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Is height important if you want to head the ball?

Head, height?


  • Total voters
    115

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
17,094
22,286
This, for his size he was crap in the air.

As was Nicola Zigic who had an inch or two or Crouchy I think. If anything, height is a hindrance for attackers.

Someone like C. Ronaldo is a good header of the ball, but it's his leap that gives him the advantage rather than his height.
 

Blake Griffin

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2011
14,133
38,225
rose is three inches shorter than davies but he won 54% of headers whereas davies only managed 39%.
 

aliyid

Well-Known Member
Dec 28, 2004
6,944
19,929
It's a tricky one, as others have said all other things being equal then the taller person is at an advantage, however...

What you normally find is that tall players (Crouch, Andy Carroll, Pav, etc...) are so tall that they've never really had to work on getting a good technique so they aren't so good at controling headers and it just ends up hitting them in the face and sometimes going in whereas players like Cahill, Cannavaro, Messi, etc... really have to work on timing their runs so they can get a running leap and use their neck muscles to control / power their headers towards goal.

It's got nothing to do with height though it's more like if you train and practice headers you'll be good at them. You can't ever say that a player will be good at headers just because they're tall just like you can't say that all short players have a great first touch and great balance to take on players like Messi does.
 

beats1

Well-Known Member
Feb 22, 2010
30,006
29,551
Yes, without doubt.

Anyone under 6ft1 is at a serious disadvantage according to the latest research.

People who are taller can leap better, their timing is better and all this is completely linked to being taller.

I have no problem with this either, even though I top out at a mere 5ft3.
While height is a factor it isn't important when heading

Falcao is the best striker in the world at heading the ball and is only 5'10"

People who taller don't necessarily have a larger leap

Here is falcao kicking ass
 

chinaman

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2003
17,974
12,423
Yes, without doubt.

Anyone under 6ft1 is at a serious disadvantage according to the latest research.

People who are taller can leap better, their timing is better and all this is completely linked to being taller.

I have no problem with this either, even though I top out at a mere 5ft3.


I'm also 5'3" and am good at heading fleshy balls.
 

Sir Henry

Facts > Feelings
Aug 18, 2008
2,706
2,817
Tony Gardner for us rarely won a header but could pet the cockerel on top of WHL. Crouch was another that won very little headers. Height should be advantageous but very rarely is.
 

Flobadob

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2014
3,617
12,315
Positioning, timing, jump height and commitment to winning the header are all more important than height, in my opinion. Being tall is an advantage off the bat, but as some have already said, if you don't have these other attributes it can be an almost worthless advantage for some players
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,778
99,342
While height is a factor it isn't important when heading

Falcao is the best striker in the world at heading the ball and is only 5'10"

People who taller don't necessarily have a larger leap

Here is falcao kicking ass


Its Everything Beats, EVERYTHING.

That's like saying people with bigger heads can't get head the ball further, of course they can.
 

dk-yid

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2011
4,489
8,020
Yes, without doubt.

Anyone under 6ft1 is at a serious disadvantage according to the latest research.

People who are taller can leap better, their timing is better and all this is completely linked to being taller.

I have no problem with this either, even though I top out at a mere 5ft3.

Link?
 

michaelden

Knight of the Fat Fanny
Aug 13, 2004
26,386
21,685
While height is a factor it isn't important when heading

Falcao is the best striker in the world at heading the ball and is only 5'10"

People who taller don't necessarily have a larger leap

Here is falcao kicking ass


Goddamn!! Falcao for the Golden Head!
 

michaelden

Knight of the Fat Fanny
Aug 13, 2004
26,386
21,685
Yes, without doubt.

Anyone under 6ft1 is at a serious disadvantage according to the latest research.

People who are taller can leap better, their timing is better and all this is completely linked to being taller.

I have no problem with this either, even though I top out at a mere 5ft3.

Linky proof or stop making it up ;)
 

HappySpur

You Can't Unfry Things Jerri
Jan 7, 2012
7,666
19,601
Height matters against height. But this isn't basketball where you will be dealing with 7'2 opponenets. Most of the players you go against range from around 5'9 to 6'3. And therefore, leaping ability is much more important to heading that height. Now, if it's Jan Koller, back in the day, you being 5'11 with an awesome leap, means fuck all. But that's an outlier situation.

And the great thing about leap, is that you can actually make it better via plyometrics.
 
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