The 8 shortest goalkeeper in Premier League

It is often said that the best goalkeepers will dominate their area, fill the goal and easily close in on the opposing strikers. Basically, the bigger, the better. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for some smaller players in the top flight of English football. Small by the usual goalkeeper standards, anyway. So who is the shortest goalkeeper in the premier league today? Let Premiumsoccertips.net find out the answers to both of these questions and more.

Top 8 shortest goalkeeper in Premier League

1. Jed Steer – 183 cm

Serving as the backup goalkeeper to both Emi Martinez and Tom Heaton at Aston Villa, Steer is known as the smallest goalkeeper currently in the Premier League with an exact height of 6 feet. However, despite his modest height, Steer still qualifies for this list. Since joining Villa in 2013, he has only appeared twice in the top flight (although Villa was in the Championship for three seasons). In the second of those seasons, he faced a defeat against Wolves in November 2019, but had to leave the field after just eight minutes due to a serious injury.

Before joining Aston Villa, Steer played for Norwich and was also loaned out to clubs such as Yeovil (twice), Cambridge, Doncaster, Huddersfield, and Charlton. Villa’s strict selection criteria for the main goalkeeper position have made Steer work harder to try to secure a permanent place in the lineup.

2. Fabri – 184 cm

Another goalkeeper who has only made two appearances in the Premier League is Fulham’s goalkeeper, Fabri, who is only 1 cm taller than Steer. Fabri, a Spanish player, joined Fulham in July 2018 after they were promoted from the Championship. He started in the first two matches for Fulham, but his team suffered two consecutive defeats. However, after that, Fabri did not play for Fulham anymore.

When Fulham was relegated back to the Championship, Fabri was loaned to RCD Mallorca in September 2019. He has since returned to Craven Cottage but mainly serves as the third-choice goalkeeper behind Alphonse Areola and Marek Rodak in this campaign. This illustrates the ups and downs in Fabri’s career and the difficulty in finding consistent playing time at the highest level of English football.

3. Mathew Ryan – 184 cm

A standout shorter goalkeeper is Mat Ryan, an Australian player who stands at the same height as Fabri but has more Premier League appearances. Ryan left Valencia to join Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2017, after the Seagulls were promoted and only missed four matches in their first three seasons at the Amex Stadium.

However, at the beginning of the 2020-2021 season, he lost his number one spot at Brighton to young goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Currently, he is on loan to Arsenal as a backup to Bernd Leno. This marks a turning point in Ryan’s career, as he seeks new opportunities to assert himself in the goalkeeper role.

4. Jordan Pickford – 185 cm

This is truly one of the anticipated pieces of information. “How tall is Pickford?” you ask. Well, your answer is he’s slightly taller than the three shortest goalkeepers to have ever played in the Premier League. This perhaps teasingly satisfies Liverpool supporters about his relatively diminutive stature. Jordan Pickford, who guards the Everton and England goal, stands at around 6 feet 1 inch.

Since his move to Everton for £25 million in June 2017, Pickford has featured in the Premier League in his first three seasons at Merseyside. And it’s no surprise that he’s the first choice in England’s defense on their journey to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and even the final. Clearly, while his height isn’t towering, it hasn’t been a significant hindrance to his career so far.

5. Neil Etheridge – 1.83m

Neil Etheridge is one of the most notable goalkeepers in Premier League history not just for his outstanding goalkeeping abilities but also for his modest height. Standing at approximately 1.83m, Etheridge is considered one of the shortest goalkeepers to have ever played in the highest arena of English football. However, this has not affected his performance on the field.

Through years of playing for Premier League clubs, Etheridge has demonstrated his remarkable agility and good game-reading abilities. He has become an icon for proving that one doesn’t need towering height to succeed as a goalkeeper. Etheridge’s perseverance, skills, and patience have helped him leave a lasting impression on fans and serve as an excellent example of overcoming physical limitations to achieve success in the professional football world.

6. David James – 1.85m

David James, standing at 1.85m, has been one of the finest goalkeepers the Premier League has ever witnessed. Despite not having towering height like some of his counterparts, James has shown superior game-reading ability, quick reflexes, and diverse shot-stopping capabilities.

James’ career spanned over 20 years, during which he played for several top-flight clubs in the Premier League such as Liverpool, Manchester City, and Portsmouth. With his illustrious experience and undeniable talent, James garnered numerous accolades and was recognized as one of the premier goalkeepers of his generation.

Through perseverance, talent, and hard work, David James has proven that height isn’t the sole determinant of a goalkeeper’s success, but rather, ability, skill, and determination play equally crucial roles.

7. Mark Schwarzer – 1.91m

Mark Schwarzer, boasting an impressive height of 1.91m, has been one of the tallest and most admired goalkeepers in Premier League history. With his imposing presence, Schwarzer often left opposing forwards feeling powerless when attempting to score against him.

Throughout his enduring career, Schwarzer played for top clubs in England such as Middlesbrough, Fulham, and Chelsea. He played a crucial role in helping his teams achieve success both domestically and in European competitions.

With his renowned experience and exceptional talent, Mark Schwarzer has become an icon of stability and reliability in the goalkeeper position. His height not only serves as a physical advantage but also contributes significantly to instilling confidence and stability in his team’s defense.

8. Fabien Barthez – 1.82m

Fabien Barthez, standing at 1.82m, is one of the shortest goalkeepers to have ever played in the Premier League, but his fame comes not just from his stature but also from his talent and achievements in his career. Born in Lavelanet, France in 1971, Barthez is known for his daring goalkeeper style, agility, and outstanding game-reading ability.

Barthez began his career at Toulouse before moving to AS Monaco and later Manchester United, where he won numerous titles, including the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. He also won the FIFA Best Goalkeeper award during his career. Despite his modest height, Fabien Barthez’s influence in his career proved that sometimes size doesn’t determine success on the field, but talent and hard work do.

Conclude

In the fight on the pitch, height can be an important factor, but mentality, willpower and skill are the deciding factors. The shortest goalkeeper in premier league proved it and became a symbol of consistency and talent. Although height is not everything, but the way this goalkeeper overcame physical difficulties to shine on the pitch, is truly a remarkable and encouraging story for all of us.

See also: Top 10 tallest goalkeeper in the world of all time