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King Kenny

Player profile

• Profile
• Appearances
• Goals
• Milestones
• Articles (13)
• Quotes (9)

Kenny Dalglish

Birthdate: 04.03.1951 Birthplace: Glasgow Scotland Other clubs: Celtic, Cumbernauld United (loan) Bought from: Celtic Signed for LFC: 440000 10.08.1977 International debut: 10.11.1971 vs. Belgium International caps: 102/30 (55/14 at LFC) – 12.11.1986

Liverpool debut: 13.08.1977 Last appearance: 01.05.1990 Debut goal: 20.08.1977 Last goal: 18.04.1987 Contract expiry: 1990 LFC league games/goals: 355 / 118 Total LFC games/goals: 515 / 172

Player profile

Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish was born in Dalmarnock in the east of Glasgow only a short distance from Celtic’s Parkhead. But the family lived there only briefly and moved to an apartment house in Milton, which had a good view over the Rangers training ground. Dalglish’s supreme football talent was soon obvious in the YMCA boys team he played in. He was picked for the Scottish u-15 national team and played his first game against Northern Ireland and sealed the win with two goals.

Dalglish was only 15-years-old when he played his first game in a Liverpool shirt. He was given a week-long trial at Liverpool and played one game with the B-team against Southport in a 1-0 win on 20 August 1966. Dalglish returned back home and Shankly contacted Celtic manager, Jock Stein, regularly but he didn’t want to sell him. Shankly always regretted that Liverpool didn’t buy Dalglish when he was handed to them on a silver platter.

Despite Dalglish’s interest in joining his favourite team, Rangers, he accepted Celtic’s offer in July 1967. Celtic had just become the first British team to win the European Cup and were widely known as the Lisbon Lions. Dalglish went on loan to Cumbernauld United which was one of the teams Celtic used to mould their players. Dalglish scored four goals in his first game and had scored 37 goals by the end of the season. Dalglish wanted to turn professional right away, but Stein wanted him to play another season with Cumbernauld. The kid held his ground and after asking his father to talk to Stein the boss gave in. Despite being surrounded with stars of Celtic, Bobby Lennox said Dalglish had such class that he immediately fitted in with the rest of the squad.

Dalglish played his first senior game for Celtic on 25 September 1968 when he was a second-half substitute in a 4-2 win over Hamilton Academicals in the quarter-finals of the cup. He played with the reserves for the whole of 1968/69 but only managed four goals in 17 games. He was moved into midfield the next season and his performances improved. Stein put him in the first team against Raith Rovers on 4 October 1969 and Dalglish was a bit nervous as he recollects: “Bobby Murdoch sat down next to me while I was getting ready. he asked me whether I was nervous. ‘No’, I said, ‘I am all right, Bobby, Thanks’. ‘Well’, he replied, ‘you are putting your boots on the wrong feet.’ I looked down and it was true. I had been tugging my right boot on my left foot. I sorted myself out and we won 7-1.” Despite seven goals Dalglish didn’t get on the scoresheet and neither in the next three games he started in. The reserves on the other hand benefited from his goalscoring talent from midfield as he helped them to the league and cup double. Celtic’s reserve side at the time was dominant and known as the “Quality Street Gang” (“after the chocolates,” Dalglish explained.) He scored 19 goals in 31 games, not bad for a midfielder.

Dalglish started the next season the same way his last ended and scored 23 goals when Celtic reserves crushed all of their opponents scoring a total of 108 goals in 34 games. By the end of the of the season he scored four goals against the archrivals Rangers in the reserves league but the highlight of the season came when the two Glasgow teams met in the reserve cup final four days later. Dalglish scored one goal in the 4-1 win in the first leg but in the second leg he showed no mercy and scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win. Stein couldn’t be anything but impressed and picked him for the first team in a beneficiary game against Kilmarnock. Celtic won 7-2 and Dalglish scored six goals. It was obvious the boy had turned into a man.

Dalglish started the 1971/72 season by playing against Rangers in the League Cup on 14 August 1971. In the seventieth minute Celtic got a penalty. The ball was thrown to Dalglish and the kid calmly walked to the spot, strolled back … and started the run-up but stopped midway there and tied his shoelaces, went back … and started the run-up again and scored into the opposite corner to the goalkeeper. The press was overwhelmed the next day: “He was so calm. It was like he was playing a practice match.” Dalglish had scored his first goal for Celtic and what a venue to do it on, at Ibrox, the ground he had once dreamed of playing regularly in Rangers’ colours. Dalglish was though greatly disappointed when he played 90 minutes for Celtic which lost 4-1 to Partick Thistle in the League Cup final on 23 October. Nobody gave Thistle a chance against mighty Celtic, but Thistle were 4-0 up after 36 minutes in front of 62,000 fans at Hampden Park. Dalglish scored Celtic’s consolation goal. Further disappointment was to come when Inter Milan knocked out Celtic in the European Cup semi-final after a penalty kick shoot-out.

But Celtic continued their domestic dominance by winning their seventh consecutive League title as well as beating Hibernian 6-1 in the Scottish Cup final. Dalglish scored 23 goals in 49 games and one of the major newspapers in Scotland voted Dalglish “Player of the season”. He played his first senior game for the national team on 10 November 1971 in a 1-0 win over Belgium in a European championship qualifier.

Dalglish was a hero to the Celtic fans but he kept a low profile off the pitch. He occasionally went out on the town but preferred the company of his girlfriend, Marina, to his teammates. He still lived with his parents and didn’t own a sports car. He did though make an album with one of his Scotland teammates, Sandy Jardine. Songs from the album didn’t reach the top ten, but it did sell, even though they were kindly asked not the make another album! Dalglish’s success on the pitch didn’t lessen. Celtic won the title again and Dalglish had his best ever season at Celtic in terms of goalscoring as he scored no less 41 goals in 53 games!

The 1973/74 season was the beginning of Celtic’s problems. The players’ salaries were low and they were getting restless because they had some great offers from English teams. Despite the team being unsettled, Celtic won the title again and the Scottish Cup. Celtic also reached the semi-finals of the European Cup, but lost to Atletico Madrid in an ill-tempered duel. Three Atletico players were sent off in the goalless first leg at Parkhead which Dalglish described as “without doubt the worst game I have ever played in as far as violence is concerned.” Celtic lost 2-0 to Atletico in Madrid where ugly pre-game threats had tarnished the game. In the 1974/75 season Rangers ended Celtic’s dominance in the League. Dalglish had been moved back to midfield orchestrating Celtic’s play. Scottish Sunday Express predicted that he would soon “become a midfield mastermind in the Cruyff mould, dictating play, making matches run to his pattern.” 24-year-old Dalglish was made captain before the 1975/76 season, but the situation at Celtic got progressively worse when their manager, Jock Stein, got seriously injured in a car accident and had to rest through the season. The title was lost again, but Dalglish was voted the Player of the Year in Scotland by the Players’ Association.

Dalglish was becoming restless at Celtic but agreed to stay a bit longer, but the 1976/77 season was to be his last with Celtic. Jock Stein came back to management and Celtic retrieved the title and won the cup as well. Dalglish’s team-mates weren’t surprised that he wanted to test pastures new. He had been the driving force of the team for the last three years and if he wanted to evolve as a player he had to leave Celtic. In his Celtic career Dalglish played 322 games and scored 167 goals. He won four League titles, four Scottish Cups, a League Cup and earned 47 Scotland caps. His next club would be either Manchester United or Liverpool.

Liverpool had just won the European Cup with a 3-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach but now they needed somebody to replace Kevin Keegan, who was leaving for Hamburg SV. Manchester United offered Dalglish more money but he preferred Liverpool. Paisley had contacted Jock Stein a year earlier when he heard that Dalglish wanted to go but Stein had said that he was going nowhere. Stein added that Paisley would be the first he would contact if he couldn’t talk Dalglish out of leaving Celtic. Stein kept his promise even though he was disappointed to be losing a player of this calibre. Liverpool and Celtic sat down to discuss the deal. Liverpool initially offered £300,000 but were ready to add 10% until they reached £400,000. That was to be their final offer. In the end Liverpool’s offer had reached £400,000 after Stein had refused both £330,000 and £360,000. Stein still refused, but added that if Liverpool were to offer 10% more they would reach an agreement. Smith looked at Paisley and that was all he needed to do, Smith nodded his head and Liverpool agreed on £440,000 which was then the record transfer fee between two British clubs. There was no doubt in Dalglish’s mind. Liverpool was the best team in Europe and Anfield was where he wanted to be: “Bob told John Smith he wanted me. Liverpool had such a simple way of handling transfers,” Kenny said. “Old Bob would just pick the players he wanted to bring to Anfield and John Smith and Peter Robinson would sort out the deals. They were brilliant at deals. So I walked into the boardroom to meet my next employers. Bob was there as well because new players like to talk to the person who is going to be looking after them. They informed me that the two clubs had agreed a fee. We talked for a couple of minutes. After two years of wanting a move, it was all happening in minutes.”

