By Being physically fit and tall is often seen as a great advantage when it comes to an expansive variety of sports and soccer/football is one of them. One important factor of soccer where height portrays a vital part is goalkeeping. In goalkeeping, the average height requirement is 1.9 m ( 6 ft 3 in) for a Premier League. Without a question, a goalkeeper needs to tower over the average player to contend in some of the biggest leagues.
Some goalkeepers did not meet those criteria but they emerged as one of the best goalkeepers. Some of them include Iker Casilla, Viktor Valdez, and David Ospina who are under 6 feet. These goalkeepers were able to keep up with their height disadvantage by enhancing their hoping ability, reflexes, positioning, and decision-making. It proceeds to exhibit that with a strong determination, goalkeepers who are below the average height criteria can also be successful if they put in some effort.
Here are some of the six shortest goalkeepers of all time you need to know about.
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Pedro Benítez
Full name: Pedro Manuel Benítez Arpolda
Born: January 12, 1901
Place of Birth: Luque, Paraguay
Country of origin: Paraguay
Height: 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Died: January 31, 1974 (aged 73)
Pedro Benítez was a Paraguayan professional football goalkeeper who also played for Libertad (1928–1931) and Atlanta (1932). Benítez played in the FIFA World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay, representing the Paraguayan squad.
He played 9 games for the club Atlético Atlanta in 1932, in the Argentinian First League. In those years, the club was contracted to a whole squad of Paraguayan footballers. Benítez is considered the shortest goalkeeper of all time in football history.
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Tarmizi Johari
Full name: Soldadu Mohammad Tarmizi bin Haji Mat Johari
Born: December 26, 1983 (age 38)
Place of birth: Brunei
Country of Origin: Brunei
Height: 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Tarmizi Johari is a Bruneian professional footballer in the position of goalkeeper. He last participated for MS ABDB and the Bruneian national squad as a goalkeeper. In 2014, He was a member of the professional club Brunei DPMM FC for a short period. Some of his accomplishments include winning four Brunei Super League titles (2015, 2016, 2017–18, 2018–19), six Brunei FA Cup (2007–08, 2009–10, 2012, 2014–15, 2015, 2016), and one Sumbangsih Cup in 2016.
He was first appointed to the Brunei national football squad for qualifying games at the 2018 World Cup against Chinese Taipei in 2015.
Tarmizi became a regular member of the Wasps but was ultimately handed his first arrival at the 2016 AFC Solidarity Cup which took place in Malaysia. He was also appointed for the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup qualification games against Timor-Leste in September 2018.
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Julien Darui
Full name: Julien Darui
Born: February 16, 1916
Place of birth: Oberkorn, Luxembourg
Country of origin: France
Height: 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Died: December 13, 1987 (aged 71)
Julien Darui was a French professional football goalkeeper. Originally, he was from Luxembourg. At a very young age, Darui emigrated to France and soon found his passion in football. He was capped 25 times for the France national squad. Darui was also chosen by L’Équioe as the best French goalkeeper of the century in 1999. After his career was over as a goalkeeper, he had stints as a coach.
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Francesco Quintini
Full name: Francesco Quintini
Born: May 27, 1952 (age 70)
Place of birth: Rome, Italy
Country of Origin: Italy
Height: 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Francesco Quintini is a former Italian professional football goalkeeper. He participated in nine games (four seasons) in Serie A for A.S. Roma. When he made his debut in Serie A in the 1971-72 season, Quintini was the shortest goalkeeper. It’s also worth mentioning that he along with Roma won the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1972.
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Angelo Colombo
Full name: Angelo Martino Colombo
Born: May 13, 1935
Place of birth: Gattinara, Italy
Country of origin: Italy
Height: 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Died: March 13, 2014 (aged 78)
Standing at a height of just 5’6’ yet he made a staggering 412 club appearances.
In 1954, he began his senior career with Pro Vercelli where he became a member for five years before shifting to Messina. Colombo also was a part of Messina for a short period and later joined Cagliari and made 165 appearances.
He played for Juventus from 1965 to 1968. He along with Juve won the Serie A championship in the 1966/67 season. Colombo made 46 appearances for Verona.
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Jorge Campos
Full name: Jorge Campos Navarrete
Born: October 15, 1966 (age 56)
Place of birth: Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
Country of origin: Mexico
Height: 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Jorge Campos was regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation. He was an exceptionally versatile goalkeeper who can also play as a striker. In 1997, he along with Cruz Azul won the championship in the Primera División de México Invierno (México First Division Winter 1997).
