When it comes to football, size is irrelevant. Lionel Messi is one of the world's smallest players at 5ft 6.5in, but that hasn't stopped him from becoming one of the greatest footballers of all time.
There have been plenty of mini-warriors in the Premier League.
Here are ten of the smallest Premier League players of all time.
10. Stéphane Sességnon
Photo: skysports
Height: 5 ft 8 in - 1.68m
Stéphane Sessègnon (born June 1, 1984) is a professional footballer from Benin who most recently played for the Turkish club Gençlerbirlii. He is a Benin international, having played for his country in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2008, 2010, and 2019.
Sessègnon is a versatile player who can play forward, winger, and offensive playmaker in the midfield. With 24 international goals in 83 games, he is Benin's all-time leading scorer and appearance maker.
When Séssegnon is at his best, he is a joy to watch, and he can effortlessly link up with strikers and midfielders as a spotlight of the attack. His strength and intelligence are two more qualities that contribute to his overall quality.
9. Santi Cazorla
Photo: plzsoccer
Height: 5 ft 7 in - 1.67m
Santiago Cazorla González (born 13 December 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer. Currently playing for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League, he is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also play as a winger, central midfielder, or deep-lying playmaker.
The former Villarreal and Arsenal man proved to be unfazed by some of the game's titans, regularly racking up assists and goals.
8. Emanuele Giaccherini
Photo: scoopnest
Height: 5 ft 7 in - 1.67m
Emanuele Giaccherini (born May 5, 1985) is a former Italian professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
He began his career at Cesena and, after loan spells at three lower-league clubs, helped them to successive promotions to Serie A. He then moved to Juventus, where he won the league title in both seasons. In 2013, he signed a four-year contract with Sunderland before moving to Napoli in 2016. He joined Chievo two years later.
Giaccherini has over 20 caps for the Italian national football team, helping the country to the UEFA Euro 2012 final, a third-place finish at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, and participation in UEFA Euro 2016.
The former Juventus man has struggled to find a regular starting spot under both Paolo Di Canio and Gus Poyet, and he appears to be on his way out of the Premier League sooner rather than later.
7. Shaun Wright-Phillips
Photo: talksport
Height: 5 ft 6 in - 1.66m.
Shaun Cameron Wright-Phillips (born October 25, 1981) is a former professional footballer from England who played as a winger. He played for Manchester City, Chelsea, and Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League and Football League, the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer, the New York Red Bulls II and Phoenix Rising FC in the United Soccer League, and the England national team at senior international level.
He was a Nottingham Forest youth product who spent 13 seasons in the Premier League with Manchester City, Chelsea, and Queens Park Rangers. Along with his brother, Bradley, he joined Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls in 2015. In 2017, Wright-Phillips joined Phoenix Rising FC.
In 36 appearances for the national team, including selection for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the England international scored six goals. The former Chelsea and Manchester City winger had an illustrious career, winning the Premier League and FA Cup with Chelsea.
6. Alan Wright
Photo: skysports
Height: 5 ft 4 in - 1.63m.
Alan Geoffrey Wright (born September 28, 1971) is a former professional footballer and English football manager.
He was a left-back who appeared in over 750 league and cup games for eight different clubs, including an eight-year stint in the Premier League with Aston Villa. He has also played for Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Middlesbrough, and Sheffield United, as well as Derby County, Leeds United, Cardiff City, Doncaster Rovers, and Nottingham Forest on loan. He finished his career at Cheltenham Town and Fleetwood Town. In 1992, he earned two caps for England's U21 team.
Following his retirement, Wright joined the coaching staff at Blackpool before taking over as manager of Northwich Victoria and Southport.
5. Aaron Lennon
Photo: independent.co.uk
Height: 5 ft 5 in - 1.65m
Aaron Justin Lennon, 32, is an English winger for Premier League club Burnley.
Lennon began his career at his hometown club Leeds United, where he made his first-team debut in 2003, making him the Premier League's youngest player at the time. He moved to Tottenham Hotspur for £1 million in 2005, where he made 364 appearances and scored 30 goals across all competitions. In 2008, Lennon won his first major trophy, the League Cup, as Tottenham defeated London rivals Chelsea 2–1.
After a lucrative loan spell with the club, he signed for Everton in 2015 for £4.5 million. He scored nine goals in 77 appearances for Everton before joining Burnley on a two-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee in 2018. Before leaving the Lancashire club in June 2020, he made 55 appearances and scored one goal.
4. Nathan Dyer
Photo: skysports
Height: 5 ft 5 in - 1.65m
Nathan (34) is a former English winger for Swansea City, where he made over 300 appearances. He began his career as a teenager at Southampton, where he made the first team. He has also spent time on loan with Sheffield United, Burnley, and Leicester City, where he was a member of the team that won the Premier League in 2015–16.
When he's flying past defenders with ease, his lack of vertical presence is no laughing matter. His pace is electric, and he has been the bane of many a back-line because he likes to run in behind.
3. Juninho
Photo: foottheball
Height: 5 ft 5 in - 1.65m.
What he lacked is stature, this Brazilian more than made up for in skill during his time at Middlesborough. Juninho is widely regarded as one of Boro's greatest players, at least during the Premier League era.
Juninho represented Middlesbrough three times between 1995 and 2004, and he was always armed with a bag of tricks and a keen eye for goal. The midfielder will also be remembered as a member of Boro's League Cup-winning side in 2004, which remains their most recent major piece of silverware to this day.
2. Albert Crusat
Photo: skysports
Height: 5 ft 5 in - 1.65m.
Albert Crusat Domènech (born 13 May 1982) is a retired Spanish footballer who primarily played as a left-winger, where he relied heavily on his dribbling skills and extraordinary pace.
After beginning his career at Espanyol, he spent the majority of his professional career with Almera, where he appeared in 212 competitive matches and scored 34 goals in six seasons, four of which were in La Liga.
He also spent two years with Wigan Athletic in England.
A serious injury severely hampered his progression at the Latics, and he was sold in 2013, after making only 15 league appearances for them.
1. Andy Ducros
Height: 5 ft 4 in - 1.63m.
Andy Ducros, a former Coventry City player, is top of the list. The striker appeared on eight occasions for the Sky Blues between 1996 and 1999, an unheard-of Premier League performer, but a Premier League performer nonetheless.
The tiny striker was just a little too small to make an impact in the Premier League, and he failed to find the net in his few Premier League appearances. He left Highfield Road to join Nuneaton Borough before fading into obscurity in the football world