Bill Shankly couldn’t believe his ears when he heard that Celtic had allowed Dalglish to leave. “I understand that like Kevin Keegan, Dalglish wants to get on but I would have moved heaven and earth to keep him. I would rather have quit and got out of the game altogether than sold a player of his brilliance.” Only two days later, on 13 August 1977, Dalglish played his first game for the Reds against Manchester United in the Charity Shield which finished in a goalless draw. The Liverpool fans were excited, but kept in mind that many good players had come from Scotland but hadn’t succeeded south of the border where the league is tougher. Dalglish’s teammates were not bad: Ray Clemence was the ‘keeper, Phil Neal and Joey Jones full-backs, Phil Thompson and Emlyn Hughes central defenders, in front of them Ian Callaghan and Terry McDermott, Ray Kennedy and Steve Heighway on the wings and up front David Johnson and David Fairclough. Promising defender Alan Hansen waited for his chance in the first team. Dalglish’s League debut was away against Middlesbrough and he had to play against a young Scot named Souness in the Boro midfield. It was so described by Liverpool Echo: “The first goal of the game came appropriately enough from the £440,000 feet of Kenny Dalglish, what a start for Liverpool’s record buy. It stemmed from a lovely down the middle move as Case controlled the ball just inside the Boro half, flicked it through to McDermott who turned into the path of Dalglish. Boro looked for an offside decision which wasn’t there and Dalglish strode smoothly on to beat Platt comfortably as the goalkeeper came out. It was a perfectly finished shot to a fine move and the Liverpool players enveloped Dalglish in their congratulations for his opener.”

Three days later Dalglish made his home debut as he remembers vividly: “My Anfield debut came against Newcastle, who counted Tommy Craig, amongst their number. I had grown up with Wee Tam, playing Glasgow Schools, Scottish Schools and Scottish Youth with him. Before kick-off, I found Tam looking up at the sign that declares “This Is Anfield.” ‘How are you?’, he asked. ‘I’m all right, I think’, I told Tam, ‘but you see that sign there? It’s supposed to frighten the opposition. I’m terrified by it and it’s my home ground.’ Fortunately the game worked out well. Just after half-time, Ray Kennedy started wandering off down the inside left. I raced towards the box. Ray’s pass came in and I clipped the ball past Newcastle’s keeper, Steve Hardwick, as he came out. The goal was at the Kop end and I nearly finished up in amongst them. Their appreciation was magnificent. It really touched me. That was the start of the relationship between the Kop and me. It was a special relationship, hard to articulate how strong the bond was. We would share great success in England and Europe.” The Liverpool fans had found a new hero to adore.

Dalglish scored in his third and fourth consecutive game and seven wins from 11 in the League meant Liverpool were second after 12 rounds two points behind Nottingham Forest. Liverpool lost three League games in a row and their inconsistency killed any hope of winning the title. Paisley had strengthened in January by buying Graeme Souness which fitted nicely into the team and while the Reds were not in ideal form domestically they were clearly determined to defend their European title. In the semi-finals they came up against their opponents from last year’s final, Borussia Mönchengladbach. Liverpool lost 2-1 in Germany but Dalglish was the architect of a 3-0 win at Anfield.

In the final Liverpool played FC Bruges from Belgium that had beaten Juventus in the semi-finals. The only goal in the final came after 65 minutes. Souness sent the ball through the Bruges defence and Dalglish finished it brilliantly. The recipe to Kenny’s goal was quite simple according to the man himself: “I noticed a habit of the Bruges goalkeeper, Jensen, that proved to be his undoing. Each of the two times Terry Mac ran through and shot low, Jensen dropped down to block the ball. So when Graeme Souness played me in, Jensen came out as he had for Terry and I knew he was going to go down early. I dummied to play it, Jensen fell for it, allowing me the opening to lift the ball over the top of him. As the ball fell sweetly into the net, I continued my run, leaping the hoardings to go and salute the Liverpool supporters who seemed to have taken over Wembley.”

Liverpool had won the European Cup for the second consecutive year. Dalglish could be pleased with his first season at Anfield: 31 goals in 62 matches, League and League Cup runner-up and a European champion.

Liverpool started the 1978/79 season by scoring 35 goals and conceding only four in ten wins out of eleven League games. Dalglish had scored ten including a brace when Liverpool beat Tottenham 7-0 at Anfield which is still today considered one of the greatest games in the club’s history. But, only two weeks later they lost 2-0 to the English champions, Nottingham Forest, in the first round of the European Cup followed by a goalless draw in the second leg at Anfield. An early exit for the double European champions. This  shock didn’t knock Liverpool out of their stride and from Christmas they only lost two games for the rest of the campaign; against Manchester United in a FA Cup semi-final replay and Aston Villa in the League. Liverpool gained a record total of 68 points (two points for a win) and only conceded 16 goals, which was also a League record. Liverpool won 19, drew two and lost none at Anfield. Ray Clemence kept 17 clean sheets and conceded only four goals at home while his teammates scored 54! Liverpool won the title with eight more points than the runners-up, Nottingham Forest. Dalglish scored 21 League goals and combined well with David Johnson, who scored 16 League goals.

Bob Paisley was impressed by Dalglish and once more his judgement of players hadn’t failed him: “I’d seen Kenny playing for Scotland, watched him on television, and the more I saw of him the more I became convinced that he was what I called a Liverpool-type player. It was his attitude to the game. He wasn’t flashy. He did the simple things and he was consistent too. He was rarely out through injury either. His timing was immaculate and his head ruled his feet.”

Dalglish had scored 56 goals in 116 games in his first two seasons at Liverpool and his contribution had won over the media which voted him Player of the Year in 1979.

Liverpool hadn’t failed to score in the League at home the whole of the 1978/79 season but did so their first game of the 1979/80 season against Bolton. Liverpool dropped out of the European Cup in the first round as the season before, this time against Dinamo Tbilisi. Until then Liverpool had failed to gain any momentum, but remained unbeaten from 6 October until 19 January. Liverpool and United were neck and neck for the rest of the season until Liverpool clinched their second consecutive title with a 4-1 win at Aston Villa in the penultimate game of the season. This time Dalglish scored 16 League goals compared to Johnson’s 21.

Liverpool only managed fifth in the 1980/81 season, their worst placing for ten years. Johnson and Dalglish weren’t producing goals. Remarkably Dalglish had played 180 games in a row since joining Liverpool in August 1977 until he was out injured against Bradford City in the League Cup on 27 August 1980. Dalglish was struggling and went 16 games without a League goal from late November to the end of the season.

Liverpool did on the other hand reach the final in the League Cup and the European Cup. Dalglish netted the first of two in the replayed final against West Ham. Dalglish started the European Cup final against Real Madrid even though he had been out injured since the second leg of the semi-final against Bayern in Munich. He played a little deeper in the second half, seeking to draw defenders so that maximum use could be made of McDermott’s long runs deep into Real’s defence. Alan Kennedy’s goal secured Dalglish another European Cup.

Dalglish failed to score in the first nine League games of the season but finally ended an 11 months’ draught in the League against Brighton on 17 October 1981. Dalglish ended up with 13 goals in 42 matches, being ever-present in the League for the fourth time in five seasons. His new strike-partner, Ian Rush, scored 17 goals in 32 League matches as Liverpool recaptured the Championship. Dalglish was the architect of Liverpool’s League win in 1982/83. He scored 18 goals in the League and Rushie benefited from playing upfront with him since many of his 24 goals came after a brilliant pass from the Scot. Dalglish was voted Player of the Year by both the press and players.

Bob Paisley quit at the end of the 1982/83 season leaving Joe Fagan in charge. Dalglish reached a milestone in his Liverpool career on 26 November 1983 when he scored his 100th League goal for the club with a fantastic shot in the top corner against Ipswich. He was the first player to score 100 League goals both north and south of the border with only two clubs. 1984 didn’t start too well for Dalglish when Kevin Moran broke his cheekbone with a support brace on his wrist in a game against Manchester United on 2 January. Souness said Dalglish looked like the Elephant man after the clash.

Dalglish describes Joe Fagan’s and his teammates’ hospital visit: “When they walked in the door all their faces fell. When Mark Lawrenson saw my face he had to be taken to a side-room for a cup of tea. It didn’t bother me my face was a mess. When Joe came in with the players he obviously got a fright as well. ‘There’s the papers, he said, I’ll leave them there. I can’t stay, thanks, bye’.”

Dalglish missed 14 games, but made his recovery in time for the quarter-finals of the European Cup against Benfica on 7 March. The last weekend in March proved to be a big one for Dalglish. The 33-year-old was pleasantly surprised to be offered a four-year contract and was included the Team of the Year along with four of his teammates and played at Wembley. Liverpool and Everton drew 0-0 after extra-time in the League Cup final and won the replay.

The enigmatic Scot was busy smashing European records. Dalglish surpassed Denis Law’s scoring record when he scored his 15th goal in the European Cup against Odense Boldklub in the second leg of the first round. He had now played more games, 54 in total, and scored more goals in Europe’s premier competition than any other British player. Dalglish played in his third European Cup final, this time against Roma at their own turf. The game went into a penalty shoot-out, but Dalglish had by then been substituted since he couldn’t quite cope with the heat in Italy and was carrying a slight injury. Alan Kennedy was the hero like three years before and scored the decisive penalty. Dalglish had won his third consecutive League title, fourth consecutive League Cup and the European Cup for the third time in seven years.

