The average height of every Premier League squad (2023/24) | OneFootball

Highlights

The Premier League is known as one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world, and with that label, comes a plethora of incredible athletes. In some instances, this will be a short player that has lots of pace to burn, while on other occasions, this will be a tall player that can use their physicality to their advantage.

The average heights of each Premier League squad in the 2023/24 season have now been revealed, with the data coming from football website Transfermarkt. It has thrown up a few surprises, with teams viewed as dominant being littered with smaller players that play above their height. Many may assume that the teams in the lower half of the table are the teams who have been stockpiling monsters to prioritise set-pieces, but this is not the case.

Without further ado, we take a look at the average height of every Premier League club below, starting with the tallest and ending with the smallest.

1 Everton

Average height: 186cm

Who else could have assembled the most dominant-looking team in the Premier League other than Sean Dyche? The spine of the Everton side is a particularly daunting proposition for opposing players, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is an athlete at the top of the pitch while Abdoulaye Doucoure and Amadou Onana provide one of the tallest midfield partnerships in front of the shorter Idrissa Gueye.

Getting beyond these physical monsters doesn't guarantee success either, as James Tarkowski and Jarrod Branthwaite represent one of the most dominant partnerships in the air at centre-back. Littered with tall players willing to work their socks off, the Toffees' team is almost perfectly suited to Dyche-ball.

2 Nottingham Forest

Average height: 186cm

The joint-tallest squad on average is also one of the biggest Premier League squads numbers-wise. Nottingham Forest have brought in a staggering number of bodies since their return to the top flight of English football in 2022, with some of these players being intimidating presences. Taiwo Awoniyi is one of the most physical strikers in the division, and also one of the best, and his backup attackers - Chris Wood and Divock Origi - are also taller than six foot.

The Forest side is littered with smaller players with great technical ability too, such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga, who bring the average height of the squad down, but a team that plays with three centre-backs regularly is always going to contain some giants. Moussa Niakhate, Joe Worrall and Willy Boly spring to mind.

3 Tottenham

Average height: 185cm

Ange Postecoglou may have brought a brand of football to north London that is a lot more appealing to the eye than the styles previously employed by Antonio Conte and José Mourinho, but the Australian boss still puts a lot of emphasis on the physical aspect of the game. Eric Dier, Ben Davies and even Son Heung-min are some of the taller players still in the Tottenham ranks, although Dier looks set to depart in the near future for Bayern Munich. Very few teams have bullied Spurs on the pitch during the 2023/24 season.

Micky van de Ven was brought in to start alongside the erratic Cristian Romero at the heart of the back line and the big Dutch defender didn't only add some much-needed height at the back, but also some electric speed to help the team employ their new high defensive line without fears of being unable to track back.

4 Newcastle United

Average height: 184cm

Dan Burn is the tallest outfield player in the Premier League at 6' 7". This means the Newcastle defender is taller than the majority of goalkeepers in the division. On that topic, Nick Pope is one of the biggest shot-stoppers in the league and the centre-backs that protect his goal - Sven Botman and Fabian Schar - are no pushovers either. It is perhaps a big factor in the Magpies having the joint-best defensive record in the league during the 2022/23 season as they only conceded 33 goals in 38 games.

Alexander Isak is fast becoming one of the elite marksmen in the English game as the Swedish forward is a threat with both his feet and in the air. He may not be the strongest player ever, but his slight frame added to the height he has gives him an edge of being bigger and faster than the majority of defenders he comes up against.

5 Crystal Palace

Average height: 184cm

Unlike the previous entries, it may not be immediately apparent to regular Premier League viewers that Crystal Palace are among the top five tallest teams in the division. The goalkeepers and strikers in the squad do a lot of the heavy lifting on this occasion as Dean Henderson, Sam Johnstone, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Odsonne Edouard are all physical specimens at either end of the field.

Marc Guehi is an England international now, but the Eagles' centre-back is far from being one of the biggest in his position in the Premier League. He still competes very well in the air and his partner in crime, Joachim Andersen, makes up for the lack of height. Roy Hodgson's team are built on a strong foundation and a reliable batch of players that can compete physically is essential to mix with the playmakers such as Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze.

6 Liverpool

Average height: 183cm

Jürgen Klopp was tasked with overhauling his entire midfield in the summer transfer window as Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Naby Keita exited after many years of service. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have given the Reds' engine room a much more imposing look, with the former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich midfielders adding plenty of height to the Liverpool team.

Add existing monsters such as Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, and Darwin Núñez to the mix, and you have one of the most physically imposing starting XIs in the Premier League. There is a very good mix of players of all sizes, but it is perhaps a shock that the Merseyside outfit ranks as low as they do based on the first-team names mentioned above.

7 Luton Town

Average height: 183cm

Luton Town have a battle on their hands to stay in the Premier League after the Hatters secured promotion to the division for the first time in their history. Rob Edwards has a side that is more than ready to play dirty against the more technical teams when needed, with his defence consisting of some giant players that stick their heads on any ball that comes within their general vicinity.

