Alberto Ruiz
Breaking the “Too Short” Myth
Hey keepers,
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get said enough — being a shorter goalkeeper doesn’t mean you can’t be great. In today’s game, anything under six feet is considered “short” for a goalkeeper, especially when we look at pros like Neuer, Courtois, or Donnarumma towering over the box. But height is just one piece of the puzzle.
What matters more is mastering the fundamentals — explosiveness, footwork, handling, high-ball confidence, and positioning. These areas turn so-called “short” keepers into complete ones.
If you’ve watched my ARS Goalkeeping video on Tips and Drills for Short Goalkeepers, you’ve seen how we train these skills. Every drill in that video is designed to turn quickness, agility, and intelligence into your advantage — because being shorter just means you’ve got to be sharper.
1. Building Explosive Reactions
Every movement a goalkeeper makes starts with explosiveness — that instant reaction from zero to full power. Watch any top-level keeper and you’ll see it: that lightning-quick step, that dive that seems to come out of nowhere.
As a shorter goalkeeper, that’s where your edge lies. The more explosive your reactions, the faster you can cover your goal and attack crosses or shots before a taller keeper even sets their feet.
In the ARS Goalkeeping short keeper session, I show two drills focused on building that reaction time and anaerobic strength:
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Back-to-back dive drill: You make two consecutive dives — one low and one mid-height — forcing your body to recover quickly and explode again.
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Cone sprint dive: Short lateral shuffles into immediate dives to both sides. This builds explosive push-off power while training clean technique.
The key here is muscle memory. Every rep you make under fatigue improves the reaction your body will naturally use in a match. Explosiveness is trained, not gifted.
2. Footwork and Handling — The Foundation of Every Save
Footwork makes everything else possible. As a shorter keeper, you can’t afford heavy feet. You need to move light and fast — always balanced, always ready to shift.
In the video, I break down a simple ladder and cone drill to help you work both your foot speed and your forward attacking angle:
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The ladder builds rhythm and control, teaching your feet to stay active without losing balance.
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The colored cones mark your forward movement angles — how you step into the ball to attack a shot instead of waiting for it.
Pairing that with consistent handling practice is what sets great short keepers apart. Coaches notice the ones who hold everything cleanly — no spills, no second chances. Focus on catching technique, getting your hands over the top of the ball, and finishing every drill with a solid hold.
If you make your handling unshakable, you’ll earn trust immediately, no matter your height.
3. Owning the High Ball
Let’s be honest — high balls are where short goalkeepers get tested the most. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid them. The opposite: you need to attack them harder than anyone else.
The main issue I see in younger or smaller keepers is hesitation. When you second-guess a jump, you lose the moment to claim the ball. The fix? Repetition and commitment.
In my high-ball challenge drill, I have keepers go up against one or two players for crosses. The goal is simple — get to the ball first and stay strong through contact. Learn to use your body, time your leap, and attack the ball at its highest point.
Confidence here doesn’t come from size. It comes from knowing you’ve done the drill a hundred times before. Once you trust yourself to take that hit and still win the ball, the fear disappears.
4. The Drop-Step Dive — Your Secret Weapon
One of my favorite techniques for shorter keepers is the drop-step dive — a move that lets you reach balls looping over your head. It’s one of the hardest saves in goalkeeping, but when you nail it, it’s beautiful.
Here’s how it works:
When a ball is chipped over you, step back with the foot closest to the goal (that’s your power step), then lift your opposite knee as you dive backward. This creates a looping motion that helps you elevate and extend, allowing you to touch or tip the ball over the bar.
In the session, we practice it by collecting a low ball, then immediately shuffling backward into a drop-step dive. Watch the knee lift — that’s what helps you gain height.
This drill not only saves you in those “caught out” moments but builds trust in your own reach and timing.
5. Positioning — The Great Equalizer
Positioning is everything. If you’re shorter, you can’t afford to give up space. Your starting point, angle, and reaction speed have to work together to make the goal smaller for attackers.
I use a position-marking drill in training where keepers choose their ideal spot for different shooting angles, then face live shots to test those positions. If the shot keeps beating you, your angle’s off. Adjust, test again, repeat.
Positioning isn’t something you learn in one session. It develops over time as you read the game and understand your reach and power. The goal is to always look “big” — not by size, but by being perfectly placed.
And when that shot does come close, go for it. Every touch matters.
Turning a “Disadvantage” into Your Advantage
Being a short goalkeeper isn’t a weakness. It’s a different challenge that pushes you to refine every part of your game. You’ll develop faster reactions, cleaner technique, and sharper awareness than most tall keepers ever have to.
That’s your strength. That’s your edge.
These drills and ideas from the ARS Goalkeeping short keeper session are about confidence and consistency. You can’t change your height, but you can master your craft — and that’s what separates a good keeper from a great one.
If you’re serious about taking your game to the next level, make sure your equipment works as hard as you do. Check out the Atlas lineup — built and tested by goalkeepers who know exactly what it takes to perform, regardless of size.
Stay confident, keep working, and remember — it’s not how tall you are. It’s how well you guard the goal.
