A compilation of the tallest world XI in modern football at the moment

Centre backs

Salif Sane (6 ft 6) - CB

Sane is a towering figure at the heart of defence

Sane is a powerful Senegalese centre back who has established himself in the Bundesliga as a starter for Schalke. He is a typical commanding centre back with the height to match.

He represented his nation at the World Cup, and can be a nightmare in the box during set pieces as a target man. Despite his height, he has decent speed to neutralise attacks, and strength to shield the ball from opposition players.

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Joel Matip (6 ft 5) - LCB

Matip is a confident and comfortable ball handler

Matip is comfortable on the ball, and very confident of himself. This is why he makes the list on the left centre back position. His marking is also good, and it is a quality that is pivotal in the modern game.

The strikers are set nowadays to time their runs well, so even the slightest of margins could be the difference as to whether a goal is scored or not. His positioning on the field has been commendable. According to the Premier League, he has a tackle success rate of 73 percent.

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Nikola Milenkovic (6 ft 5) - RCB

Nikola Milenkovic (right) is a powerhouse on Manchester United's radar

This Serbian international is a rising star, and a huge transfer target for Manchester United. He came to full limelight at the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he represented his country in all their matches.

He is versatile and can even slot in at right back. This is precisely why he takes the right side of defence. Milenkovic can push forward at every opportunity, and look to feed the other tall players who will be targets in the box. At 21 he is already seen as a combative defender destined to succeed.