Elijah Adebayo has impressed greatly in his first crack at the top flight in England as the striker has dislodged Carlton Morris from the starting number nine role due to his physical capabilities. Scoring a header against both of the teams in the 2022/23 title race - Manchester City and Arsenal - the 6' 3" attacker showed his prowess in the air.

8 Fulham

Average height: 183cm

Marco Silva may have lost his demon up front in Aleksandar Mitrovic, but the Portuguese boss brought in a replacement that is actually marginally taller than the Serbian goalscorer. Raul Jimenez leads the Fulham line with a huge responsibility of holding the ball up and allowing his teammates to get up the pitch. The Mexican has played this role to perfection and added goals back to his game after struggling to find the net towards the end of his spell at Wolves, with his most recent goal for the Cottagers coming in a 2-1 win against Arsenal.

Joao Palhinha, Tim Ream, and Tosin Adarabioyo form a triangle in front of Bernd Leno's goal and any opposing player has struggled to get the better of this trio physically. Willian and Bobby Decordova-Reid no doubt bring the average height of the squad down but the pacey wingers are also vital to complement the abilities of Jimenez up top.

9 Brentford

Average height: 183cm

Brentford are one of the sides that many would instantly predict would be one of the tallest in the Premier League without having the information to hand. Three centre-back roles in the starting line-up are filled by a combination of giants Ben Mee, Ethan Pinnock, Nathan Collins, and Kristoffer Ajer. These are four of the most dominant defenders in the air as Thomas Frank's men always cause problems for teams looking to attack via crosses into the penalty area.

Ivan Toney may have been absent for the first half of the 2023/24 campaign because of a betting ban, but the English forward has certainly not been forgotten. Having scored 20 league goals in the previous season, he is a jack of all trades. Equally adept at scrapping with opposing defenders in the air or getting the ball on the deck and bringing his teammates into play, Toney is one of the best forwards in England and his big frame helps that enormously.

10 Arsenal

Average height: 182cm

Arsenal have often been accused of being a soft team, especially in Arsène Wenger's later years at the Emirates and Unai Emery's underwhelming reign afterward. The Gunners became a far cry from the team that possessed monstrous figures such as Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Patrick Veira in the 1990s and early 2000s. Mikel Arteta has breathed new life into the club during his tenure and the beginning of the 2023/24 season saw the club bring in Declan Rice and Kai Havertz, two players over six feet tall.

William Saliba and Gabriel add to an impressive looking spine of a side looking to compete with Manchester City for the title. Ben White is often the chosen right-back and the former Brighton player acts as a third central defender when Oleksandr Zincheno steps forward from his left-back role. White's height - given that he used to be a centre-back himself - is very handy when this in-game switch takes place.

11 Aston Villa

Average height: 182cm

Joining Arsenal on an average squad height of 182cm is Aston Villa, the team managed by former Gunners boss Emery. The Villans have entered the race as shock title contenders, going up against Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City. It takes a variety of player profiles to make this dream become a reality and Emery's team have it all. John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, and Douglas Luiz have been one of the best midfield units in the league while all three men are far from being the biggest in their roles.

Pau Torres and Diego Carlos are brilliant ball-playing defenders and the former La Liga duo have formed an imperious partnership at the back, particularly at Villa Park. Ezri Konsa has seen his game time in his natural centre-back role limited, but similarly to White at Arsenal, the English defender has filled in at full-back admirably. Moussa Diaby and Leon Bailey significantly drop the average height but the dynamic wingers provide sensational pace on the counter-attack.

12 Manchester United

Average height: 181cm

Manchester United are recorded as having the same average height of squad as their arch-rivals Manchester City at 181cm. The defence and attack have the tallest players in the team, while the midfield let the side down in terms of height. Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane, Rasmus Hojlund, and Marcus Rashford are among the biggest players to regularly line up for the Red Devils.

Casemiro - while scoring plenty of goals with his head last season - is not the most physically dominant defensive midfielders in the league, while Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen, and Mason Mount are players that fall below the six-foot mark.

13 Manchester City

Average height: 181cm

While you may be forgiven for assuming a team that predominantly plays four massive figures in the backline while having Rodri screening said defence would be higher on this list, Man City have the same average height as Man United. Kyle Walker isn't a centre-back by nature, but his physical stature allows the Englishman to play there if needed while either Nathan Ake or Josko Gvardiol play at left-back despite being central defenders by trade.

Erling Haaland is one of the biggest strikers in the league and, as such, adds 194cm to the average tally. The IFFHS' best player of 2023 has the joint-most headed goals in the 2023/24 season with three and is the top goalscorer in the league, but is largely supplemented with chances by short playmakers such as Bernardo Silva and Julian Alvarez.

