Who is the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League ever?

In the Premier League, where height is often considered an important factor in a goalkeeper’s success, the appearance of “giants” on the field is nothing new. However, among those giants, there are some shorter ‘heroes’ who have performed miracles, leaving a special mark in the hearts of fans. Contrary to tall goalkeepers, these players have proven that height is not the only determining factor for success on the field. In the following article, let’s explore the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League history, who has overcome all barriers to become an icon in English football, with insights from kingsoccertips.com

Who is the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League today?

1. Cameron Plain (1m82 – AFC Bournemouth)

Cameron Plain (1.82 m) has distinguished himself with significant progress at AFC Bournemouth since joining the club in 2018. After completing a two-year scholarship with the under-18 team, he graduated to the reserve team. Plain regularly trains with the first team and often appears in the match squad as a reserve goalkeeper. Praised for his achievements, he signed a contract extension in the summer of 2022.

He was a member of the Cherries squad, which qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2018/19 FA Youth Cup, and was part of the Under-21 team that won the Central League Cup in April 2019. During the 2019/20 season, Plain was sent on loan to Wimborne Town, where he gained valuable experience and trained with English U18 and U19 goalkeepers at St George’s Park. During the 2022/23 season, he was not often used but took on the role of substitute for Mark Travers when Neto was injured in several Premier League matches.

2. Dermot Mee (1m83 – Man Utd)

Dermot Mee is a goalkeeper originally from Northern Ireland but born in Birmingham, who has become an integral part of Manchester United. With a height of 1m83, he regularly participates in training sessions with the first team and has made tireless efforts to compete for a position in the main team. Throughout the 2021/22 season, Mee has spent time competing with teammates in the U21 and U23 teams, while also gaining experience through participating in training sessions with the first team.

On 16 August 2022, he moved to National League side Altrincham on loan until January 2023. Before that, he had had short-term loan spells at clubs such as Fulham Academy, Trafford FC, Runcorn Linnets, and Witton Albion. In addition, he also gained valuable experience through his loan spell at AFC Wimbledon and represented Northern Ireland at youth level. His experiences with such a goalkeeper underscore the varied physical attributes present in the league, including those of the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League.

3. David Raya (1m83 – Arsenal)

While David Raya may not boast huge save statistics, his ability to command the penalty area and distribute the ball quickly has improved Arsenal’s overall play compared to Aaron Ramsdale. According to Sky Sports, Raya continues to play a pivotal role in Arsenal’s positive results, helping the team compete fiercely at the top of the table this season.

Context is key when evaluating those statistics,” the English newspaper reported. The question is whether Arsenal needs a goalkeeper with excellent saving ability. Arsenal needs Raya’s assurance, especially in big matches when the season enters the decisive phase. However, Arsenal goalkeepers usually do not rely heavily on their hands to make saves in each match.

4. Jordan Pickford (1m85 – Everton)

Jordan Lee Pickford, born March 7, 1994, in Logan, is an English professional football player who is famous as a goalkeeper for Everton in the Premier League and the English national team. Before joining Everton, Pickford spent considerable time at Sunderland, progressing from the academy team through the reserve team to the senior team, as well as spending loan periods at Darlington, Alfreton Town, Burton Albion, Carlisle United, Bradford City, and Preston North End.

Pickford shone through the England national team ranks, starting from the under-16 team up to the national team. He made his England debut in November 2017 in a friendly match against Germany. His excellence contributed to England’s performance at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the semi-finals, marking the first time since 1990 that they had reached that stage of the tournament. Notably, Pickford’s success as one of the most prominent goalkeepers of his generation contrasts with the challenges faced by the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League history, who struggled to make a similar impact.

5. Stefan Ortega (1m85 – Man City)

Stefan Ortega Moreno, born on November 6, 1992, is a German professional football player who is famous as the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League. Ortega started his career at northern Hessian clubs such as TSV Jahn Calden before moving to KSV Baunatal and then KSV Hessen Kassel. In 2007, he joined Arminia Bielefeld and became a member of their youth team.

