Liverpool have had a host of world-class players over the years and we have picked out our top 10 to have represented the Reds.
Trying to rank Liverpool’s top 10 best ever players is no easy task as there have been a multitude of outstanding performers to have donned the famous red jersey down the years.
Of course, this list is subjective, with plenty of the club’s well-known past stars not making the final cut, despite probably being worthy of inclusion.
Here, though, is our take on who we think deserves to be on a rundown of Liverpool’s top 10 players ever, and make sure to explore our wider list of the greatest Premier League players of all time.
Top 10 Liverpool players of all time
10. Ray Clemence
Ray Clemence is joint-fourth on Liverpool’s all-time appearances list with 665 and is widely regarded as the club’s best-ever goalkeeper.
In a hugely successful 14-year Anfield career, Clemence won five league titles, three European Cups, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup twice in the 1970s and early 80s before leaving for Tottenham in 1981.
9. Billy Liddell
Scottish forward Billy Liddell spent his entire professional career at Liverpool, signing as a teenager in 1938 and retiring aged 39 in 1961, after scoring 228 goals in 534 appearances.
Liddell was the club’s leading goalscorer in the league in eight out of nine seasons between 1949-50 and 1957-58 and earned the nickname ‘Liddellpool’, such was his influence on the team and his popularity amongst fans.
8. Roger Hunt
Roger Hunt is second on Liverpool’s top goalscorers list with 285 in 492 appearances in all competitions, although he remains the club’s record league goalscorer with 244 goals.
During an 11-year spell, the forward won two league titles and an FA Cup and Hunt was also a star on the international stage, being a member of the England team which won the 1966 World Cup, playing in all six games in the tournament on home soil, scoring three times.
7. Virgil van Dijk
The current captain and centre-back colossus. Van Dijk is arguably the club’s best-ever defender and that is some accolade considering he faces competition from the likes of Alan Hansen, Ron Yeats, Phil Thompson and Sami Hyypia – four outstanding players who haven’t made this particular top 10.
The Dutchman, signed for £75million in 2018, has helped Liverpool win everything in the past seven years and his ability to read games, calmly snuff out danger while dealing with tough forwards with ease makes him stand out. As does his talent to control games from the back with a range of passing that would be the envy of some of the world’s best midfielders.
6. John Barnes
Barnes, who arrived from Watford in 1987 with a burgeoning reputation as a silky winger, took his game to another level on Merseyside.
For many fans growing up watching Liverpool in the late 1980s, Barnes was everything. He was able to glide past players out wide, deliver inch-perfect crosses and weigh in with plenty of goals.
The England international was sensational at his best. Pacey, determined and highly-skilful, Barnes usually tops the list when fans debate the club’s best-ever left-sided player.
5. Graeme Souness
Souness was an uncompromising, steely midfielder who also oozed class. The Scot played in a different era, when tough tackling was allowed, but his range of passing, ability to score regularly and control games from the centre of the park was unrivalled.
Souness won the league five times, the European Cup three times and the League Cup four times as a Liverpool player and, despite failing to translate his success into management when he took charge in the dugout in 1991, he remains one of the very best to ever play in Red.
4. Mohamed Salah
One of two current players on this list. Salah wasn’t expected to be anywhere near as good as he has been when he joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017, but the Egyptian has been phenomenal.
His record of 244 goals in 399 games – and counting – is mind-bogglingly good, especially when you consider he’s played virtually the entire of his Liverpool career out wide on the right.
Not just a goalscorer, though, Salah has also racked up an amazing total of 113 assists and his dedication off the pitch and single-mindedness and focus on it means he could continue to break records for several years yet.
3. Ian Rush
Ian Rush was a goal machine, scoring 346 goals in 660 games and the Welshman remains the club’s top-scorer. Rush took a while to get going after joining from Chester in 1981 but, once he did, he was simply unstoppable.
He wasn’t just a prolific centre-forward but a hard-working, ruthless striker, who could score pretty much every type of goal.
A brief spell away at Juventus didn’t tarnish his record and he soon returned to Liverpool to add to his significant goal tally and trophy haul.
2. Steven Gerrard
The ultimate captain. Gerrard led the Reds during an often difficult time in the 2000s, but his quality on the pitch was never in doubt and, despite often not having team-mates around him on the pitch that were anywhere near his ridiculously high level, he still managed to win the Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup, scoring in the final of all of those competitions.
In terms of pure technical ability, Gerrard is probably the best footballer on this list.
1. Kenny Dalglish
The ‘King’ is routinely described as Liverpool’s best-ever player. Dalglish, who was signed to replace Kevin Keegan in 1977, scored 172 goals in a glorious 13-year playing career at Anfield, winning six league titles, three European Cups, four League Cups and an FA Cup.
A stylish forward who gave everything for the club, Dalglish also went on to enjoy considerable success as a manager. The fact he has a stand named after him at Anfield probably says it all.
