Hardly would anyone argue that “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is the most magnificent football anthem ever. And everyone would agree that Liverpool FC stood out as one of the greatest clubs in the game’s history.
Except for some Manchester United fans, the vast majority of soccer devotees will admit that these claims are truthful.
There is something unique and extraordinary about the Anfield Road spirit and philosophy. But the Reds’ majesty spreads beyond the overwhelming atmosphere created by the Kop. The Merseyside team has won over 60 trophies in its 130-year-long history, with 19 Premier League/First Division titles and 6 European Cups/Champions Leagues being among the peaks in this highly successful story. Dozens of football stars left their mark with the Liverpool jersey contributing to winning all this silverware.
So which are the Top 10 Liverpool Players of All Time? We cannot but miss some of the most significant players in The Reds’ history. However, all footy stars we include in our selection are true Anfield legends.
Steven Gerrard
He is the Liverpool hero of the 21st Century. He was a local boy who started his journey in the club’s academy at the tender age of nine and spent his entire career at Anfield Road to become the undisputable role model for everyone who loves the Reds. Steven Gerrard made a breakthrough in the first team as a teenager. He never even thought of leaving before it was time to quit European football.
The perfect midfielder, he could do everything and was a natural-born leader. Stevie G is the only player who made the top five all-time lists for both appearances and goals. Gerrard was one of the heroes of the historic Champions League triumph in 2005. Besides that, Stevie won two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup.
Well, he wasn’t lucky to lift the Premier League title, but nevertheless remains the quintessential Liverpool player for many of the Merseyside team devotees.
Kenny Dalglish
He is King Kenny. He is the player picked to be Number One in the club’s history in the 2006 poll among Liverpool fans. He has a specific stand at Anfield Road named after him. He is Kenny Dalglish.
The Scottish was signed to replace Kevin Keegan in 1977, only to become one of the Kop’s all-time favorites. Dalglish proved to be a prolific striker hitting 172 goals in more than 500 games for the Merseyside team. King Kenny helped Liverpool win three European Cups and five England titles by 1984. But he turned into a golden legend when he switched to the player-manager in 1985 after Joe Fagan left the coaching role.
And guess what? King Kenny led the Reds to three more championships. His first season in this role ended fantastically – Dalglish scored the winner against Chelsea to bring Liverpool the title. It is almost impossible to imagine such an achievement nowadays. But that’s why he is King Kenny and will always be. One of the best Liverpool players.
Ian Rush
We can’t miss the club’s all-time top scorer in our selection. Ian Rush spent most of his career at Anfield being a part of the legendary 80s team. The Welsh striker was brought into Liverpool FC as a young lad from Chester City and, already in his second season, started showing what he is capable of in front of the goal. 1983-84 was the campaign that made him a star on the international level – Rush became the First division top scorer with 32 goals, also winning the European Golden Boot and helping the Reds to claim the title for the third year in a row.
And on top of that, the striker won the European Cup hitting one of the penalties in the final against AS Roma. After a brief spell at another Italian club – Juventus, Rush returned to Anfield, where he spent a total of 15 seasons. The Welshman lifted the English champions trophy five times in his career, becoming the top scorer in the history of the Merseyside team with 346 goals in his 660 games with the Liverpool FC jersey.
Phil Neal
He is the only Liverpool player who lifted the European Cup four times in his career – 1977, 1978, 1981, and 1984. Playing as a full-back, Phil Neal spent 11 seasons at Anfield Road, winning seven First Division titles in the process. Despite his role in the Reds’ backline, he was dubbed Zico by the Kop fans, referencing the Brazilian playmaker, one of the world’s greatest players of the era. And being a defender, he scored almost 60 times in his 650 games for the Merseyside team, including goals in his first and last winning finals.
Kevin Keegan
Called Mighty Mouse, he became famous for his incredible dribbling abilities. Kevin Keegan was the Liverpool FC star for the most significant part of the 70s, helping the Merseyside team to win three titles in England.
Signed by the legendary manager Bill Shankly from the fourth-tiered Scunthorpe United, Keegan started his Anfield career in the midfield but soon moved forward to score 100 goals in more than 300 games for the Reds in his six-year tenure at the Merseyside team. He was instrumental in winning the first European Cup in the club’s history in 1977.
After the triumphant final against Borussia Moenchengladbach, he moved to Germany to play for the Hamburger SV. A few months later, he became the first Liverpool-connected player to be awarded the Ballon d’Or – the prize for the best European player of the year, which he won again the following season.
Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler misses the silverware compared to most of the players in this selection. But he never missed the Anfield love – fans admired him to such an extent in the 90s that they started calling him God. It didn’t matter that he supported the local rivals, Everton, as a child.
Robbie’s first season was sensational – he scored five goals in a League Cup fixture and a hat-trick in only his fifth appearance in the Premier League. Fowler hit the net 171 times in 330 games before leaving in 2002.
He returned later to play two more seasons for the Reds but was already far from his past glory. However, Robbie Fowler remains one of Anfield’s favorite players.
Ian Callaghan
Playing 857 times for Liverpool FC, he has the most appearances in the club’s history. No one even comes close to the number set by the legendary midfielder. Callaghan’s career at Anfield started in 1960, a few months after Bill Shankly’s era began. This glorious story lasted 18 years and ended with over a dozen trophies in his collection, including five English championships and two European Cups. Now he’s remembered as one of the best Liverpool players ever.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool’s past has so many legends deserving to be mentioned. But the present has its heroes too. And if we need to pick one single name of the recent generation, it is undoubtedly Mohamed Salah. He’s one of the most famous Liverpool players currently.
The Egyptian striker was signed by Jurgen Klopp in 2017 and instantly turned into a superstar. Salah won the Premier League Golden Boot in his debut season at Anfield, hitting the net 32 times. Later, Mo led the top scorers in England list on two more occasions. The Egyptian striker is also the Merseyside team’s all-time goalscorer in Europe with 42 goals.
Mohamed Salah was the leading figure in the most cherished success stories of the Klopp era – the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League title in 2019/20, marking the end of 30 years of waiting. And the last season showed that Mo Salah’s tale at Anfield is far from over.
Bruce Grobbelaar
Liverpool FC’s history is not only about incredible strikers. Fantastic goalkeepers became Anfield legends too.
Many consider Rey Clemence the best shot-stopper of the Merseyside team in general. Pepe Reina deserves mention, too, as well as the recent man between the sticks – Alisson Becker. But we pick Bruce Grobbelaar because of his absolutely unique style and presence as a keeper for the Reds.
He was something different from the start. In 1981, it was impossible to imagine that a Zimbabwean footballer would make such an impact. But Grobbelaar spent 13 years at Anfield as part of some of the greatest Merseyside triumphs. His antics during the 1984 European Cup final penalties are now legendary. But even more important, Bruce was instrumental in paving the way for the modern concept of sweeper-keepers.
Michael Owen
He was the Anfield wonder boy among a generation of homegrown players like Robbie Flower, Steve McManaman, and Steven Gerrard.
Michael Owen made a sensational debut in May 1997, becoming the youngest Liverpool goalscorer at 17 years, 143 days. With his speed-of-light performance, he soon became one of the brightest football stars. And he’s still known as one of the ex Liverpool players with enormous qualities.
Owen scored 158 goals in less than 300 games with the Reds’ shirt, contributing to winning the famous treble in 2001 – the UEFA Cup, the FA Cup, and the League Cup.
However, his career in the Merseyside team ended when Michael signed for Real Madrid when he was only 25 years old. Owen’s later move to the archrival Manchester United turned many Kop hardcore fans against their former favorite. But still, Michael Owen is the last player to be honored with the Golden Ball award as a Liverpool player.
So, did we miss anybody? Indeed, we can make another Top 10 of Reds’ players who deserve to make this list. Graeme Souness and Alan Hansen, John Barnes and Peter Beardsley, Sammy Hyypia, and Fernando Torres are among the Anfield greats too. We can name Billi Liddel and Ian St John from the older generations. We can look at the past decade and add Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk. But we will still be missing someone. Someone like Roger Hunt or Luis Suarez – some of the best Liverpool players of all time. They are all extraordinary athletes who made history at one of the greatest clubs on Earth.
FAQ:
Which Liverpool players have won the Ballon d’Or?
Homegrown legend Michael Owen remains Liverpool’s only player to win the Ballon d’Or. The talented striker won the prize in 2001 when he beat the competition of Raul and Oliver Kahn.
Did any Liverpool players win the World Cup?
Five players have won the World Cup while representing the English club. These are Roger Hunt, Ian Callaghan, Gerry Byrne, Pepe Reina, and Fernando Torres.
Which player has scored the most goals in Liverpool’s shirt?
Ian Rush is Liverpool’s all-time top goalscorer. The former Welsh international scored 346 for the Reds during his incredible career.
Who is the Liverpool player who won the most trophies?
Phil Neal is the most decorated player in Liverpool’s history. The former fullback managed to win 23 trophies during his time at the Anfield.