During the 2010/11 season, Ortega made six appearances for the B team while playing in the Regionalliga West. In July 2022, Ortega signed for Premier League champions Manchester City on a free transfer. He started the season on the bench in Manchester City’s 1–3 loss to Liverpool in the FA Community Shield on 30 July. The UEFA Champions League group stage match against Borussia Dortmund marked his professional debut for the club.

6. Thomas McGill (1m85 – Brighton)

Tom McGill began his career at Brighton at the age of 14 and has progressed significantly through the club’s youth ranks. He represented England at the U17 level before joining Canada’s senior team in March 2023. McGill joined Brighton’s U23 squad for the 2018/19 season and made over 30 appearances for the Albion under-18s in the Premier League South. Despite being the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League history, McGill has worked hard to refine his skills and prove his worth.

McGill’s excellence was evident when he made an impressive debut in Premier League 2 Division 1 against Manchester City at the Academy Stadium. He made many important saves and kept a clean sheet in the team’s 1-0 victory. He then had loan spells at Basingstoke Town and Crawley Town before making his professional debut as a substitute goalkeeper in a League Two match against Walsall.

7. Thomas Strakosha (1m86 – Brentford FC)

Thomas Strakosha, born on March 19, 1995, is a professional football player who plays as the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League for Brentford. Born in Athens, Greece, he represents the Albanian national team.

Strakosha began his career at Panionios before joining Italian club Lazio in 2012. He made his professional debut in August 2015 while on loan at Salernitana. At Lazio, Strakosha made a total of 208 appearances, winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana twice.

After representing Albania at the U19 and U21 levels, Strakosha made his senior international debut in March 2017 against Italy. On 14 July 2022, he signed a three-year contract with Brentford.

8. James Shea (1m86 – Luton Town)

James William Shea (born 16 June 1991) is an English footballer who plays as the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League club Luton Town. Shea joined League One club Southampton on a one-month loan in February 2011 to cover for the injured Bartosz Białkowski. However, he was recalled by Arsenal after eight days of not playing.

Shea was a regular goalkeeper for Wimbledon during the 2014–15 season and the start of the 2015–16 season, but he was replaced by a loan goalkeeper when he was injured and unable to regain his place. He was on the bench for all of Wimbledon’s League Two playoff games in 2016, where Wimbledon reached the final and eventually won 2–0 against Plymouth Argyle at Wembley Stadium. This situation highlighted the challenges faced by players like Shea compared to the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League history, who also struggled with injuries and form.

9. Dean Henderson (1m88 – Crystal Palace)

Dean Bradley Henderson, born 12 March 1997, is an English football player famous as a goalkeeper, currently playing for Manchester United and the England national team. Henderson signed his first professional contract with Manchester United in 2015, and on 14 August 2020, he was called up to the club’s first-team squad for the first time.

Henderson’s first appearance for the first team came against Luton Town in the third round of the League Cup. Despite spending most of his career at Manchester United, 27-year-old Henderson decided to end his 12-year association with Old Trafford to join Crystal Palace for a transfer fee of up to 15 million pounds, plus an additional 5 million pounds in add-ons.

10. Caoimhín Kelleher (1m88 – Liverpool)

Caoimhín Kelleher was born on November 22, 1998, in Cork, a city in the south of the Republic of Ireland, to a family with a sporting tradition. During his apprenticeship at Ringmahon, Kelleher began his career as a striker before switching to become a goalkeeper at the age of 14, which is quite remarkable. As a striker, he showed his talent for scoring goals, averaging 20 to 30 goals per season.

This transformation explains why Kelleher has better shooting techniques and finishing abilities compared to many other goalkeepers. Before joining Liverpool, Caoimhín Kelleher trained at Ringmahon Rangers in the Republic of Ireland. According to Eddie Harrington, a former Ringmahon youth team coach, Kelleher’s initial position was as a striker before he moved to goalkeeper.

Conclusion

Above is the explanation of the shortest goalkeeper in Premier League that we want to share with you. While height is not the sole deciding factor, in a league like the Premier League where strength and height are often considered important, the shortest goalkeepers often go unnoticed. However, these goalkeepers have proven that, even if they do not have the ideal height, they can still shine with talent, technique, and determination. In a competitive league like the Premier League, the diversity and uniqueness of goalkeepers, regardless of height, are what make this sport more interesting and diverse!

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