yeah size is a factor but not a significant one as skill or SPEED
yeah ...I was wondering how mexico reach so far in world football and why dey doh complain how we bigger dan dem when dey playing we 
..and China would stand a better chance if dey include Yao ming according to some pundits on dis site ... while we at it... Shaquille O niel striking for de US go be unstoppable..he could play post up just like in de NBA and score all de corners and crosses !!!
bottom line is size a factor. look at crouch. the man height gives him a real advantage on anything in the air. and that can have a huge impact on set pieces etc. but as you say, is not everything.
on a side note:
mexico national team players might be bigger than ours actually. i remember seeing mexico line up next to trinidad in the stadium and making that observation. mexicans (as a people) on average are short people but their football team isnt really. at least not compared to trinidad who (at senior level even) seems to have one of the smallest teams. i remember beckham, whos look average size, look real big next to most of our players when the teams line up at the WC.
