The 10 tallest volleyball players in the world currently

The 10 tallest volleyball players in the world currently

Claudia Kogi
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:26 PM

In sports like volleyball, basketball, and netball, an athlete's physical stats play vital roles, especially during the action. Taller players often come out with the upper hand than the shorter ones for obvious reasons like dribbling or reaching for the ball. So, who are the tallest volleyball players in the world right now?

Top 10 tallest volleyball players in the world
The 10 tallest volleyball players in the world currently. Photo: Jorg Greuel (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Today, volleyball has become one sought-after sport played around the world, and even though it might seem challenging, both female and male athletes have made it somewhat enjoyable. In such a sport, players of different heights would be expected to toss those balls across those nets.

Top 10 tallest volleyball players in the world

An athlete's height plays a vital part in volleyball and, seemingly, even more than the initial skill they possess. Nevertheless, looking at it logically, taller players have the upper hand, especially when reaching for the ball during a pass.

According to an in-depth analysis, SportsBrief has compiled a list detailing some of the best tallest volleyball players in the world right now.

10. Egor Kliuka - 6 feet 10 inches or 2.09 metres or 209 centimetres

Tallest female volleyball players
Egor Kliuka reacts during the men's qualifying match between Russia and Egypt at the Maracanazinho stadium in Rio de Janeiro on 11 August 2016. Photo: Johannes Eisele
Source: Getty Images

For starters, as much as Egor barely makes it to the list, let us all agree that even hitting the 6-feet mark is mesmerising for one. The Russian-based volleyball player plays as an outside hitter for Zenit Saint Petersburg.

He is regarded as one of the best Russian volleyball players, having won numerous iconic titles, including his most recent one in 2015, the most valuable player of the year. Egor is a well-put athlete who is so keen on his physiques.

Full name

Egor Vasilyevich Kliuka

Date of birth

15 June 1995

Age

27 years of age (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Kobryn, Belarus, Russia

Nationality

Russian

Team

Zenit Saint Petersburg

Position

Outside hitter

Height in feet

6'10"

Height in centimetres

209

9. Ilia Vlasov - 6 feet 12 inches or 2.13 metres or 213 centimetres

Best tallest volleyball players
Ilia Vlasov (2) is blocked by Grzegorz Kosok (4) and Aleksander Sliwka (11) of Poland during the Men's bronze medal match at Crystal Hall on 28 June 2015 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Richard Heathcote
Source: Getty Images

At the ninth position sits another Russian national, Ilia Vlasov, who stands at 6 feet 12 inches. He is part of the Russian men's volleyball team and is a middle blocker for the VC Dynamo Moscow volleyball club. He is among the best middle blockers the sport has ever seen, of course, thanks to his height.

Full name

Ilia Sergeyevich Vlasov

Date of birth

3 August 1995

Age

27 years of age (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Kumertau, Bashkortostan, Russia

Nationality

Russian

Team

Zenit Saint Petersburg

Position

Middle blocker

Height in feet

6'12"

Height in centimetres

213

8. Gustavo Bonatto - 7 feet 1 inch or 2.15 metres or 215 centimetres

And while you might think the list is all about Russian nationals, Brazilian nationals have proven to know their way around those courts, winning numerous awards and titles. Gustavo Bonatto is a well-known middle-blocker who has done an excellent job in feeding his resume as far as volleyball is concerned.

Full name

Gustavo Bonatto

Date of birth

2 January 1986

Age

37 years of age (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Brazil

Nationality

Brazilian

Team

Brazil

Position

Middle blocker

Height in feet

7'1"

Height in centimetres

215

7. Alexander Kimerov - 6 feet 13 inches or 2.16 metres or 216 centimetres

Tallest volleyball players in the world
Alexander Kimerov (14) celebrates with teammates after winning bronze in the Men's bronze medal match against Poland at Crystal Hall on 28 June 2015 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Richard Heathcote
Source: Getty Images

At this point, you can tell that Russia produces most of the tallest volleyball players in the world. Alexander Kimerov, who currently plays for the Magnitka-Universitet Magnitogorsk, takes the seventh position on the list with a height of 7 feet 1 inch.

Even though he is among the newest and youngest players in the sport, he has proven to be one skilled athlete who is more than hungry for those awards and titles.

Full name

Alexander Kimerov

Date of birth

11 September 1996

Age

26 years of age (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Russia

Nationality

Russian

Team

Magnitka-Universitet Magnitogorsk

Position

Opposite

Height in feet

6 feet 13 inches

Height in centimetres

216

6. Aleksey Kazakov - 6 feet 13 inches or 2.16 metres or 216 centimetres

Best tallest volleyball players
Alexey Kazakov (#7) spikes the ball over Nobuharu Saito (#1) during their place decision match in the final round of the Men's World Championships in Tokyo 3 December 2006. Photo: Kazuhiro Nogi
Source: Getty Images

At the sixth position sits another Russian national, Aleksey Kazakov, who plays centre-forward for the Russian national volleyball team. He is renowned for being part of the 1999 FIBA World Cup winning squad and the 2004 Summer Olympic team that took a bronze medal home.

Full name

Aleksey Valerevich Kazakov

Date of birth

18 May 1976

Age

46 years of age (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Russia

Nationality

Russian

Team

Russian National Volleyball

Position

Center-forward

Height in feet

6'13"

Height in centimetres

216

5. Kay van Dijk - 6 feet 13 inches or 2.16 metres or 216 centimetres

If you are a diehard volleyball fan, you know it is without a doubt that Kay van Dijk is one sought-after player renowned for his skills around those courts. The blond Dutch athlete is well-known for grazing those volleyball courts whenever he gets a chance.