In 1984/85 Dalglish was dropped for the first time in his Liverpool career when Liverpool faced Tottenham in a live televised match on 12 October. Liverpool lost 1-0 and Fagan admitted it had been his most stupid decision as manager and put him straight back in the team! Dalglish missed more games after receiving a three-match ban for being sent off for the first time in his career against Benfica in Lisbon on 7 November. A week later he scored his 30th and final goal for Scotland in a game against Spain, equalling Denis Law’s record. A great honour was bestowed upon him in the 1985 New Year Honours List when he was awarded an MBE for services to football.

Dalglish’s life was about to change dramatically. The week before the European final against Juventus at the Heysel stadium he received a phone call from Peter Robinson, Liverpool’s Chief Executive, who asked if he and Chairman John Smith could pay him a visit. ‘Yes, no problem,’ was Dalglish’s reply. Dalglish describes the rest of the conversation in his autobiography: “I thought the conversation was going to finish then but Peter added: ‘Don’t you want to know what we want to see you for?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘if you want to tell me.’ ‘Well, we’d like to offer you the manager’s job.’ ‘That’s no problem, Peter, you can still come to the house.'”

Dalglish accepted the offer on the condition that Bob Paisley would be by his side for the first two years. The announcement was going to be made after the final against Juventus. The press however heard about it and on the morning of the final the back pages were covered with headlines saying Fagan was quitting and Dalglish would replace him. The Liverpool team returned to England in the middle of a media frenzy after 39 people died at the Heysel stadium. Liverpool held a press conference later that day presenting Dalglish as the new boss in the worst circumstances imaginable. Smith told the gathering: “Kenny is entering the managerial side for the first time and we have every reason to believe he will have a successful period in office. We feel we have a man of great ability on the field who has got an old head on young shoulders.”

One of the most successful teams in Europe was banned from taking part in European Cup for an undisclosed period and had lost the League title to neighbours Everton. Many questioned Liverpool’s decision to make Dalglish the first player-manager in the English First Division. One of his closest friends, Graeme Souness, had said in an interview with Scottish journalist Gerry McNee the year before, that he had a feeling that the next manager of Liverpool would be Kenny Dalglish: “People are a bit frightened of him. He growls at them, he makes them jump.” Dalglish was modest in face of this huge undertaking: “You can only do your best.” Then he added something prophetic: “I would be the first to realise if I wasn’t good enough and then I would confront it.”

When Dalglish looked around the manager’s office, his secretary, Sheila, who worked for all Liverpool managers from Paisley to Benítez, asked him if he wanted a new desk. Kenny describes the scene in his autobiography: “I looked around my new office and replied; ‘This was Bob’s desk, this was Joe’s chair. Why would I need new ones?’ ‘We are getting new office furniture.’ ‘Is it expensive?’ ‘Oh, yes,’ Sheila replied, ‘it’s quite a few quid.’ I said: ‘Just put a bar in, Sheila.’ So they installed a full-length bar, made of wood and formica.

Liverpool beat Arsenal comfortably 2-0 on the opening day of the 1985/86 season. Grobbelaar was in goal, Neal and Kennedy full-backs, Hansen and Lawrenson in the centre of the defence, Nicol, Whelan, Mølby and Beglin in midfield with Dalglish in front of them and Rush upfront. Dalglish took over a successful team but in the first part of the season he had to replace the victorious full-backs of the Paisley era; Neal and Kennedy, with Steve Nicol and Jim Beglin. Jan Mølby made 20 starts in his debut 1984/85 season when Liverpool struggled to replace Souness and Dalglish made him his playmaker. Dalglish signed midfield enforcer Steve McMahon from Aston Villa for £350,000 in September. Dalglish let Johnston and later Walsh to have a go in his own place. But despite a good run the team was nine points behind Manchester United that had won all their ten games, at the end of October. Liverpool had a good spell from the end of October to the end of November and managed to reduce the gap to two points. But a bad December and a bad February when the team drew three times and lost four games kept them away from the top. The media and the fans missed Dalglish and believed Liverpool would be better with him in the team at the age of 35. Champions Everton leapfrogged United to a five-point lead. A 2-0 derby loss to Everton turned out to be the turning point and Liverpool won 5 out of 6 games in March and when Steve McMahon scored both goals in the 2-0 win over Manchester City on 31 March the Reds were finally in the desired top position and with Dalglish back in the team conceded one goal and scored 24 in nine games. On the final day when they played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge Liverpool had 85 points versus Everton’s 83. After 23 minutes the game came to a conclusion, Beglin with a great pass to none other than Kenny Dalglish who controlled the ball and scored a great goal into the far corner. “Ah, it could easily have gone in the enclosure,” said Dalglish later, trying to decry the goal and his own part in the championship.

But the season wasn’t over, the big question was if Liverpool could do the same as Arsenal and become the second team that century to win both the League and the Cup in the same season. Their archrivals, Everton, wanted revenge but they couldn’t cope with Jan Mølby and Ian Rush who were marvellous as so often during the season and the double was secured in a fantastic game, 3-1 after Lineker had put Everton in front. It came as no surprise that Dalglish was voted the Manager of the Year.

Dalglish knew it would be difficult to repeat the success in the League and the Cup from the 1985/86 season. Liverpool fans didn’t know what to expect when it was announced that Ian Rush would be leaving for Juventus when the 1986/87 season was over. Liverpool were not consistent enough and at the turn of the year Arsenal had 48 points in first place with Liverpool trailing nine points behind in third place. Liverpool took 1987 by storm and won nine out of 11 League games, keeping six clean sheets and progressing in the League Cup. Liverpool had in mid-March gained a few points’ lead on their neighbours Everton with Arsenal falling by the wayside. It certainly looked like Liverpool would retain the title, but then the Reds lost three League games in a row. Everton took their chance and won the championship by a 9 points’ margin. Liverpool also lost the League Cup final 2-1 to Arsenal and finished the season empty handed for only the third time in 15 years.

Dalglish explained Liverpool’s failure: “The board had approached me at Christmas 1986 and said there was money available for players. I gave them the names of five players and I got four of them – Barnes, Beardsley, Houghton and Aldridge. It took time to buy these four. That was instrumental in 1986/87 being such a fruitless season at Anfield. It was my fault we didn’t win anything. I didn’t want to spend Liverpool’s money rashly. Bringing in any old player for a short-term tonic seemed irresponsible. I wanted to wait until those four quality players became available. That shows how supportive Liverpool’s directors were. They were also prepared to wait until the right players were ready. The Board knew Liverpool might not win anything that season but that I was planning for the future. Their patience was rewarded.”

Golden boy Rush went to Italy and not much had been seen of his replacement. John Aldridge, who had been signed in February, hadn’t played much as Dalglish intended to play another system with wide men the next season where he would fit in and become an important part of the team. But Dalglish also needed to replace one of the best players in the club’s history, Kenny Dalglish the player. He’d had his eye on John Barnes at Watford for a while. Barnes seemed to be waiting for an offer from Italy which never came. Barnes eventually signed for Liverpool for £900,000. Liverpool then paid a British record fee of £1.9 million to Newcastle for Peter Beardsley. Dalglish took a bit of a gamble and needed all his talent as manager to create a strong team spirit. After taking over from Joe Fagan before the 1984-1985 season he had slowly rebuilt the team on strong foundations laid by his predecessors with the ever helpful Bob Paisley by his side his first couple of years in management. The vintage of 1987-1988 was his team, taking a more adventurous approach to its games.

Highbury was to be the first stop in the new season and as soon as the ninth minute Liverpool showed what was to be expected. John Barnes with the cross and Aldridge headed home. Liverpool couldn’t play at Anfield for a few weeks because of sewage repairs underneath the Kop and had to play again away against Coventry. Nicol scored a brace, Aldridge scored from the spot and Beardsley his first goal for the club in a 4-1 victory. Coventry manager, John Sillett, said Liverpool’s performance was probably the finest he has ever seen in the First Division. Next was West Ham but a rare mistake by Hansen allowed the Hammers back into the game and the result was a draw. On 12 September Liverpool returned to Anfield and goals from Aldridge and Barnes against Oxford made the crowd go wild. The fans had no reason to keep quiet for the first 29 League games of the season. Nicol scored a hat trick against Newcastle and three consecutive 4-0 games followed against Derby, Portsmouth and the leaders QPR. Peter Shilton, the Derby goalie, was stunned by Liverpool’s performance: “This is the best Liverpool team I have ever played against.” Alan Ball, the Portsmouth manager, thanked Liverpool for the lesson: “It was a valuable experience for my team, it was a sheer joy to watch them in the second half. They have players that can play football and win games, I bet I could play for that team.”

Liverpool didn’t falter in the League until 20 March. The Reds had played 29 games, won 22, drawn 7, scored 65 goals and conceded 13. The bookies in England had stopped taking bets on who would win the title. Legends like Michel Platini praised their performance after watching them live defeat Arsenal 2-0 with breathtaking football. Liverpool had equalled Leeds’s record since 1974, but Everton and Wayne Clarke made sure Liverpool didn’t stay undefeated for 30 games. The bookies were relieved because they would have lost a fortune if Liverpool hadn’t lost a game throughout the season. Dalglish wasn’t amused: “As the final whistle signalled a 1-0 defeat, I felt so frustrated I kicked a bucket placed outside the dugouts at Goodison. It was plastic, so the side buckled and the water shot up all over me. I was soaked, standing there dripping as I congratulated the other bench: ‘Well done, Howard, well done, Colin.’ Drip, drip. I met Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey afterwards for a drink and they gave me some stick about the bucket.”

