Short World XI: The Best Short Team of All Time: Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi an

Being short has traditionally been seen as a disadvantage for sportsmen and women. However, throughout the ages, some of the World's greatest football players have been on the short side.

Traditionally, goalkeepers and centerbacks are among the tallest players on the pitch. This means that the height category for these positions has been extended up slightly. The wing-backs, midfielders and strikers are all below 175 cm.

The team is in a 4-4-2 formation and is as balanced as possible. Due to their incredible supply of small players, the team has a rather South American feel to it.

Feel free to let me know what you think.

This is the second World XI article I have written. Here's the left-footed article: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/517224-left-footed-best-world-xi-messi-maradona-giggs-and-more

Jorge Campos (GK)

Try shooting at that!

The diminutive Mexican was a good 20 cm shorter than a lot of his opposite numbers, but he often outperformed his opponents, winning 129 caps for his country in the progress.

Nothing about Campos made him a conventional goalkeeper. He was acrobatic, short,fast, frequently found outside the box and often wearing colourful kits.

Campos could also double up as a striker, having started his professional career as a striker for Pumas in Mexico. He netted 14 times in his first full season, and later in his career, he would occasionally switch outfield during matches.

Despite all his craziness, Campos was an outstanding goalkeeper with breathtaking shot stopping ability.

Roberto Carlos (LB)

Bagu Blanco/Getty Images

BARCELONA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 17: Roberto Carlos of Real Madrid in action during the match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid, of La Liga, at the Lluis Companys stadium on December 17, 2006, in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Bagu Blanco/Getty Images).

Standing at 1.68 m, Roberto Carlos proves that even in the modern era, when the average height of players is taller than ever, it is possible to have a stellar career.

A World Cup, four La Liga's and three Champions League are just a few of the Brazilian's achievements. He was indispensable for his country for many years, scoring some incredible goals in the process, most notably against France in 1997, with one of the greatest free-kicks of all time. 

He is more celebrated as an attacking player than as a defensive one, but that isn't to say that he is poor defensively.

Currently playing for Corinithians, Roberto Carlos is still going strong at the age of 37. 

Daniel Passarella (CB)

The Argentinian centre-back captained his country to a World Cup triumph in 1978 and would've been at the heart of the 1986 team if it hadn't been for a health problem. He was still in the squad, making him the only player to feature in both World Cup winning squads.

Renowned for his leadership, organisation and his commitment, Passarella drew comparisons to Franz Beckenbauer. He was also a regular goalscorer, netting 22 times in 70 games for his country. He also scored 140 goals in 447 club games. Many of those goals were headed, an impressive achievement for a player who was just 1.73m tall.

In defence, he made up for his lack of height with the leaping ability that enabled him to score so many goals, as well as by using his elbows and making life very difficult for his opponents.

Fabio Cannavaro (CB)

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 11: Fabio Cannavaro of Italy presents the World Cup trophy prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Final match between Netherlands and Spain at Soccer City Stadium on July 11, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (

Fabio Cannavaro is the oldest player to have won the FIFA World Player of the Year award and is the only defender to have done so. This is a testament not only to his longevity, but also to his incredible ability. He is just 1.76m tall, which makes this achievement all the more impressive.

With 136 caps, Cannavaro is Italy's most capped player of all time. He captained his country for eight years, winning the 2006 World Cup. 

Cannavaro won two consecutive league titles at Juventus from 2005, although they were later stripped, and two at Real Madrid as he found more and more success later in his career. 

Djalma Santos (RB)

A Brazilian legend, Santos played in four consecutive World Cups from 1954 to 1966, winning the 58 and 62 tournaments. He is one of only two players to be selected in three World Cup teams of the tournament(the other being Franz Beckenbauer), including the 58 competition in which he only played in the final.

Primarily a defensive player, Santos was never sent off. He was also more than capable going forward as he moved to right-back after beginning his career in the centre of defence.

He played in his final World Cup at the age of 37 and continued to play until he was 41.

