It recently became known that the talented midfielder and former Liverpool player Joel Matip finished his career at 33. It is worth saying that modern football is still quite a young age, and the player could still make a name for himself, but numerous injuries throughout his career forced him to hang up his boots. Nevertheless, the player was an important part of The Reds and went down in the club’s history. If you want to learn more about football history, In that case, there is an option to contact grademiners writing service, where an experienced writer will help you pick up information on any topic and choose the most interesting facts.
In connection with this news and the growing interest in the winter transfer window and possible changes in the team, we want to remember the most outstanding midfielders in the club’s history. For more than 130 years of Liverpool’s existence on the football map, they wrote their names in the club’s history and remained in the hearts of fans, becoming true legends.
Steven Gerrard
When discussing Liverpool and midfielder, it is impossible not to start with Steven Gerrard. This player has been devoted to the team with all his heart since childhood and has dreamed of playing for the Reds almost from the moment he started walking. At age 8, Steven Gerrard entered the Liverpool academy, and literally, blood and sweat proved that he was ready to fight for his favorite club. In 1988, when the team was headed by Gerard Houllier, young 18-year-old Steven Gerrard was afraid that the new mentor would not notice him and leave him in the double, but it turned out the opposite. The team manager allowed Steven to debut at his home stadium at the match against Blackburn. From that moment in the history of Liverpool began a new era. In 2001, the young and assertive midfielder was a fan favorite and an indispensable player in the center of the field. Despite his dedication, the team with Stephen failed to win the championship for the next few years, taking the 4th or 5th place.
One of the landmark moments in the career of Steven Gerrard and, in general, Liverpool was the Istanbul miracle in the final of the Champions League in 2005. Liverpool were losing to Milan 0:3 after the first half. Still, Gerrard lifted the team by scoring the first goal in this incredible comeback. In the end, the team managed to level the score and snatch victory in an incredible penalty shootout. Another memorable moment is the 2006 FA Cup final, known as the “Gerrard final.” In the final minutes of the match against West Ham, Steven scored a stunning long-range strike that sent the game into extra time and then to Liverpool’s victory on penalties. He ended his Liverpool career in 2015 with a match against Stoke City. Gerrard scored Liverpool’s only goal in that match.
Gerrard is an example of a versatile midfielder who could play in any position in the center of the field. He played more than 700 matches for Liverpool during his career, scoring more than 180 goals. He fought for every goal as if it was the last chance and forever wrote his name in the club’s history despite the fact that he could not realize his dream of winning the English Championship.
Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness is another Legend of Liverpool and world football in general. He was a memorable player not only because of his looks. This footballer also has one of the most memorable mustaches in history. His character of play on the field can be compared to that of the then-young Vinnie Jones. It was ferocity and dedication. He threw himself at the feet without sparing himself or the opponent. One of the best characteristics of the player in his time was another football legend, Bob Paisley. He once said the following about Graham Guinness: “Graham woke up, had breakfast, sharpened the spikes on his cleats, put on his fancy mustache, and went out on the Anfield to kill.” However, Graham clearly understood the situation on the field and was excellent at leading the team. He was the heart of Liverpool in the 80s.
Under Sunesa, Liverpool won three European Cups and five titles as England’s champions. Bear with the habits of a violinist, as he was often called; despite his explosive and uncompromising nature on the field, he was able to keep a cool head at the right moments and was one of the main penalty shooters on the team.
Xabi Alonso
If we talk about the midfielder who made Liverpool history thanks to his incredibly colorful passes and long-range strikes, then it will certainly be Xabi Alonso. He joined the club in 2004 and quickly became one of the fans’ favorites because he always tried to demonstrate a colorful game. Thanks to the Spaniard’s move to the club, Liverpool strengthened their position in the center of the field, and the attacking play became even more varied.
One of the most famous moments of Alonso’s career was his goal in the 2005 Champions League final. Alonso scored Liverpool’s third goal, equalizing against Milan. Interesting fact: Xabi was the first Liverpool player to score a goal from a distance of more than 60 meters. Moreover, he scored such goals twice during his time at Liverpool. He scored his first long-range goal against Luton Town in 2006 and another long-range goal against Newcastle.
Conclusion
The football game is beautiful in that, looking at all positions on the field, you can always find standout moments and legends of their roles. Just such legends for Liverpool in terms of playing in midfield were Steven Gerrard, Graeme Souness, and Xabi Alonso, who we mentioned in this article. But these are, of course, not all the stars and legends of the Reds, even in this position. And in the future, we will remember the stories of Liverpool’s outstanding players, who together made and are making history of one of the greatest football clubs in the world.
