Height as a selection criterion for recruiting and formation of the football goalkeeper Purpose: Checking the height of the goalkeepers that belong to the basic categories of clubs that form athletes and analyzing by category, by each club, and the group as a whole. Materials and methods: The sample was composed of 36 males, split into the following categories: U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-20. Anthropometric evaluations were carried out for obtaining the age, weight, BMI, fat percentage and height, with the latter being the main purpose of the study. The t test was used to compare the difference of the goalkeepers' height average. For interpretation purposes, the significance level of p≤ 0, 05 was used. Results: The goalkeepers of the U-13 categories showed an average height with a difference that is statistically significant (p≤0,05) when compared with the goalkeepers of the U-17 (p=0,018) and U-20 (p=0,004) categories. The difference of the average height of the goalkeepers from the participating clubs did not show a statistically significant value. Discussion: The beginner categories make up the basis of the professional football. It is preconized that for becoming a star, the athletes should have proper features for the sports performance. Conclusion: There is some preference in selecting tall goalkeepers. The assessed clubs presented homogenous characteristics regarding the goalkeepers' heights and when compared as a whole, the average height has beneficial value for the professional football practice.

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