Messi (LM)

David Ramos/Getty Images

BARCELONA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 13: Lionel Messi of Barcelona runs with the ball during the La Liga match between Barcelona and Villarreal CF at Camp Nou Stadium on November 13, 2010 in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona won the match 3-1. (Photo by David Ramos/Ge

Often considered the best player in the world right now, Lionel Messi is a player of extraordinary ability. He is only 23 and hasn't had the chance to achieve the same amount of success as some of the legends of the game, but he is well on his way.

Standing at 1.69 m due to a growth hormone deficiency, size hasn't prevented Messi from leaving his mark on European football. He has already contributed 101 goals for Barcelona in just 154 games, including 13 goals in 10 matches this season. He is a gifted dribbler, with the ball often seeming to be stuck to his foot. His speed and agility help him create a plethora of chances for both club and country.

Four La Liga's, A Copa Del Roy, Two Champions Leagues and a world player of the year show that the young Argentinian has the potential to have one of the most incredible careers of all time.

Zico (CM)

"The White Pele" is regarded as one of the finest players of all time. His dribbling and finishing were truly incredible, and his free-kicks with their power, curve and accuracy were some of the best of all time.

His goal scoring ability is apparent in his impressive international record that saw him score 52 times in 72 appearances. He appeared in three World Cups and is considered to be one of the finest players to never win the tournament.

1979 was perhaps Zico's finest season. He scored an incredible 65 times in 51 games for Flamengo as he led his side to the Rio State Championship.

Pele has said that Zico was "the one player to come closet" to him in terms of ability.

Didi (CM)

Another Brazilian, Didi is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. He had incredible stamina and strength that made up for his small stature as he ran up and down the pitch tirelessly.

Didi almost had his leg amputated at the age of 14, but luckily he didn't and he went on to become one of the leading players of his day. He was the player of the tournament at the 1958 World Cup where he was the linchpin of the side. In total, he played 68 games for Brazil, scoring 20 goals, including 12 free-kicks, winning two World Cups in the process.

He was unable to achieve the same level of success at Real Madrid that he had had in Brazil. This was largely due to his popularity, which annoyed Alfredo Di Stefano and led to Didi playing just 19 times for the European giants.

Garrincha (RM)

Garrincha was born with several birth defects that left him with a right leg that bent inwards and a left leg that was six cm shorter than his right. Despite this, Garrincha played at an incredibly high level and became one of the greatest dribblers of all time. 

He was an incredibly agile and skillful player who could send defenders the wrong way without even moving. He was also an incredible dead ball player who scored direct from a corner four times. He also created multiple chances with his penetrating runs down the win.

Unfortunately, Garrincha suffered from serious alcoholism and died at the age of 49. However, that shouldn't diminish a career that saw Garrincha help event the "Ole" chant as he tormented defenders with shocking regularity.

Maradona (ST)

Maradona is one of the world's most revered players. His career is perhaps best encapsulated in a single match against England in the 1986 World Cup. Maradona scored a goal after running 60 yards and skinning six hapless defenders to complete what is known as the "goal of the century". In the same match, he out jumped the England goalkeeper to punch the ball into the net. Maradona got away with the "hand of god", and Argentina went on to win the World Cup.

Dribbling, passing, running and shooting, Maradona had it all, but like so many, he was unable to keep his life in order off the field. He ran into trouble late in his career, getting banned for steroids and drugs.

After a huge weight gain, Maradona has sorted his life out and recently managed the Argentinian national side.

Pele (ST)

An icon of football, his name commands respect and admiration. 1,124 goals in 1,184 games is a record that speaks for itself. He won his first World Cup at the age of 17 and would go on to win a further two, including the 1970 tournament as part of one of, if not the, greatest teams of all time.

Despite his size, Pele was good in the air, in addition to being quick, skilful, a good passer and a great finisher.

Pele is still an icon of football, over 30 years after he finished playing. He is regarded as the greatest to ever live, an opinion that few disagree with.