Volleyball is a sport that requires a combination of skills, such as speed, agility, power, and coordination. However, one factor that can give a player an edge over the opponents is height. Height can help a player reach higher, spike harder, block better, and cover more court area. In this article, we will look at the top 10 tallest volleyball players in the world, and some of their best moments where they used their height advantage to dominate the game.
10. Gustavo Bonatto (215 cm)
Gustavo Bonatto, also known as Gustavão, is a prominent Brazilian volleyball player who has made significant achievements in his career.
He played as a middle blocker and was one of the tallest players in the Brazilian national team, standing at 215 cm tall. During his career with the national team from 2010 to 2014, he won a silver medal in the 2014 FIVB Volleyball World League.
In addition to his success with the national team, he has been an integral part of the Olympiacos team that won the 2022–23 CEV Challenge Cup.
9. Alexander Kimerov (215 cm)
Alexander Kimerov, a Russian volleyball player known for his role as an opposite hitter, has made significant contributions to the sport.
Standing at an impressive height of 215 cm, he has showcased his talent while playing for various clubs, including Fakel Novy Urengoy and VC Dynamo Moscow.
Kimerov’s career highlights include winning a Silver medal at the European League in 2008 and participating in the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. He was also a key player for the Olympiacos team that emerged victorious in the 2022–23 CEV Challenge Cup.
8. Stanislav Dineykin (215 cm)
Stanislav Dineykin is a prominent Russian volleyball player who has made significant contributions to the sport.
He was born on October 10, 1973, in Blagodarny, Stavropol Krai, Russia. Dineykin competed in the 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympics, achieving notable success.
In 1996, he was part of the Russian team that finished fourth in the Olympic tournament, and eight years later, he won the bronze medal with the Russian team in the 2004 Olympic tournament.
He played all eight matches in both events, showcasing his skill and dedication to the sport. Dineykin’s impressive career and achievements have solidified his place as a respected figure in Russian men’s volleyball.
7. Bartłomiej Lemański (217 cm)
Bartłomiej Lemański, a towering Polish volleyball player standing at 216 cm tall is known for his role as a middle blocker and has showcased his talent while representing various clubs, including Skra Bełchatów and Asseco Resovia.
Lemański’s career highlights include achieving a bronze medal at the 2013 U19 World Championship with the Polish national team. Additionally, he was in the top 10 best blockers of the 2014–15 PlusLiga season, demonstrating his prowess in defense.
In addition, he was a key player for the Asseco Resovia team that won the 2018 Polish Cup
6. Leandro Martins da Silva (217 cm)
Leandro Martins da Silva, also known as Leandrão, is a towering Brazilian volleyball player, standing at an impressive height of 217 cm. He has gained recognition for his exceptional skills as an opposite hitter and has represented various clubs, including Sesi-SP. Leandrão has achieved notable success throughout his career, including winning the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup and securing a silver medal in the World Championship in 2014. His remarkable achievements also extend to the club level, with his most significant success being the victory in the FIVB Club World Championship in 2016 with Sada Cruzeiro. Known for his exceptional blocking abilities and astute predictions, Leandrão has received several individual awards, including the Best Blocker on the Brazilian Championship. His impressive spike reaches 360 cm (142 in), showcasing his offensive prowess.
5. Renan Buiatti (217 cm)
Renan Buiatti, also known as Renan Zanatta Buiatti, is a Brazilian volleyball player who is renowned for his role as an opposite hitter. He is one of the tallest players in the sport, standing at an impressive height of 217 cm. Buiatti has played for several prominent clubs in Brazil, such as Minas Tênis Clube and Funvic Taubaté.
Throughout his career, he has achieved significant success, both at the national and club levels. Some of his notable accomplishments and statistics include winning the silver medal with the Brazil men’s national volleyball team at the 2014 FIVB World Championship, securing the Brazilian Championship title in the 2013/2014 season with SESI São Paulo, being recognized as the Best Blocker at the FIVB U21 World Championship in 2009, and receiving the Best Opposite awards at the 2013 Pan American Games and Pan American Cup.
4. Kay Van Dijk (216 cm)
Kay Van Dijk is a Dutch volleyball player born on June 25, 1984. He has played as an opposite hitter for various clubs, including Ziraat Bankasi in Turkey and LVI Praha in the Czech Republic. Van Dijk was a member of the Netherlands men’s national volleyball team from 2003 to 2015. He participated in the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and was a silver medalist in the European League in 2008. He also won the Belgium Championship in 2008 and became the Slovenian Champion in 2011.
3. Aleksey Kazakov (218 cm)
Aleksey Kazakov, also known as Aleksey Valerevich Kazakov, is a Russian volleyball player who has made significant contributions to the sport.
He was born on May 18, 1976, in Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
Kazakov played as a middle blocker and was a member of the national team that won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
He is 2.17 meters tall, making him one of the tallest athletes in the world.
2. Dmitriy Muserskiy (219 cm)
Dmitriy Muserskiy, also known as Dmitry Aleksandrovich Muserskiy, is a Russian volleyball player who has left a significant impact on the sport. Standing at an astounding height of 218 cm, he is widely regarded as one of the tallest athletes in the world.
Muserskiy has played for several prominent clubs in Russia, including Belogorie Belgorod, and has also been a member of the Russian national team. Some of his notable achievements and statistics include winning the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, winning the FIVB World League and the FIVB World Cup with the Russian national team in 2011, and being the best scorer of the Russian team on multiple occasions.
1. Morteza Mehrzadselakjani (247 cm)
Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, also known as Morteza Mehrzad, is an Iranian sitting volleyball player who has garnered widespread recognition for his exceptional talent and remarkable achievements.
Standing at an extraordinary height of 247 cm, he is not only the tallest living man in Iran but also the second tallest living man in the world. Mehrzadselakjani has a rare condition called acromegaly, which causes excessive growth of the bones and tissues.
He has played for several clubs in Iran, such as Samen Al Hojjaj Sabzevar, and has been an integral part of the Iran men’s national sitting volleyball team.
Some of his notable accomplishments and statistics include winning two consecutive gold medals at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, clinching the gold medal at the 2018 World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Championships in Sarajevo, scoring 28 points in the 2016 Paralympic Games final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and recording 25 spikes, two blocks, and an ace in the final against the RPC at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.