Liverpool were by no means out of steam despite the Merseyside derby defeat and saved their best for a 4th place Nottingham Forest team at Anfield on 13 April. Liverpool destroyed Forest 5-0 prompting Sir Tom Finney, one of the best players ever to play in England, to declare: “It was the finest exhibition I’ve seen the whole time I’ve played and watched the game. You couldn’t see it bettered anywhere, not even in Brazil. The moves they put together were fantastic.” The Chairman of Forest agreed and said it wouldn’t have made any difference who the opponents had been that night, no team in Europe would have stood a chance. On 23 April Beardsley scored the winner against Tottenham at Anfield and the title was secured with four games to go. The only disappointment was when Liverpool unexpectedly lost to Wimbledon in the FA Cup final and prevented another double.

Dalglish had got it right when signing players during the summer. Aldridge scored 29 goals in 45 games, Beardsley scored 18 in 48 games and John Barnes scored 17 in 48 and was voted the Player of the Year by both the media and the players. It didn’t come as a surprise that Dalglish was voted the Manager of the Year. Liverpool won the title in style and the way they played reflected their manager. This team played a more offensive football than the previous teams and was more about individual play of great players even though the team spirit was high. This was Kenny Dalglish’s team.

The build-up to the 1988/89 season wasn’t as expected. Peter Robinson was relaxing in the Spanish sun when he spotted a magazine article that said talented striker, Alexander Zavarov, was on his way to Juventus and that meant that there would be one foreign player too many. Robinson suspected, who would be left out and immediately phoned Dalglish. On 18 August, two days before Liverpool played Wimbledon in the Charity Shield, the press was stunned; Kenny Dalglish had just announced that Ian Rush had returned to Liverpool. The excitement before the season was great and the fans wondered how he was going to use Barnes, Beardsley, Aldridge and Rush in the same side. Rush was on the bench in the first League game against Charlton but replaced Beardsley in the second half. Aldridge reminded everyone who was the main goalscorer with a stunning hat trick. There was an important part of the defence missing, Hansen was injured, Lawrenson had retired and after only five games Grobbelaar got injured and was out for 25 games. Barnes missed a month through injury. Beardsley and Rush played up front but Rush still didn’t manage to score. He finally got on the scoresheet in the seventh game of the season against Walsall in the League Cup and then scored three goals in the next five. Some dissatisfaction became evident after the 2-1 loss against Nottingham Forest 26 October. This was the third loss of the season, one more than all of the season before. Dalglish’s decision to bring Rush back to Anfield seemed to have backfired. No player was contributing in front of the goal until mid-January. Aldridge had only scored 7 goals compared to 20 the year before, Barnes 6, Rush 5 and Beardsley 4. After 10 League rounds Liverpool were eight points behind Norwich in fourth place.

After a 3-1 loss to Manchester United on 1 January Dalglish had enough. He locked the door to the dressing room and let his frustration all out. He told his players off in no uncertain terms and later Ray Houghton revealed that he had never before seen Kenny this angry. Dalglish apologised for his outburst in training the following day, but another display like the one against Utd. would not be tolerated. Everyone had spoken their mind and it is safe to say that this was the turning point of the season. Liverpool won 16 out of the next 19 League games and drew three times. Aldridge scored 20 goals. Losing was not on the agenda.

The team was also doing well in the FA Cup but in the semi-finals against Nottingham Forest football got a whole new meaning for Kenny Dalglish. This was the third time Dalglish had witnessed a tragedy in a football stadium. When he was in the Celtic squad at the age of nineteen, 66 died at Ibrox, 39 died at Heysel and 96 Liverpool supporters died from injuries received at Hillsborough. The press and the supporters saw a new side to Dalglish. When the city of Liverpool needed someone strong to lead the city through these difficult times Dalglish was prepared. “I cannot even think of the name Hillsborough, even cannot say the word, without so may distressing memories flooding back. I don’t know how many funerals I went to. Marina and I went to four in one day. All the funerals were harrowing. All those families mourning the loss of their loved ones. Most of the church services ended with “You’ll never walk alone.” I couldn’t sing through any of the songs or hymns. I was too choked up. The words could never come out. I just stood there in a daze, still trying to come to terms with what had befallen the club and the people I had so admired. I did what I had to do after Hillsborough, certainly not through any delusions of grandeur.”

About two weeks later the Liverpool players tried to concentrate on football again. Liverpool beat Forest 3-1 in the replayed semi-final and fate would have it Everton would be their opponents in the final. Even though the FA Cup final is usually the biggest day of the season this day had a special meaning as both teams were from Liverpool. Rush was on the bench and Aldridge put Liverpool up front but Stuart McCall equalised less than a minute before the final whistle. Ian Rush came off the bench in overtime which turned out to be a good substitution. Rush scored two goals and Liverpool won the Cup for the second time under Dalglish.

Liverpool tried their best to concentrate on the title race. Three days after the Cup final Liverpool beat West Ham 5-1 at Anfield. The last League game was between the two top teams in the League at Anfield. Liverpool had 76 points but Arsenal 73. The goal difference for Liverpool was 65-26 (+39) but Arsenal’s 71-36 (+35). Liverpool could even lose but not with two goals, because Arsenal would then win the title with more goals scored. It was 0-0 at half-time and Liverpool were cruising. Alan Smith scored for Arsenal after 52 minutes. The clock kept on ticking, but in the final minute Arsenal attacked for the very last time with Michael Thomas scoring the deciding goal. 45 seconds passed after Liverpool started again and then the ref blew the final whistle. The Liverpool players got down onto the pitch and cried. Dalglish looked desperately at Moran and Evans. Nine months of hard work had gone down the drain with less than a minute remaining of the season.

This eventful season could hardly had ended in more dramatic circumstances leaving Dalglish out of breath, but the events at Hillsborough put matters in perspective: “When television realised in advance that the race was between Arsenal and Liverpool, they moved our fixture to the end of the season. It was a bad decision and one that probably cost us the title. Three big, tense games in six days takes a lot out of players. We were very disappointed not to win the League but Arsenal deserved to. They had one more goal than us. But if I was going to pick between the League or the FA Cup that week I would have picked the Cup because of Hillsborough. It meant a lot more to the people at that particular time that we won the Cup.”

Dalglish strengthened the defence with the Swede Glenn Hysen and decided to start with Aldridge on the bench in the beginning of the 1989/90 season. Dropping Aldridge in favour of Ian Rush seemed to be a strange decision since Aldridge had scored 20 goals in the last 22 games. Liverpool started this season on a winning note as it had finished the last. The Reds won eight out of their first 11 games and drew three times. Crystal Palace was beaten 9-0 as Liverpool broke the record for the most goals in a match in the top league. Liverpool had lost only one game out of 36 from 3 January to 14 October. But they lost four out of the next five games. Aldridge was unhappy on the bench and accepted an offer from Real Sociedad in Spain. Rush had scored six goals in 14 games. The supporters couldn’t understand how Dalglish could let a goalscorer like John Aldridge leave Anfield. But Liverpool returned on track and by mid-April it became clear that either Aston Villa or Liverpool would be champions. Liverpool had a one-point lead when the Israeli Ronny Rosenthal came on loan from Standard Liege in Belgium. He scored seven goals in eight games and Liverpool won the championship for the eighteenth time and Dalglish was Manager of the Year for the third time in five years. He hadn’t picked himself for the team on a regular basis since October 1986 and played his last-ever game when he came on as a substitute against Derby in the penultimate game of the season. One of the greatest players in the history of football had finally retired after playing a total of 837 games and as the most successful player in the history of the British Isles.

Liverpool started the 1990/91 season well and won their first eight League games with the goal difference of 19-5, including a 4-0 win over Man. Utd. They drew 1-1 against Norwich but then kept on going and won four League games in a row. Liverpool had a eight-point lead over Arsenal at the top. Liverpool conceded a late equaliser against Manchester City in a 2-2 draw and the press had a go at them. It didn’t seem to be a fair criticism of the team that had only dropped two points in middle of November. But the fans were also ruthless. Liverpool’s success had taken its toll. Many of the fans didn’t remember Liverpool other than crushing their opponent one way or the other. The Kop went quiet and the visiting fans sang “You’re supposed to be at home.” Liverpool played Arsenal, who had lost their last game 6-2 to Manchester United and everyone expected Liverpool to attack as usual. But Dalglish surprised everyone by not including the club’s top scorer, Peter Beardsley, in the squad and using a defensive formation to protect the lead at the top anyway he could. But Dalglish’s system of play didn’t work this time. Liverpool experienced their biggest loss in over a year, 3-0 and the media blamed one man. Dalglish refused to take responsibility and blamed the players for the result. Everyone who knew Dalglish were surprised that he had criticised his players in public, as he was always saying that it was the worst thing a manager could do to his players.

