Who are the best Liverpool players of all time? This is a club with a very rich history, and is one of the most storied, most iconic and recognisable sports teams in the world.
Liverpudlians are passionate about their football and they’ve been blessed with some of the games greatest ever. Here’s Liverpool’s ten best ever players:
10. Graeme Souness
In seven seasons midfielder Graeme Souness achieved considerable success at Liverpool and became a club icon in the process. A commanding presence, he became renowned for his strong tackling and creativity.
Five league titles and three European Cups later, Souness would move to Sampdoria in 1984. He returned as Liverpool manager in 1991 and led the club to FA Cup success in his first season in charge, although his three-year spell was lacklustre.
9. Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez joined Liverpool in 2011 at a time the club found it difficult to attract genuine superstars. Three years later he’d move to Barcelona in an almost £65m deal that set the platform
Suarez made Liverpool an attractive team again and fun to watch. In four seasons he scored 69 Premier League goals. His 31 goals in 33 games in 2013-14 goes down as one of the greatest ever seasons by any player.
8. Jamie Carragher
One of the best Liverpool players in history, Jamie Carragher stayed the course with a career spanning 17 years spent entirely at Liverpool.Across 737 games for the club he featured in claiming two FA Cups, the 2001 UEFA Cup and 2005 Champions League.
Carragher had a simple game, with an old-fashioned approach which was matched with an impressive workrate. Lucky he was an exceptional defender, as he only scored four goals during his career, whilst scoring seven own-goals.
7. Alan Hansen
Across the 13 years he spent at Liverpool, Scottish central defender Alan Hansen became one of the best Liverpool stars ever, playing the game with an exceptionally high football IQ and was technically gifted.
His ability to read the game as well as anticipating the next play helped Liverpool to eight league titles and three European Cups. On the ball he was also confident and competent and able to play the ball from out the back.
6. John Barnes
John Barnes was a hero to many people, both fans and players alike. The generational star was deadly accurate in front of goal and is one of English footballs greatest ever wingers with his displays of speed, power and agility.
Barnes was Liverpool’s first ever black player to be signed from another club and persevered during an error of intense prejudice and racism. Across 10 years at the club he scored 108 goals from 407 appearances, and inspired stars including Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey.
5. Virgil Van Dijk
Signed by Liverpool in the winter transfer window of 2018 for a then-world record £75 million for a defender, Virgil Van Dijk instantly injected a central defender who could dominate in the air, was able to play the ball from the back and could be a leader.
Van Dijk made such an impact, he was Ballon d’Or runner-up in 2019, the same year he led Liverpool to a Champions League crown. The following year he also helped end a 30-year title drought by winning the Premier League.
4. Ian Rush
Ian Rush joined Liverpool in 1980. Across multiple stints the Welsh superstar made 660 total appearances for the club and graced the pitch with natural finishing, power and speed.
Rush played his last game for the club in 1996. He remains Liverpool’s all-time highest goalscorer with 346 goals in all competitions, winning five league titles and the European Cup two times in the process.
3. Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah arrived from Roma in 2017 for a then-club record £36.9 million fee. He had an immediate impact with one of the greatest seasons of all time; 32 goals from 36 games in the 2017-18 season.
Salah played a key role in winning the Champions League in 2019, and ending Liverpool’s 30-year title drought, the clubs first in the Premier League-era. A generational talent, he’s one of the best Liverpool players in history on the back of his finishing, dribbling and lighting speed.
2. Kenny Dalglish
Some fans may have Kenny Dalglish number one of their list of best Liverpool players ever. The 1983 Ballon d’Or runner-up had lightning speed, was technically flawless and had great vision and awareness.
Winner of six league titles and three European crowns, Dalglish took his legendary status to god-like among Liverpudlians having helped the club to three league titles when he took over the managerial reigns at the club in 1985.
1. Steven Gerrard
The Merseyside born and bred Steven Gerrard is the greatest Liverpool player of all time. A natural born leader, club icon and treasured Liverpudlian, he featured in 504 games for the club as a box-to-box midfielder. A natural born leader
Gerrard’s Man of the Match performance in the 2005 Champions League final cemented his legacy as Liverpool’s greatest, sparking the comeback from 3-nil down to win the game on penalties.