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“I almost stopped playing football because I was too small but now I’m 6ft and a key player for Everton”- Everton star considered packing football in because of his height
Sean Dyche’s teams are known for their physicality, and Everton is no exception. The team has become a dominant force in both penalty areas, thanks to the size of several key players.
Centre-backs Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski are both imposing figures, while strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto are among the most physically dominant forwards in the league. Even the attacking midfielders, Dwight McNeil and Abdoulaye Doucoure, stand at least 6ft tall.
Clearly, height is an important factor Dyche considers when building his squads. However, one of his key players almost quit football in his youth due to being too small.
Jesper Lindstrom, speaking to the Everton website, revealed he once considered quitting as a teenager because of his size. “Growing up in Denmark, it was tough because everyone around me was growing while I stayed the same height – I was the smallest,” Lindstrom said.
“To compensate, I had to focus heavily on my technique because, without it, others could easily take the ball from me or push me off. By the time I was under-15, I started doubting whether football was for me anymore, as I wasn’t playing as much. It made me feel down, but my family encouraged me to keep going, and the coaches at Brondby reassured me that by the under-19s, I’d be at a higher level.”
“At around 18, I started growing. I began playing regularly, scoring goals, and quickly made my professional debut with the first team.”
Lindstrom, now about 6ft tall, is one of the tallest players in Everton’s squad. The Denmark international is a tall, rangy midfielder who has developed his skills well. However, he acknowledges he still has much to prove if Everton is to activate his £18m buy option.
“They have an option, and I’ll do everything I can to earn that. I enjoy being here – the training, the privacy, the lifestyle – and I hope they’ll buy me, but I need to show them I’m good enough,” Lindstrom explained to Click Liverpool. “It’s a lot of money, so I need to contribute with goals and assists, and that’s what I’m fighting for.”