Not only does he appear among the tallest volleyball players in the world, but also among the best players in the discipline.

Full name

Kay van Dijk

Date of birth

25 June 1984

Age

38 years of age (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Renkum, Netherlands

Nationality

Dutch

Team

Retired

Position

Opposite

Height in feet

6'13"

Height in centimteres

216

4. Bartlomiej Lemanski - 7 feet 1.4 inches or 2.17 metres or 217 centimetres

Tallest female volleyball players
Bartlomiej Lemanski of Poland during the European Men's Championships match against Finland on 26 August 2017 in Gdansk, Poland. Photo: Matusewicz
Source: Getty Images

Just hitting the 7-inch mark is not a joke, and Bartlomiej Lemanski did hit the mark. Hailing from Warsaw, Poland, he plays as a middle blocker for the Cerrad Enea Czarni Radom and the Polish national team.

He was part of the national squad that achieved a bronze medal in the 2013 U19 World Championship. Even though the athlete has little to show regarding his career, he is labeled among the most skillful athletes in Poland.

Full name

Bartlomiej Lemanski

Date of birth

19 March 1996

Age

26 years of age (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Warsaw, Poland

Nationality

Polish

Team

Cerrad Czarni Radom

Position

Middle blocker

Height in feet

7'1.4"

Height in centimetres

217

3. Renan Buiatti - 7 feet 1.4 inches or 2.17 metres or 217 centimetres

Top 10 tallest volleyball players in the world
Renan Buiatti of Tourcoing during the Ligue A match against Montpellier on 21 January 2023 in Castelnau-le-Lez, France. Photo: Alexandre Dimou
Source: Getty Images

Another giant athlete on the list is Renan Buiatti, a Brazilian-based volleyball player in the Brazil men's national volleyball team who finished second place during the 2014 World Championship in Poland.

Renan is one sought-after athlete who has played for over 12 teams before signing with his current one, Tourcoing Lille Metropole Volleyball.

Additionally, he has had one of the most decorated careers in the sport's history, having won FIVB U21 World Championship as the best blocker in 2009, Pan American Games as the best opposite in 2013, and Pan American Cup as the best opposite.

Full name

Renan Zanatta Buiatti

Date of birth

10 January 1990

Age

33 years of (age as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

Nationality

Brazilian

Team

Vôlei Itapetininga

Position

Opposite

Height in feet

7'1.4"

Height in centimetres

217

2. Dmitriy Muserskiy - 7 feet 2 inches or 2.18 metres of 218 centimtres

Tallest volleyball players
Dmitriy Muserskiy of Santory Sunbirids in action during Asian Men's Club Championship against Al Rayyan on 18 May 2022 in Tehran, Iran. Photo: Mojtaba Saleh
Source: Getty Images

At the second position sits the Russian-Ukranian national, Dmitry Aleksandrovich Muserskiy, who plays for the Russian national team and Japanese club, Suntory Sunbirds. So far, he has had what can only be termed a well-decorated career, winning the 2011 World Cup, 2012 Olympics, 2013 European Championship, and multiple other World League medals.

One notable feature about Dmitriy is that he debuted in the sport when he was only eight.

Full name

Dmitry Aleksandrovich Muserskiy

Date of birth

29 October 1988

Age

34 years of (age as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Makiivka, Ukraine, Soviet Union

Nationality

Russian-Ukranian

Team

Suntory Sunbirds

Position

Middle blocker or opposite

Height in feet

7'2"

Height in centimetres

218

1. Morteza Mehrzad - 8 feet 1 inch or 2.46 metres or 246 centimtres

8 feet tall? He is the tallest volleyball player in the world and the tallest man in his home country, Iran. Morteza is the most famous volleyball player playing in the national sitting volleyball team of Mes Shahr Babak.

Standing 8 feet 1 inch, he is known for being the tallest living man in Iran and the second tallest in the world.

Full name

Morteza Mehrzadselakjani

Date of birth

17 September 1987

Age

35 years of age (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Rudsar, Gilan, Iran

Nationality

Iranian

Team

Islamic Republic of Iran

Position

Outside hitter

Height in feet

8'1"

Height in centimetres

246

Tallest female volleyball players

Over the decades, volleyball was known as a man's sport. However, today, women have taken over those courts, with some of them surpassing records set by men. Most of these female athletes are known for their heights and how they have consequently influenced their nature of play.

Here are some of the tallest female volleyball players in the world as of 2023.

Player

Height in feet

centimetres

Alba Hernandzez

6.79

207

Nelly Alisheva

6.76

206

Anna Kajalina

6.73

205

Magdalena Stysiak

6.66

203

Dana Rettke

6.66

203

Following the nature of the sport, one of the most vital things often taken heed of is an athlete's height. Notably, you will realise that Russia takes the lead in producing most of the tallest volleyball players in the world.

READ ALSO: Liverpool player salaries: Find out the highest-paid Liverpool player

SportsBrief has published an article about the highest-paid Liverpool players. Liverpool Football Club is one of the world's most successful and popular teams, with a passionate fanbase and a long history of achievements.

The team has won numerous domestic and international titles, including 19 English league titles, 7 FA Cups, and 6 European Cups, making it one of the most decorated clubs in European football. Click the above link to read more!

Authors
Claudia Kogi photo
Claudia Kogi
Claudia Kogi is a Kenyan content creator with over 3 years of experience. Claudia joined Sportsbrief.com as a writer in January 2022, covering sports and relatable content.
Tags
World