It’s fair to say that the press went over the top in their critique, because Liverpool had only lost three games at the turn of the year and were top of the League. But Dalglish knew his players were getting old. Gillespie was 31 and Beardsley, Nicol, McMahon, Whelan and Rush almost 30. Good young players were breaking through to the first team, but Fowler and McManaman were turning 16 and 19 that season respectively. Dalglish had established a powerful youth system in his first year in charge as manager and hired Heighway to run the project but none of the youngsters were quite up to it yet. Dalglish bought a young and promising lad from Bournemouth, Jamie Redknapp and then winger Jimmy Carter from Millwall. The fans soon realised that Carter wasn’t up to Liverpool standards. They had been knocked out of the Rumbelows Cup and twice won narrowly against teams from the Second Division in the FA Cup. David Speedie was signed but many believed the 31-year-old Scotsman was too old but his signing served its purpose in stopping the decline of the team. He scored in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United and two in a 3-1 win over Everton. Liverpool was drawn against Everton in the FA Cup at Anfield. The teams drew 1-1. Football expert Jimmy Hill wasn’t impressed: “They aren’t showing stability. The great technical players that used to be in the Liverpool midfield are probably turning in their graves seeing this average players of today.”

Everywhere Dalglish turned there was criticism. Three days later 37,000 attended Goodison Park to see the second leg. The game was a treat to the fans but agonising for Dalglish. Liverpool took the lead four times but Everton equalised every time, 4-4 draw the result. The Liverpool dressing room wasn’t a joyful place to be in after the game. Ronnie Moran told the players off like only he could do and the players argued among themselves. The outfield players told off the defence and you could hear the yelling out in the hallway. One man on the other hand stood there quiet by the dressing room wall and stared straigth ahead. The next morning Dalglish attended a meeting that was held every month with Chairman Noel White and Chief Executive Peter Robinson. Twenty minutes into the meeting Dalglish looked up and said: “I’m going to resign as Liverpool manager.” White and Robinson stared at each other and thought that they had misheard but Dalglish was certain. He complained about being tired and the stress he felt before games was becoming unbearable and he felt like his head was exploding. He often had headaches and was getting rashes all over his body. He had thought about quitting at the end of the previous season, but decided to continue in spite of obvious signs of stress. “I want to leave now, today.” Dalglish wanted out and nobody could talk him out of it.

22 February 1991 turned out to be a day to remember in the history of Liverpool. At 11 o’clock in the morning there was a press conference at Anfield. Most thought that John Barnes was on his way to Italy since there had been a persistent rumour about it in the press for weeks. Others thought that Liverpool might have bought some star player and one reporter joked Dalglish was probably going to resign after the 4-4 draw. Noel White, Peter Robinson, John Smith and two board members entered and then finally Kenny Dalglish, looking pale. Noel White started speaking right away: “Thank you for coming on such short notice. I’m going to read a short statement: With great regret I have to say that Kenny Dalglish has requested to the board of Liverpool to resign as manager.” Silence in the room. Nobody seemed to understand what he had just said. Everyone turned to the Scot. Dalglish spoke: “This is the first time since I came to the club that I take the interest of Kenny Dalglish over Liverpool Football Club. This is not a sudden decision. The worst I could have done was not to decide. One could argue that this decision hadn’t come at a good time but there is no good time in cases like this. The main problem is the pressure I put on myself because of my strong desire to succeed. The stress that comes right before and after games has got the better of me. Some might have difficulty understanding my decision but this decision stands. I would be betraying everyone if I wouldn’t let them know there is something wrong. I have been involved with football since I was 17. Twenty years with the two most successful teams in Britain, Celtic and Liverpool. I’ve been at the front all these years and it time to end it.”

Liverpool was in turmoil this day, the news spread quickly, people in the street thought the press was playing a joke on them when they stopped them in the street and told them the news. Everyone thought about the reason for him resigning. Liverpool were at the top of the League and still in the Cup and nothing seemed to be wrong with the team. At the Lime Street train station in Liverpool the announcer read the typical announcements about the delays of the train but this day he did things a bit differently and said: “Kenny Dalglish has resigned as Liverpool manager, I just thought you’d like to know that,” he then said apologetically. This reminded some of when Shankly had resigned in 1974 where the announcement came unexpected. Another Liverpool legend had gone from Anfield.

Top professional

Dalglish had always been a role model as a player. Sean Fallon who told Celtic about the boy listed Dalglish’s main qualities:

1) He was equally at ease with his left and right foot.
2) He had incredible confidence.
3) He had good balance. He jumped out of tackles and kept the ball.
4) He was always positive.
5) Competitive.
6) A model professional. He took good care of himself, didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, went to bed early and pushed himself in practice.

Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley both consider King Kenny to be the best player that has ever worn the Liverpool shirt. Paisley said: “Of all the players I have played alongside, managed and coached in more than forty years at Anfield, he is the most talented. When Kenny shines, the whole team is illuminated.”

Steven Gerrard

 

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Steven Gerrard

Gerrard at the 2012 European Championship
Personal information
Full name	Steven George Gerrard[1]
Date of birth	30 May 1980 (age 32)[1]
Place of birth	Whiston, Merseyside, England
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Liverpool
Number	8
Youth career
1987–1998	Liverpool
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–	Liverpool	411	(91)
National team‡
1999–2000	England U21	4	(1)
2000–	England	98	(19)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:35, 23 September 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19:00, 11 September 2012 (UTC)

Steven George Gerrard MBE (born 30 May 1980) is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool and theEngland national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfield role, but he has also been used as a second striker, holding midfielder and right winger.^[3]

Gerrard, who has spent his entire career at Anfield, made his début in 1998 and cemented his place in the first team in 2000, succeeding Sami Hyypiä as team captain in 2003. His honours include two FA Cups, three League Cups, two Community Shields, one Champions League, oneUEFA Cup, and two Super Cups.

Gerrard made his international debut in 2000, and has since represented England at the 2000 and 2004 European Championships, as well as the2006 World Cup – where he was the team’s top goalscorer with two goals – and the 2010 World Cup, where he first captained his country in the absence of regular captain Rio Ferdinand, who missed the tournament through injury.^[4] He was named as the permanent England captain shortly before the 2012 European Championship, where he was named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament.^[5]

Gerrard is widely regarded as one of the greatest English footballers ever, as well as one of the best midfielders of his generation. Gerrard came second only to Kenny Dalglish in the “100 Players Who Shook The Kop” – a Liverpool fan poll.^[6] Zinedine Zidane said in 2009 that he considered Gerrard one of the best footballers in the world.^[7] In 2005, Gerrard was honoured as the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and won the Ballon d’Or Bronze Award. Additionally, he has been named to the PFA Team of the Year seven times, the UEFA Team of the Year and FIFA World XI three times, and was named the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2009. In 2010, The Guardian named Gerrard to their World XI team, which compiled the greatest footballers of all time onto one squad. He is, to date, the only footballer ever to have scored a goal in an FA Cup Final, a League Cup Final, a UEFA Cup Final and a Champions League Final.

Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Liverpool career 2.1 Beginnings (1998–2003) 2.2 Struggles and uncertainty (2003–2004) 2.3 Breakthrough and trophies (2004–2007) 2.4 Continued success and stardom (2007–) 3 International career 3.1 Captain 3.2 International goals 4 Personal life 5 Career statistics 6 International career statistics 7 Honours 7.1 Club 7.2 Individual 8 References 9 External links

Early life

Born in Whiston, Merseyside,^[1] Gerrard started out playing for hometown team Whiston Juniors, where he was noticed by Liverpool scouts. He later joined the Liverpool Academy at the age of nine.^[8] Gerrard then had trials with various clubs at fourteen, but his success wasn’t immediate — Gerrard never made it into the England schoolboys’ team. Gerrard’s trials included Manchester United, which he claimed in his 2006 autobiography was “to pressure Liverpool into giving me a YTS contract.”^[9] He signed his first professional contract with Liverpool on 5 November 1997.^[9]

Liverpool career

Beginnings (1998–2003)

Gerrard made his Liverpool first-team debut on 29 November 1998 in a Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers as a last-minute substitute for Vegard Heggem.^[10] He made thirteen appearances in his debut season, filling in for injured captain Jamie Redknapp in centre-midfield.^[8] He also occasionally played on the right wing, but he scarcely contributed in the short on-pitch time he received, due to nervousness affecting his play.^[11] Gerrard recalled in a November 2008 interview with The Guardian, “I was out of position and out of my depth.” The Liverpool hierarchy nonetheless remained convinced that he would improve.^[11] Gerrard saw himself as a defensive player primarily, looking to make key tackles rather than push the team forward.^[10]

Gerrard began to regularly partner Redknapp in central midfield for the 1999-2000 season. After starting the derby against Everton on the bench, he replaced Robbie Fowler in the second half but received his first career red card for a late foul on Everton’s Kevin Campbell shortly afterwards.^[12] Later that season, Gerrard scored his first senior goal in a 4–1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.^[13] However, he began to suffer from nagging back problems, which sports consultant Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt later diagnosed as a result of accelerated growth, coupled with excessive playing, during his teenage years.^[9] He was then beset by groin injuries that required four separate operations.^[9]

Gerrard shooting for Liverpool

He went on to recover from this, and in the 2000–01 season made fifty starts in all competitions and scored ten goals as he won his first major honours with Liverpool – the FA Cup, League Cup, and the UEFA Cup. In the following season, he would go on to win both the FA Charity Shield and UEFA Super Cup.

