Monday, 13 Jan 2025
Sport

Anthropometry of the Players at the 2018 World Cup

Although not the most crucial factor for success in football, the body size of players can still have an impact on their performance. Analyzing the player data from the 2018 World Cup, we can gain valuable insights into how height, weight, and age differ between playing positions, and how these factors may affect playing performance.

Age of FIFA World Cup Players in 2018

The average age of all players at the 2018 FIFA World Cup was 27.9 years. The goalkeepers were the oldest on average, with a mean age of 29.7 years, while the average age of forwards was 27.0 years. Defenders and midfielders fell somewhere in between. The youngest player of the tournament was 19-year-old Australian Daniel Arzani, while the oldest player was Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who was 45 years old, making him the oldest player ever to compete at a World Cup.

Graph 1: Age of players at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Height of all FIFA World Cup Players in 2018

The tallest players at the 2018 FIFA World Cup were the goalkeepers, with Croatian goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic standing at an impressive 201 cm (6 ‘ 7″). On the other end of the scale, some midfield players measured only 165 cm (5 ‘ 5″) tall. The average height of all players was 182.4 cm (6 ‘ 0″).

Graph 2: Height of players at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Weight of FIFA World Cup Players in 2018

Unsurprisingly, the goalkeepers also led in terms of weight, with taller players generally weighing more. The average weight of all players was 77.2 kg / 170 lbs. The heaviest player of the tournament was defender Roman Torres from Panama, weighing in at 99 kg (218 lbs), while the lightest players were a few midfielders at 59 kg (130 lbs).

Graph 3: Weight of players at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

BMI of FIFA World Cup Players in 2018

To gain a better understanding of body weight relative to height, we examined the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the players, which takes into account their height and weight. Athletes with a higher BMI might appear overweight, but in reality, it can be attributed to their increased muscle mass. The average BMI of all players was 23.2. Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri had the highest BMI at 28.7, while Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes had the lowest at 19.1.

Graph 4: BMI of players at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

FAQs

Q: Are there any trends in BMI between playing positions?
A: There does not appear to be any significant trend in BMI differences between playing positions or teams.

Q: Which team had the highest and lowest BMI?
A: The team with the highest BMI was Panama (24.1), while the team with the lowest BMI was Morocco (22.3).

Q: Which team had the tallest and smallest average height?
A: Serbia and Denmark had the tallest players, with an average height of 186.6 cm. Peru had the smallest average height at 177.6 cm.

Q: Which team had the heaviest and lightest players?
A: Denmark had the heaviest players, averaging 82.6 kg, while Japan had the lightest players, averaging 71.5 kg.

Conclusion

Analyzing the anthropometry of players at the 2018 World Cup provides valuable insights into the physical characteristics of footballers. The data reveals clear differences in body size depending on the playing position, with goalkeepers generally being older, taller, and heavier than field players. This information helps us understand the diverse physical attributes that contribute to players’ performances on the pitch.

For more detailed player statistics and information, visit Pesstatsdatabase, your go-to source for comprehensive football data.

Note: The player data used in this analysis was sourced from FIFA in 2018. However, please be aware that there may be errors in the original document.