Record for Premier League's tallest ever player is broken

The record for being the tallest player to play a Premier League game was broken on the first matchday of 2026-27.

Ipswich Town goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen, who is 6'9'' (2.06m), has claimed the lofty landmark.

After making his Premier League debut for Ipswich against Sunderland in their first game of the new season, Scherpen is also the tallest of any player to be registered to a Premier League club including those who never played.

Goalkeepers Lucas Bergstrom (6'9'', 2.05m) and Carlos Miguel (6'8'', 2.04m) never made an appearance during their stints with Chelsea and Nottingham Forest respectively.

The tallest player to have played a match until Scherpen was Costel Pantilimon (6'8'', 2.03m) who played for Manchester City, Sunderland and Watford in the Premier League. The tallest outfield player is still Nikola Zigic (6'8'', 2.02m), the former Birmingham City striker.

Dutch goalkeeper Scherpen might have broken the record five years earlier but never made an appearance for Brighton & Hove Albion, instead being repeatedly loaned out before impressing last season for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian league.

Ipswich signed Scherpen on a four-year deal after being promoted from the Championship into the Premier League.