Struggles and uncertainty (2003–2004)

After a year as Liverpool vice-captain, Gerrard replaced Sami Hyypiä as Liverpool captain in October 2003, as manager Gérard Houllier said that he recognised Gerrard had demonstrated leadership qualities early on, but needed to mature.^[14] He chose to extend his contract at the club, signing a new four-year deal.^[15]

Houllier resigned as Liverpool manager after a trophyless 2003–04 campaign, and Gerrard was linked with a move to Chelsea during the off-season. He admitted he was not “happy with the progress Liverpool has made”, and that “for the first time in my career I’ve thought about the possibility of moving on.”^[16] In the end, Gerrard turned down a £20 million offer from Chelsea to stay with Liverpool and new coach Rafael Benítez.^[17]

Breakthrough and trophies (2004–2007)

Liverpool were wracked with injury early in the 2004–05 season, and a foot injury suffered in a September league match against Manchester United shelved Gerrard until late November. He returned to score in the last five minutes of a Champions League group stage match against Olympiacos to secure Liverpool’s advancement to the knockout round.^[18] He claimed that this was his most important, if not his best, goal for Liverpool to date.^[19] However, Gerrard netted an own goal during the 2005 League Cup final on 27 February, which proved decisive in Liverpool’s 3–2 loss to Chelsea.^[20]

During a six-minute stretch in the second half of the 2005 Champions League final against A.C. Milan, Liverpool came back from a three-goal deficit to tie the match at 3–3 after extra time, with Gerrard scoring one of the goals. Liverpool’s third goal was gained as a penalty from a foul awarded to Liverpool when Gennaro Gattuso fouled Gerrard in Milan’s penalty box. Gerrard did not participate in the penalty shootout, which Liverpool won 3–2 as they claimed their first Champions League trophy in twenty years,^[21] though he was named the Man of the Match, and later received the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award.^[22]

In regards to his contract issues with Liverpool, Gerrard told the press after the final, “How can I leave after a night like this?”^[23] But negotiations soon stalled and on 5 July 2005, after Liverpool turned down another lucrative offer from Chelsea, Gerrard rejected a club-record £100,000-a-week offer. Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry conceded the club had lost Gerrard, saying, “Now we have to move on. We have done our best, but he has made it clear he wants to go and I think it looks pretty final.”^[24] The next day, Gerrard signed a new four-year deal as Parry blamed the earlier breakdown of talks on miscommunication between the two sides.^[25][26]

Gerrard scored 23 goals in 53 appearances in 2005–06, and in April became the first Liverpool player since John Barnes in 1988 to be voted the PFA Player of the Year.^[27] He scored twice in the2006 FA Cup Final against West Ham United, including an equalizer that sent the match into extra time, and Liverpool won their second consecutive major trophy on penalties. The goals made him the only player to have scored in the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup and Champions League finals.^[28] Gerrard netted a penalty as Liverpool eliminated league rival Chelsea in the 2006–07 Champions League semi-finals to return to their second final in three seasons, which they lost 2–1 to Milan.^[29][30]

Gerrard suffered a hairline toe fracture in an August 2007 Champions League qualifier against Toulouse,^[31] but returned four days later to play the entirety of a 1–1 league draw against Chelsea.^[32] On 28 October 2007, Gerrard played his 400th game for Liverpool in a league match against Arsenal, in which he scored.^[33][34] He scored in all but one of Liverpool’s domestic and European matches during the month of November, and after scoring the only goal in a Champions League away tie against Olympique de Marseille on 11 December, he became the first Liverpool player since John Aldridge in 1989 to score in seven consecutive games in all competitions.^[35]

Continued success and stardom (2007–)

Gerrard after scoring a hat-trick in theMerseyside Derby

Gerrard made his 300th Premier League appearance on 13 April 2008 in a match against Blackburn Rovers, scoring the opening goal,^[36][37] and finished the season with twenty-one goals in all competitions, surpassing his total from the 2006–07 season. Gerrard was selected for the PFA Team of the Year and he was also one of the nominees or the PFA Player of the Year, alongside teammate Fernando Torres.^[38][39]

Gerrard needed to undergo groin surgery at the beginning of the 2008–09 season, but the problem was not serious and he quickly returned to training.^[40] He scored what appeared to be his hundredth career Liverpool goal against Stoke City on 20 September, but it was disallowed after Dirk Kuyt was ruled offside.^[41] He achieved the milestone eleven days later in a 3–1 Champions League group stage win over PSV.^[42]

He made his 100th appearance in European club competition for Liverpool on 10 March 2009 against Real Madrid and scored twice in a 4–0 win.^[43]Four days after the impressive victory over Real, Gerrard would score at Old Trafford for the first time from the penalty spot, putting Liverpool ahead on their way to a 4–1 victory over Manchester United.^[44] Following these results, three-time FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane hailed the Liverpool skipper, saying “Is he the best in the world? He might not get the attention of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo but yes, I think he might be.”^[45] On 22 March 2009, Gerrard scored his first ever hat-trick in the Premier League, against Aston Villa, in a 5–0 victory.^[46]

On 13 May 2009, Gerrard was named as the 2009 Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, becoming the first Liverpool player to win the award in nineteen years. Gerrard had pipped Manchester United duo Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney in the poll voted for by journalists, beating Ryan Giggs by just 10 votes. Upon receiving the award, he was quoted as saying “I’m delighted but I’m a little bit surprised”, he commented. “When you look at the quality of the players there are in this league, it’s a great privilege to win this kind of award.”^[47] He ended the 2009–10 seasonwith a total of 12 goals and 9 assists from 46 matches.

Following the 2009–10 season, Rafael Benítez departed Liverpool after six years and was succeeded as manager by Roy Hodgson, who quickly assured fans that Gerrard would not be sold.[2]To further eliminate any speculation surrounding his future at the club, Gerrard made a statement emphasising his excitement at the coming season with Liverpool and praising the signing of Joe Cole.^[48] Gerrard soon played his first pre-season match of the 2010–11 season against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 1 August 2010 alongside new signing Joe Cole.^[49]

Gerrard before Jamie Carragher’s testimonial

Gerrard scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season from the penalty spot in a Europa League qualifier against Macedonian side FK Rabotnički on 5 August 2010.^[50]

His next two goals came on 19 September at Old Trafford in a 3–2 loss against Manchester United; he scored from a penalty kick in the 64th minute and a free-kick 6 minutes later to level the game at 2–2.^[51] He followed this up one week later with the second equaliser in a 2–2 home draw with Sunderland.^[52] Eleven days later, Gerrard came off the bench to score a second-half hat-trick in a 3–1 win over Napoli in the UEFA Europa League.^[53]

Gerrard missed the start of the 2011–2012 season due to groin injury, which had kept him out of action for large parts of the 2010–2011 season as well.^[54]Gerrard would eventually make his first start for Liverpool squad in an October match at Anfield against fierce rivals Manchester United. Gerrard scored Liverpool’s only goal in the match, from a direct free kick, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

On 29 October, Gerrard underwent a treatment to clear an infection in his right ankle, which was placed in a protective plaster cast. He was forced to miss Liverpool’s league match against West Bromwich that day and was ruled out for at least the following week’s match against Swansea City the following week and England’s friendly matches against Sweden and Spain the week after.^[55] After a prolonged ankle injury recuperation, Gerrard finally returned to regular first team action in the match against Blackburn Rovers, coming off the bench. On 30 December, Gerrard came off the bench against Newcastle United and scored a fine goal.^[56]

Gerrard went on to help Liverpool to reach their first cup final in 6 years, and their first at Wembley Stadium in 18 years, as Liverpool beat Manchester City 3–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals. Gerrard scored a penalty in both legs to send Liverpool to the Carling Cup Final against Cardiff City on 26 February 2012, which Liverpool won on penalties.^[57][58][59] On his 400th Premier League appearance for Liverpool, Gerrard scored a hat-trick to give Liverpool a 3–0 victory over rivals Everton in the Merseyside Derby on 13 March 2012.^[60] On 18 August 2012, Gerrard played his 250th match as Liverpool captain.^[61] He scored his first Premier League goal of the season on 23 September, opening the scoring in a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United.^[62] His second goal came in the following game, scoring in a 5-2 win against Norwich City at Carrow Road.^[63]

International career

Gerrard playing alongside
Franck Ribéry at Euro 2012

Gerrard made his international debut against Ukraine on 31 May 2000.^[64] That summer, he was called up for Euro 2000, making only one appearance as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Germany before England were eliminated in the group stage.^[65][66] Gerrard scored his first international goal in the famous 5–1 victory over Germany in a 2002 World Cup qualifier in September 2001, and while England qualified, Gerrard was forced to pull out of the squad due to his ongoing groin problems after pulling up in Liverpool’s final match of the season against Ipswich.^[67]

Gerrard scored his second goal for the national team in the Euro 2004 qualifier against Macedonia on 16 October 2002 in a 2-2 draw, his third goal was the opener in a 2-1 win over Serbia and Montenegro on 3 June 2013.^[68] He was a regular starter in Euro 2004, scoring once to make it 3-0 in England’s win over Switzerland in the second Group game of the tournament but England would fortunately go onto be eliminated by the tournament hostsPortugal in the quarter-finals losing 6-5 on penalties in a match when Gerrard was substituted off in the 81st minute for Owen Hargreaves.^[69]

He participated in his first World Cup in 2006 and scored two goals, both in the group stage, against Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden, although his spot kick was one of three saved by goalkeeper Ricardo as England again bowed out to Portugal in the quarter-finals on penalties.^[70] He was England’s top scorer in the tournament.

