The list of the tallest players in Premier League history contains some real giants, each of who might appear more at home on basketball courts than football pitches on first appearances.
This group of lanky lads have towered over their contemporaries in English football, with height often an advantage when it comes to the world of football.
Here are the six tallest players in Premier League history.
Peter Crouch – 201cm
Perhaps the most famous of Premier League’s humongous heroes, Crouch’s height was arguably both a gift and a curse.
The forward headed home a record 53 goals in the Premier League, part of 108 top-flight goals the 6ft 7in striker scored in the division. However, his height often meant Crouch failed to receive the plaudits he deserved for other areas of his game, including brilliant volley technique and link-up play.
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— Premier League (@premierleague) March 23, 2020
Despite often being a Plan B option at international level, he scored an impressive 22 goals in 42 appearances for England.
One of the Premier League’s favourite characters, Crouch’s 201cm frame is matched by names including Dan Burn, Lars Leese, Stefan Postma, Ian Feuer and Paul Onuachu.
Stefan Maierhofer – 202 cm
Stefan Maierhofer’s career was a nomadic existence that took in short spells at several English clubs, having first risen to prominence with a goal glut for Bayern Munich’s reserve side.
The Austrian then scored 23 league goals for Rapid Wien in 2007/08 to attract interest from Wolves, who secured the striker in a £1.8m deal after promotion to the Premier League. Maierhofer scored on his debut, but failed to add to that strong start and made just nine more appearances.
He later had spells at Championship duo Bristol City and Millwall, but failed to settle as he bounced around a succession of clubs, never again replicating the form that had persuaded Wolves to sign him.
Nikola Zigic – 202 cm
Nikola Zigic’s formidable frame often caused panic in opposition penalty boxes, with the Serbian striker an unorthodox handful for Premier League defences.
Zigic signed for Birmingham City after a difficult spell at Valencia, but arrived with a fine goalscoring reputation from spells with Red Star Belgrade, Racing Santander and with the national team.
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— Football League World (@FootballLeagueW) November 4, 2022
The forward scored 36 goals in 159 appearances for the Blues, including the final opener as Birmingham stunned Arsenal to win the League Cup in 2011. Unfortunately for Zigic and Birmingham, the club were relegated that same season.
Lacina Traore – 203 cm
Lacina Traore sneaks into this list, by virtue of playing just one minute of Premier League football.
Everton believed the club had secured a coup after landing the Ivorian on loan from AS Monaco, beating West Ham to the signature of a striker who had tormented Merseyside rivals Liverpool in the Europa League.
A goal on his debut in the FA Cup against Swansea appeared to add weight to that belief, but Traore then sustained a hamstring injury which all-but-curtailed his campaign. He returned on the final day of the season as an injury-time substitute against Hull City.
Costel Pantilimon – 203 cm
Costel Pantilimon arrived in the Premier League as a back-up goalkeeper at Manchester City, providing presence and cover behind first-choice Joe Hart at the Etihad.
The Romanian moved on to sign for Sunderland in search of regular first-team football and made 45 appearances for the Black Cats, before a short and unsuccessful venture to Watford.
Pantilimon – who won 27 caps for the national team – later had loan spells at Spain’s Deportivo La Coruna, Nottingham Forest and Cypriot side Omonia, before ending his career with Denizlispor in Turkey.
Kjell Scherpen – 206 cm
Kjell Scherpen holds the record as the tallest player to sign for a Premier League club, following his move to Brighton from Ajax in 2021.
The goalkeeper stands a huge 6ft 9in tall, but has been unable to break into the Brighton team since signing for the Seagulls and has made just one League Cup appearance.
The Dutchman has spent the past two seasons on loan at Oostende and Vitesse Arnhem and could now look for a permanent move away from the Amex Stadium after the club signed compatriot Bart Verbruggen from Anderlecht this summer.
Read – Noughties Nines: Peter Crouch – The genial giant
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