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Amidst those fierce derby days, magical European nights, and deafening chants of “You’ll never walk alone”- the holy turf of Anfield, over the past 126 years, witnessed some of the greatest players of all times making their marks while sporting that iconic red jersey.
Liverpool FC, a club initially created out of a dispute with rivals Everton FC over the ownership of Anfield, developed exponentially into a formidable force in both English and European football scenario. After being promoted to the first-division football in 1962, the club went on to win the title in 1964. Further, in 1972, the club managed to secure wins in both, the league and the UEFA Cup in 1972-73, marking the beginning of their long spell of dominance over the English football for at least next 20 years.
During that period, riding on the talent of the likes of Keegan and Dalglish, Liverpool FC won a staggering 11 first-division titles before the dawn of the Premier League era.
Following the shocks of Heysel Stadium Disaster in 1985 which led all English team out from all the European competitions for an indefinite time (additional one year for Liverpool), and Hillsborough disaster in 1989, Liverpool FC ended the 1992-93 Premier League with a lackluster 6th position finish. In 1993-94, the club slumped to an even worse 8th place finish and got knocked out of FA cup in 3rd round leading to the resignation from the manager and a Liverpool great, Graeme Souness.
In the following seasons, Liverpool resurged as a regular challenger to the title with an array of top 5 finishes in the league and decent runs in the FA Cup and League Cup, establishing itself as one of the “top 4” of the English Football.
However, regardless of anything, Liverpool FC has been a proud host to many prodigious players of their generation who took the football world by storm through their sheer talent and brilliance on the pitch.
In no particular order, let’s check out 10 of these splendid wizards who carved out a special place for themselves in the heart of every Liverpool fan.
10. Kevin Keegan
Kevin announced his Anfield debut to the world by scoring a goal in just 12 minutes into his first game. From there on, there was no looking back for one of the finest English forwards who’ve ever played the game.
He had 230 appearances for Liverpool in which he scored 68 goals and helped them to win three first division titles, two UEFA cups, and one European cup before moving to Hamburger SV in Germany, where he lifted a Bundesliga title and won two Ballon d'Or awards.
9. Kenny Dalglish
Dalglish came as a replacement for Keegan, and boy he did his job!
In his 355 appearances for the Reds between 1977-1990, he scored 118 goals and adorned his wardrobe with 6 first divisions titles (including 3 successive victories between 1981-84), 1 FA Cup, and 3 UEFA Cups.
However, his quest to make Liverpool an unfathomable force in English football didn’t end with his retirement as a player. He was a part of Liverpool’s 3 first-division and 2 FA Cup victories as a manager, engraving his name with the Reds’ legends forever.
8. Graeme Souness
During the glorious run of Liverpool during the early 80s, another gem emerged donning the red jersey in the form of Souness. The midfielder appeared in 358 games and scored 56 goals for his team.
A brilliant playmaker, he tasted astounding successes in the form of 5 league titles and 3 European Cups. However, his prowess on the pitch was subdued by a horrible managerial stint at Liverpool between 1991-94 which arguably, let Liverpool slip from the top-ranks of English football.
7. John Barnes
Even during its decline, Liverpool had its moments of shine during the 90s, and this man was a vital part of most of them. Barnes in his 407 appearances, scored on 108 occasions and lifted 4 major titles – including 2 first-divisions in 1987-88 and 1989-90.
The left winger often received praise for his splendid ball control which left even the best in awe.
6. Ian St John
Ian joined the legendary Bill Shankly’s Liverpool side in 1961 and debuted in a Merseyside derby against Everton. Though Liverpool lost 4-3, the 3 goals he scored was enough to proclaim his talent to the world. He went on to score 118 goals in 424 appearances he made for Liverpool, winning 2 leagues and 1 FA cup. Post-retirement, he took up the role of manager of Motherwell and Portsmouth FC, and later, established himself as a pundit for various media houses.
5. Ron Yeats
"The man is a mountain, go into the dressing room and walk around him" – that’s how Bill Shankly first described Yeats upon signing. The sturdily built center-back Yeats guarded the goal-post like an iron-fortress in 454 games and is regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time.
On his arrival in 1961, Liverpool reclaimed their spot in first-division for the 1962-63 season, and eventually emerged as a side which took on the best of England and also, Europe.
Yeats won 1 second-division, 2 first-divisions, and 1 FA Cup title during his stint with Liverpool that lasted 10 years.
4. Robbie Fowler
The sixth highest goal-scorer in the history of Premier League, Fowler earned himself the title of “God” by the Anfield crowd. In his two stints with Liverpool (1993-2001 and 2006-07), he established himself as a certified goal machine by scoring 183 goals in 369 appearances.
With Liverpool, he won an FA Cup and a UEFA cup along with other minor titles.
3. Xabi Alonso
A master midfielder arrived from Barcelona in 2004 and was imperative to the Liverpool’s magical European final win against AC Milan where he scored an equalizer. Later during his stay, he won an FA Cup in the 2005-06 season with Liverpool and scored 19 goals in 219 appearances.
He later moved to Real Madrid in 2009 and achieved greater highs before retiring in 2017 with a Bundesliga win at Bayern Munich.
2. Luis Suarez
One of the most prolific goal-scorers of current times, the Uruguayan national received his first major claim to fame during his stint with Liverpool during 2011-2014.
His time with Liverpool is marked by highs consisting of glorious goal-scoring streaks and lows consisting of disappointing mid-table finishes along with a couple of on-pitch controversies.
However, regardless of a roller-coaster ride, Suarez is considered one of the finest forwards ever to sport a Liverpool jersey owing to his terrific record of scoring 82 goals in just 133 appearances!
1. Steven Gerrard
The most recognizable face of the modern Liverpool FC, Steven Gerrard is widely regarded as the player with the most impact on the club than anyone else.
His skills as a mid-fielder remain unrivaled, and as a captain, unchallenged. Gerrard led the Reds to many title victories including 2 FA Cups and the iconic 2004-05 UEFA Champions League. Even greats like Zidane and Pele acknowledged him as the “greatest player in the world” during his peak in 2009.
He also won a UEFA Club Player of the year and a Ballon d’Or bronze in 2005 and had 186 goals in staggering 710 appearances he made for Liverpool FC.