Gerrard was made vice-captain of the England team by coach Steve McClaren,^[71] and while he filled in for John Terry as captain, England suffered back-to-back losses to Russia and Croatia that ended their Euro 2008 qualifying hopes.^[72] After new coach Fabio Capello took over the team in early 2008, Gerrard was given a trial run as captain but Capello settled on Terry for the role.^[73][74]Gerrard was subsequently replaced as England vice-captain by Rio Ferdinand.^[75]

Gerrard helped England qualify for the 2010 World Cup, scoring two goals in England’s 5–1 win over Croatia.^[76] John Terry was replaced by Rio Ferdinand as captain in 2010, following revelations about the former’s private life,^[77] and Gerrard subsequently became vice-captain again. When the England team left for the 2010 World Cup, Gerrard was the most experienced player in the squad with 80 caps. During preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, however, Rio Ferdinand was injured, meaning that Gerrard was appointed by Capello as captain for the tournament.^[4] After the tournament Gerrard, part of a group of England players dubbed the “Golden Generation“, confirmed that he would continue to be available for selection, despite suggestions from Capello that he would seek to re-build the team.^[78]

Captain

In August 2010, Gerrard scored twice in a friendly match against Hungary and helped England to a 2–1 win.^[79] Due to Ferdinand’s continued absence through injury, Gerrard retained the captaincy for the opening match of the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign against Bulgaria, which England won 4–0. He was later named permanent captain by new coach Roy Hodgson, in time for the Euro 2012. This was the first time that he was named directly the captain of England and not in place of an injured or unavailable captain.^[80] He provided three assists and won two man of the match awards to help England finish top of their group in the qualifying round, and go through to the quarter-finals. Despite their exit on penalties to Italy, Gerrard was later the only England player to be named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament.

International goals

Scores and results list England’s goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	1 September 2001	Olympiastadion, Germany	Germany	2–1	5–1	2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifying[81]
2	16 October 2002	St Mary’s Stadium, England	Macedonia	2–2	2–2	UEFA Euro 2004 Qualifying[82]
3	3 June 2003	Walkers Stadium, England	Serbia and Montenegro	1–0	2–1	Friendly[83]
4	17 June 2004	Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Portugal	Switzerland	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2004[84]
5	4 September 2004	Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Austria	Austria	2–0	2–2	2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying[85]
6	30 March 2005	St James’ Park, England	Azerbaijan	1–0	2–0	2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying[86]
7	30 May 2006	Old Trafford, England	Hungary	1–0	3–1	Friendly[87]
8	15 June 2006	Frankenstadion, Germany	Trinidad and Tobago	2–0	2–0	2006 FIFA World Cup[88]
9	20 June 2006	RheinEnergie Stadion, Germany	Sweden	2–1	2–2	2006 FIFA World Cup[89]
10	2 September 2006	Old Trafford, England	Andorra	2–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying[90]
11	28 March 2007	Olympic Stadium, Spain	Andorra	1–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2008 Qualifying[91]
12				2–0
13	28 May 2008	Wembley Stadium, England	United States	2–0	2–0	Friendly[92]
14	15 October 2008	Dinamo Stadium, Belarus	Belarus	1–0	3–1	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying[93]
15	9 September 2009	Wembley Stadium, England	Croatia	2–0	5–1	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
16				4–0
17	12 June 2010	Royal Bafokeng Stadium, South Africa	United States	1–0	1–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
18	11 August 2010	Wembley Stadium, England	Hungary	1–1	2–1	Friendly[94]
19				2–1

Personal life

Gerrard is a practising Catholic.^[95] He and his wife, fashion journalist Alex Curran, married in a Catholic^[95] ceremony at the Cliveden mansion in Buckinghamshire on 16 June 2007.^[96][97] He has an older brother, Paul (not to be confused with former Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard), and his cousin Anthony Gerrard plays for Huddersfield Town. Steven and Alex have three daughters, Lilly-Ella (born 23 February 2004), Lexie (9 May 2006) and Lourdes (born 2 November 2011).^[98]

In September 2006, Gerrard published his autobiography, Gerrard: My Autobiography, ghost-written by journalist Henry Winter, which went on to win the Sports Book of the Year honour at theBritish Book Awards.^[99]

The autobiography ends with “I play for Jon-Paul.” Gerrard’s cousin, Jon-Paul Gilhooley, was killed in the 1989 Hillsborough Tragedy, when Gerrard was eight. Jon-Paul, who was 10 when he died, was the youngest of the 96 victims of the tragedy.^[100]“It was difficult knowing one of your cousins had lost his life”, Gerrard said. “Seeing his family’s reaction drove me on to become the player I am today.”^[101]

On 1 October 2007, Gerrard was involved in a low-speed collision in Southport when the car he was driving hit a ten-year-old cyclist, who had shot into the street and inadvertently crossed Gerrard’s path. He later visited the boy in the hospital and presented him with a pair of boots signed by Wayne Rooney, the boy’s favourite player, after which he stayed to sign autographs for other young patients.^[102]

Councillors of Knowsley voted to make Gerrard a Freeman of the Borough on 13 December 2007,^[103] and two weeks later, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire by The Queen in The Queen’s New Year Honours List, for services to sport.^[104] He received an honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University on 26 July 2008 as recognition for his contribution to sport.^[105]

On 29 December 2008, Gerrard was taken into custody outside the Lounge Inn in Southport on suspicion of a section 20 assault.^[106] He and two others were later charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray, relating to an incident which left the bar’s disc jockey with a broken tooth and cuts to his forehead.^[107][108] The three men were given police to court bailand were required to appear at North Sefton Magistrates’ Court on 23 January 2009,^[108] where they all pleaded not guilty.^[109] The case was adjourned until 20 March when the assault charge was dropped but Gerrard was required to attend Liverpool Crown Court to face trial for affray.^[110] On 3 April, Gerrard pleaded not guilty.^[111]

The case went to trial in Liverpool Crown Court. Gerrard’s co-defendants pleaded guilty before the trial but Gerrard maintained his innocence. Gerrard admitted hitting Marcus McGee but claimed it was in self-defence and on 24 July, Gerrard was found not guilty by the jury. Following the verdict, Gerrard said he was looking forward to getting back to playing football and putting the experience behind him.^[112]

In 2011 Gerrard appeared in the film Will.

A newly opened hotel located in Indonesia in 2011 was named Stevie G in honour of him by the Liverpool supporting owners.^[113]

Career statistics

As of 7 October 2012.

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
England			League		FA Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1998–99	Liverpool	Premier League	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	13	0
1999–2000			29	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	31	1
2000–01			33	7	4	1	4	0	9	2	50	10
2001–02			28	3	2	0	0	0	15	1	45	4
2002–03			34	5	2	0	6	2	11	0	54*	7
2003–04			34	4	3	0	2	0	8	2	47	6
2004–05			30	7	0	0	3	2	10	4	43	13
2005–06			32	10	6	4	1	1	12	7	53^	23^
2006–07			36	7	1	0	1	1	12	3	51*	11
2007–08			34	11	3	3	2	1	13	6	52	21
2008–09			31	16	3	1	0	0	10	7	44	24
2009–10			33	9	2	1	1	0	13	2	49	12
2010–11			21	4	1	0	0	0	2	4	24	8
2011–12			18	5	6	2	4	2	0	0	28	9
2012–13			7	2	0	0	0	0	4	1	11	3
Country	England		412	91	35	12	24	9	120	39	595	152
Total			412	91	35	12	24	9	120	39	595	152

* Includes appearance in the FA Community Shield

^ Includes two appearances and one goal in the FIFA Club World Championship

International career statistics

As of 11 September 2012.^[114]

England national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2000	2	0
2001	6	1
2002	5	1
2003	8	1
2004	10	2
2005	8	1
2006	13	4
2007	11	2
2008	7	2
2009	7	2
2010	12	3
2011	0	0
2012	9	0
Total	98	19

Honours

Club

• FA Cup (2): 2000–01, 2005–06
• League Cup (3): 2000–01, 2002–03, 2011–12
• FA Community Shield (2): 2001, 2006
• UEFA Champions League (1): 2004–05
• UEFA Cup (1): 2000–01
• UEFA Super Cup (2): 2001, 2005

