Saudi Arabia).
Xavier’s greatest success in his career came in the 2012/2013 season when he and Al Fateh won the Saudi Arabian Premier League, scoring 11 goals that season. This is a memorable achievement, affirming his talent in the international football environment.
1. Marcin Garuch (153 cm)
Who is the shortest football player Marcin Garuch, born on September 14, 1988, is a Polish football midfielder, currently playing for the Miedź Legnica Club, a team playing in the Polish 3rd Division. Despite his modest height of only 1m53, Garuch has made a strong impression with his skillful technique, agility and accurate passing ability, qualities that help him create a great influence on the field despite not having a physical advantage.
Starting his football career very early, Garuch joined the Miedź Legnica team at the age of 16 in 2004, showing excellence in playing style right from the beginning. In 2012, he moved to Chojniczanka Chojnice, where he continued to make his mark in his career. Garuch also played for several other clubs, including Omladinski fudbalski klub Grbalj and Górniczy Klub Sportowy Bełchatów, always playing an important role in the team and contributing to many achievements for the clubs he played for.
Although height is not Garuch’s strong point, his outstanding technique and agility are always highly appreciated by experts. His versatility in playing style and accurate passing ability make Garuch a formidable midfielder, despite his small appearance.
Conclusion
When it comes to the question of who is the shortest football player, the answer is not simply related to height, but also the affirmation that talent and effort can overcome any physical barriers. Although height is not a decisive factor in football, players with modest physiques such as Marcin Garuch or Diego Buonanotte can still make a deep impression in their careers. This shows that football is not only a game for tall players, but a place where dexterity, agility and tactical ability play a decisive role.
