Liverpool 21st century rankings GFXGOAL

Mohamed Salah, Steven Gerrard and the 25 best Liverpool players of the 21st century - ranked

After struggling terribly during the tail end of the 21st century, Liverpool have re-established themselves as one of the best clubs in world football over the past 25 years, winning two Champions Leagues and a UEFA Cup.

Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez played pivotal parts, with both men enjoying success in continental competition. However, it was only after the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, after yet another slump, that the Reds really reclaimed their place among the elite. Under the German, Liverpool not only ended their 30-year English title drought, they also won a sixth European Cup.

Of course, none of these things could have been achieved without top-class players, and Anfield has witnessed an awful lot of them over the past 25 years. Who are the best, though?

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Below, GOAL counts down the 25 finest footballers to have lined out for Liverpool this century, with their inclusion and rankings taking a variety of factors into account, including talent, trophies, impact and longevity (only those to have spent at least three seasons at the club have been considered for selection).

As always, let us know in the comments section who should be higher, who should be lower, who shouldn't be there at all and who's been criminally overlooked!

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Frequently asked questions

The story behind the birth of Liverpool as we know it today is quite interesting. Originally, it was Liverpool's Merseyside rivals Everton who would play their games at Anfield. However, after Everton decided to play their games elsewhere following a dispute in March 1892, John Houlding, the owner of Anfield at the time, decided to form his own club called Liverpool F.C.

Fenway Sports Group (FSG), an American multinational sports holding conglomerate, is the owner of Liverpool. FSG purchased the club in 2010 through subsidiaries N.E.S.V.I, LLC and the UK-based UKSV Holdings Company Limited.

Liverpool are playing their home games at the illustrious Anfield Stadium, which was built in 1884 and has since undergone several renovations, the latest being completed in 2024.

Anfield has a capacity of 61,276, with the renovation of the Anfield Road Stand in the latter half of the 2023-24 campaign taking the stadium's capacity past the 60,000-mark.

Liverpool have won a stellar 67 trophies throughout their history, which includes six Champions Leagues, 19 top-flight titles, and six FA Cups.

Liverpool are the second-most successful English side in terms of top flight titles with 19, just one shy of Manchester United. Their previous league glory came in the 2019-20 season, which remains their only league title till date in the Premier League era.

Former English midfielder Ian Callaghan made 857 appearances for the Reds. He is the only player in Liverpool history to have made over 800 appearances for the club.

Liverpool icon Ian Rush is the club's all-time top goalscorer, finding the back of the net 346 times in 660 games.

Luis Suarez, Ian Rush, Mohamed Salah, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, James Milner, Fernando Torres, and Michael Owen are among the most popular players to have donned the Liverpool jersey.

Brendan Rodgers, Bill Shankly, Jurgen Klopp, Kenny Dalglish, Rafael Benitez, and Gerard Houllier are some of the most prominent managers to have been at the helm for Liverpool.

Liverpool are famously known as The Reds. The media as well as the club's supporters coined the term during the 1965-66 season, when the team first wore an all-red attire for the games.