14 Wolves

Average height: 181cm

Wolves are one of the surprise packages of the campaign as O'Neil was tipped to struggle and the club were expected to be near the relegation battle. This is far from the case, however, as Wolves have often given some of the top teams a bloody nose and have even taken points against Man City, Tottenham, and Chelsea. There is a good mix of pace and power within the starting XI with Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes being the heartbeat of the team.

Matheus Cunha, Hwang-Hee Chan, and Pedro Neto formed one of the most technically-gifted front threes in the division at the start of the season, but the trio lack height and this significantly brings the average of the squad down.

15 Bournemouth

Average height: 180cm

Andoni Iraola is in the midst of transforming Bournemouth from a side that had to scrap for every single point they could get their hands on in the Premier League to a team that dominates possession and relies upon technical ability more so. Philip Billing was a huge part of Gary O'Neil's Cherries team that avoided the drop in 2022/23, but the big midfielder has often been used as a backup option under Iraola, who stresses the need for composure on the ball.

Dominic Solanke has been one of the best-performing strikers in Europe as the striker has got a knack for dominating defensive partnerships. Solanke is one of the taller players to often start for the club with Marcus Tavernier, Max Aarons, Justin Kluivert, and Lewis Cook being among the smaller players that make them one of the smallest teams in the English top-flight.

16 Sheffield United

Average height: 180cm

Sheffield United are having to adopt a very defensive approach in their Premier League games after being limited in the business they could do in the summer transfer market upon their return to Premier League action. John Egan and Anel Ahmedhozic are forced to soak up a lot of the pressure applied to the Blades' defence and the pair have at times been left with little protection by a small midfield.

Oliver Norwood and Gustavo Hamer are far from being a difficult duo to compete with in the engine room physically and opposing midfielders have often overpowered this part of the Sheffield United team. Chris Wilder does have a tall striking option to call upon when needed, but Oli McBurnie has often struggled to meet the desired level of the Premier League.

17 Burnley

Average height: 179cm

It may be a small indication as to why Luton Town are having more success in the top flight in comparison with fellow newly promoted sides Sheffield United and Burnley, as the Hatters have a size advantage. Vincent Kompany's team have struggled to compete physically in the Premier League after steamrolling the Championship in the prior campaign. Sander Berge was brought in to give the midfield a more dominant feel to it, but the rest of the team let the side down on this occasion.

The philosophy instilled in the team by Kompany is to play an attractive brand of football, with the ball spending the majority of the game on the ground. This is often a worrying approach for teams joining the top tier of English football as the elite sides are stacked with athletes that can wear down weaker opposition.

18 West Ham United

Average height: 178cm

Jarrod Bowen has scored the joint-most headed goals in the 2023/24 Premier League season, but this doesn't reflect on height as the winger is shorter than 5'8". It is more a reflection of the clever movement and anticipation the forward has shown throughout the campaign, which has helped earn him a place in Alan Shearer's Team of the Season so far. Thomas Soucek, Kurt Zouma, Edson Alvarez, and Nayef Aguerd are the players opposition players will give the most attention when the ball is in the air as the four players are a strong centre in West Ham's team.

Michail Antonio is a different proposition for defenders to come up against, with the Jamaican being a physical handful to deal with. James Ward-Prowse's top-class delivery from set-pieces makes David Moyes' team one of the hardest to deal with from corners and free-kicks despite only two teams having a smaller squad on average.

19 Chelsea

Average height: 178cm

Stamford Bridge has become a revolving door for talent ever since Todd Boehly took the reigns of the club, but clearly, the approach hasn't necessarily been to bring in many tall players. Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Moises Caicedo, and Enzo Fernández are some examples of technically brilliant players that have joined the club in the past 18 months. These players may be more than capable on the ball, but they aren't blessed with height.

Mauricio Pochettino has struggled to get his team playing the desired brand of football since his arrival at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, but could some added height help the performance issues? It would be a strange call for the club to dip back into the transfer market once again, as the Blues have one of the most bloated squads in the division, along with Nottingham Forest. Young goalkeeper - Lucas Bergstrom - is the tallest player in the Premier League at 6'7" tall.

20 Brighton

Average height: 177cm

Brighton may be defying all odds as the Seagulls are venturing into the knockout rounds of European competition in 2023/24 and look very likely to qualify for continental football once more in the next campaign. Roberto De Zerbi's men are doing so with the smallest squad on average in the Premier League, just marginally smaller than Chelsea. Billy Gilmour, Pascal Gross, Kaoru Mitoma, and Simon Adingra are a selection of the most gifted players in the team that epitomise the brilliant football played at the AMEX. Each of these players is closer to a technician than a physical specimen.

Evan Ferguson is one of the top-rated teenagers in world football and the Irishman gives the attack a different dimension when given the nod ahead of Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro. This depth gives De Zerbi a variety of options to change the game and give opposing players something different to worry about. Lewis Dunk is one of the most underrated defenders in the league and the English centre-back is always there when his club need him.