Here are the best players, matured from Liverpool’s own youth academy, as voted by GOAL.
The fans always have a special affection for the mature players from the club’s own youth training system. With Liverpool, they have done very well in this stage in recent years.
From Ian Callaghan, who holds the record for the number of appearances for Liverpool, to Trent Alexander-Arnold, a son of this very port city, The Kop always knows how to produce outstanding, capable morning stars. ability to inherit the valuable values of this team over the years.
Here are the best Liverpool youth training products selected by GOAL .
Steven Gerrard
In terms of influence and greatness, no Liverpool player can match Gerrard.
Gerrard joined The Kop when he was eight years old. He made his first team debut in 1998. 17 years later, he has made 710 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 185 goals and winning nine trophies. Not to mention, he also has 114 caps for England and won countless individual awards.
The former midfielder also left many unforgettable memories in the hearts of Liverpool fans. Later, he returned here as a coach of the U18 team. Currently, Gerrard is the manager of Aston Villa and is considered a possible successor to Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold deserves to be on this list.
As a member of the youth team, Alexander-Arnold mainly played in midfield. However, since making his first-team debut in 2016, he has been known as a full-back. He possesses the ability to pass the ball super and always knows how to create for teammates. At the age of 23, he has won all the highest honors at club level.
It can be affirmed that the English star is one of the best players that Liverpool have ever produced.
Robbie Fowler
There are not many players who can capture the full love of Liverpool fans like Fowler.
The ‘Toxteth Assassin’ emerged as a teenage footballer. He scored on his Liverpool debut, against Fulham in the 1993 League Cup. Two weeks later, he continued to hit this team five times, in the second leg at Anfield.
In the first 4 seasons in the first team, Fowler has 3 times exceeded 30 goals / season. He not only finishes well, but also contributes positively to the way they play. Injuries may have affected Fowler somewhat, but he continued to score goals, including in the League Cup and UEFA Cup finals in 2001. That year, Liverpool won the treble in the cup competition. .
Later, Fowler went to Leeds, but also returned to Anfield in 2006. His debut in this comeback, against Birmingham, is always mentioned by the fans. He is a true legend of Anfield.
Ian Callaghan
Possessing a record of being the player with the most appearances for Liverpool, and a World Cup champion, Callaghan is the pride of the Liverpool youth training system.
Callaghan made 857 appearances for The Kop between 1960-1978, a record not easily broken. He was a key factor in the journey to the Second Division championship in 1962, under Bill Shankly. Three years later, he helped his team win the FA Cup for the first time in history.
He ended his career after winning 5 English championships, 2 European titles, 2 UEFA Cups and 2 FA Cups. He won the ‘Player of the Year’ award in 1974. That proved to be a great Anfield legend.
Phil Thompson
Besides Steven Gerrard, Thompson is the second Liverpool player born and raised in this very city, having the honor of lifting the European Championship trophy as captain.
He made his first team debut in 1972 under Bill Shankly. Before leaving in 1985, he had 477 games for The Kop . After that, he spent a period of time as a coach in the youth team and as an assistant to Gerard Houllier, and also achieved many remarkable achievements.
With 7 English Championship titles, 2 European titles, 4 League Cups, 3 UEFA Cups and 2 FA Cups, he is one of the most successful players in the history of this team.
Michael Owen
Owen may not have been as successful in his later landings, but it’s hard for fans to forget the image of an explosive Owen in the late 1990s.
As an agile striker, possessing a superlative finishing ability, the Chester-born striker ranks 9th in the list of the greatest goalscorers in the team’s history. He even has a better goal-to-match ratio than legends like Ian Rush or Robbie Fowler.
However, after leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid in 2004, Owen gradually lost himself. He then had to look for opportunities at Newcaslte United and even moved to Manchester United. Overall, compared to other legends, Owen’s contribution cannot match them.
However, he is still an excellent striker of the Liverpool youth training system.
Jamie Carragher
All his career, Carragher only played for Liverpool. He ranks right behind Callaghan in the list of players who have played the most for The Kop with 737 times in 17 years.
Starting his career as a striker, he was later pushed down to midfield. He won the treble in 2001 as a left-back, then moved to the opposite flank. Under Rafa Benitez, he became a top-class European midfielder.
His contribution to the 2005 Champions League journey is also significant. He continued to be a reliable supporter before retiring in 2013. After what he has dedicated, he deserves to be considered a living legend of Anfield.
Now, he is the caster on television.
Tommy Smith
“Tommy Smith wasn’t born. He was born,” is one of Bill Shankly’s most famous statements. He was one of the best Liverpool players of the 1960s and 1970s.
Nicknamed ‘The Bulldozer of Anfield’, Smith is an all-around defender. He helped this team win the 1965 FA Cup, and was also the top scorer against Borussia Mochengladbach, helping the home team win the first European championship 12 years later.
With 638 matches, he is the player with the 8th most appearances for The Kop.
Steve McManaman
One of the most underrated players in the world, McManaman, along with Fowler, was the man to take charge of Liverpool in the 1990s.
McManaman made his first-team debut under Kenny Dalglish and was a mainstay of the club under Graeme Souness. He was a key element of The Kop on their way to winning the 1992 FA Cup and was the man of the match in the 1995 League Cup final, under Roy Evans.
His chemistry with Fowler was key. McManaman is a team player and always knows how to open up opportunities, while Fowler is a top scorer with superb finishing ability.
McManaman left Liverpool to join Real Madrid in 1999 on a free transfer. Here, he won two Champions Leagues and scored in the final in 2000. He is one of the most successful British players when going abroad to play.
Ronnie Moran
The man dubbed ‘Lord Liverpool’ cannot be ignored in this list.
Born in Bootle, he made his first team debut in 1952 and continued with the team in various capacities until 1998, when he retired from coaching. After that, he regularly appeared at Melwood and was caught by fans while walking around here.
He made 379 appearances for Liverpool and then left this team a huge legacy as a manager. If you ask any player who played for Liverpool in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, they would say Moran was the key to Liverpool’s success at this stage.
Famous for his discipline and high demands at work, he is often mentioned in ‘The Liverpool Way’ for his humility, hard work style, always knowing how to help others and being rich in greed. hope. He does not like being interfered with professionally, because it can affect the performance of the club.
Among the great Liverpool legends, Moran can be considered the greatest.