Individual

• FWA Footballer of the Year (1): 2009
• PFA Players’ Player of the Year (1): 2006
• PFA Young Player of the Year (1): 2001
• PFA Fans’ Player of the Year (2): 2001, 2009
• PFA Team of the Year (7): 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Premier League Player of the Month Award (5): March 2001, March 2003, December 2004, April 2006, March 2009
• Standard Chartered Player of the Month Award (1): March 2012
• Liverpool Top Goalscorer (3): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09
• Ballon d’Or Bronze Award (1): 2005
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (1): 2005
• UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match (1): 2005
• UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament (1): 2012
• UEFA Team of the Year (3): 2005, 2006, 2007
• FIFA/FIFPro World XI (3): 2007, 2008, 2009
• FA Cup Final Man of the Match (1): 2006
• Goal of the Season (1): 2006
• England Player of the Year (1): 2007
• Member of the Order of the British Empire: 2007
• Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University: 2008
• BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award – 3rd Place: 2005

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Steven Gerrard

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Steven Gerrard

• Steven Gerrard – FIFA competition record
• Official LFC profile
• BBC Sport profile
• Steven Gerrard career stats at Soccerbase
• Steven Gerrard profile at Carling.com
• Profile and stats at LFChistory.net
• ESPN profile

Sporting positions
Preceded by Sami Hyypiä	Liverpool F.C. Captain 2003–	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by John Terry	England National Team Captain 2012–	Succeeded by Incumbent

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Categories:

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Messi

Messi playing for Barcelona
Personal information
Full name	Lionel Andrés Messi[1]
Date of birth	24 June 1987 (age 25)[1]
Place of birth	Rosario, Argentina[1]
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	Barcelona
Number	10
Youth career
1995–2000	Newell’s Old Boys
2000–2003	Barcelona
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003–2004	Barcelona C	8	(5)
2004–2005	Barcelona B	22	(6)
2004–	Barcelona	221	(177)
National team‡
2004̣–2005	Argentina U20	18	(14)
2008	Argentina U23	5	(2)
2005–	Argentina	73	(28)
Honours[show]
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:25, 7 October 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:30, 8 September 2012 (UTC)

Lionel Andrés Messi (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾes ˈmesi], born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine footballer who plays for La Liga club FC Barcelona and is the captain of the Argentina national team, playing mainly as a forward. He is Barcelona’s all-time top scorer in all official club competitions, excluding friendlies.^[2] By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year in 2009 he won the Ballon d’Or^[3] and FIFA World Player of the Year, and the inaugural FIFA Ballon d’Or in 2010 and 2011.^[4] He also won the 2010–11 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.

Messi is the fourth football player to win three Ballons d’Or, and the second player to win three consecutive Ballons d’Or. Messi has won five La Ligas, two Copas del Rey, five Supercopas de España, three Champions Leagues, two Super Cups and two Club World Cups. In 2012, Messi madeUEFA Champions League history by becoming the first player to score five goals in one match.^[5] He also matched José Altafini‘s record of 14 goals in a single Champions League season.^[6] He also became the first player to top-score in four successive Champions League campaigns.^[7][8] He set the world record for most goals scored in a season during the 2011–12 season, with 73 goals.^[9] In the same season, he set the current goalscoring record in a single La Liga season, scoring 50 goals.^[10]

Messi was the top scorer of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship with six goals. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in theFIFA World Cup and he won a runners-up medal at the Copa América tournament the following year, in which he was elected young player of the tournament.^[11] In 2008, he won his first international honour, an Olympic gold medal, with the Argentina Olympic football team. Sportspro has rated Lionel Messi as the third most marketable athlete in the world.^[12] His playing style and stature have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his “successor“.^{[13][14][15][16][17]}

Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Club career 2.1 Barcelona 2.1.1 2005–06 season 2.1.2 2006–07 season 2.1.3 2007–08 season 2.1.4 2008–09 season 2.1.5 2009–10 season 2.1.6 2010–11 season 2.1.7 2011–12 season 2.1.8 2012–13 season 3 International career 3.1 2006 World Cup 3.2 2007 Copa América 3.3 2008 Summer Olympics 3.4 2010 World Cup 3.5 2011 Copa América 4 Style of play 5 Outside football 5.1 Personal life 5.2 Charity 5.3 Wealth 5.4 Media 6 Career statistics 6.1 Career totals 6.2 Club 6.2.1 Youth team 6.2.2 Senior team 6.2.3 Goals Against Spanish Clubs 6.2.4 Goals Against European Clubs 6.2.5 Goals Against Clubs Outside Europe 6.3 International 6.3.1 By year 6.3.2 Under–20 6.3.3 Under–23 6.3.4 Senior team 6.4 Hat-tricks 6.4.1 List 6.4.2 Club 6.4.3 International 7 Honours 7.1 Barcelona 7.2 Argentina 7.3 Individual 7.4 Records 8 References 9 External links

Early life

Messi was born in Rosario, Santa Fe Province, to parents Jorge Horácio Messi, a factory steel worker, and Celia María Cuccittini, a part-time cleaner.^{[18][19][20][21]} His paternal family originates from the Italian city of Ancona, from which his ancestor, Angelo Messi, emigrated to Argentina in 1883.^[22][23] He has two older brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, and a sister, María Sol.^[24] At the age of five, Messi started playing football for Grandoli, a local club coached by his father Jorge.^[25] In 1995, Messi switched to Newell’s Old Boys who were based in his home city Rosario.^[25] He became part of a local youth powerhouse that lost only one match in the next four years and became locally known as “The Machine of ’87”, from the year of their birth.^[26]

At the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.^[27] Local powerhouse River Plate showed interest in Messi’s progress, but did not have enough money to pay for treatment for his condition, which cost $900 a month.^[21] Carles Rexach, the sporting director of FC Barcelona, had been made aware of his talent as Messi had relatives in Lleida and Messi and his father were able to arrange a trial with the team.^[21] Rexach, with no other paper at hand, offered Messi a contract written on a paper napkin.^[28][29] Barcelona offered to pay for Messi’s medical bills if he was willing to move to Spain. Messi and his father moved to Barcelona where Messi enrolled in the club’s youth academy.^[25][29]

Club career

Barcelona

Messi played in Barcelona’s junior Infantil B and Cadete B & A teams from 2000 to 2003 (scoring 37 goals in 30 matches in Cadete A). Season 2003–04 saw him on a record^[30] five different teams: He started one match in Juvenil B (one goal) and got promoted to Juvenil A (14 matches, 21 goals). Later he debuted for FC Barcelona C team (Tercera División) on 29 November 2003 and for FC Barcelona B (Segunda División B) on 6 March 2004. He played for both teams during the season (eight matches, five goals and five games, zero goals, respectively).^[31][32][33] Even before these two debuts, Messi made his official debut for the first-team on 16 November 2003 aged 16 years and 145 days, in a friendly match against Porto.^[34][35]

Less than a year after his start, Frank Rijkaard gave him his league debut against RCD Espanyol on 16 October 2004 (at 17 years and 114 days), becoming the third-youngest player ever to play for Barcelona and youngest club player who played in La Liga, which would be broken by Bojan Krkić in September 2007. When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balompié on 1 May 2005, Messi was 17 years, ten months and seven days old, becoming the youngest to ever score in a La Liga game for Barcelona^[36] until it was again broken by Bojan Krkić in 2007, scoring from a Messi assist.^[37] Messi said about his ex-coach Rijkaard: “I’ll never forget the fact that he launched my career, that he had confidence in me while I was only sixteen or seventeen.”^[38] During the season, Messi played also in Barcelona B (Segunda División B) scoring 6 goals in 17 matches.

2005–06 season

On 16 September, for the second time in three months, Barcelona announced an update to Messi’s contract; this time it was improved to pay him as a first team member and extended until June 2014.^[25] Messi obtained Spanish citizenship on 26 September 2005^[39] and was finally able to make his debut in the season‘s Spanish First Division. Messi’s first home outing in the Champions League came on 27 September against Italian club Udinese.^[34] Fans at Barcelona’s stadium, the Camp Nou, gave Messi a standing ovation upon his substitution, as his composure on the ball and passing combinations with Ronaldinho had paid dividends for Barcelona.^[40]

Messi netted six goals in 17 league appearances, and scored one Champions League goal in six. His season ended prematurely on 7 March 2006, however, when he suffered a muscle tear in his right thigh during the second leg of the second round Champions League tie against Chelsea.^[41] Rijkaard’s Barcelona ended the season as champions of Spain and Europe.^[42][43]

2006–07 season

Messi in a match against Rangers in 2007

In the 2006–07 season, Messi established himself as a regular first team player, scoring 14 times in 26 matches.^[44] On 12 November, in the game againstReal Zaragoza, Messi suffered a broken metatarsal, ruling him out for three months.^[45][46] On 10 March, El Clásico saw Messi in top form, scoring a hat-trick to earn 10-man Barcelona a 3–3 draw, equalising three times, with the final equaliser coming in injury time.^[47] In doing so he became the first player since Iván Zamorano (for Real Madrid in the 1994–95 season) to score a hat-trick in El Clásico.^[48] Messi is also the youngest player ever to have scored in this fixture. Towards the end of the season he began finding the net more often; 11 of his 14 league goals for the season came from the last 13 games.^[49]

Messi shortly before scoring a goal against Getafe

Messi also proved the “new Maradona” tag was not all hype, by nearly replicating Maradona’s most famous goals in the space of the single season.^[50] On 18 April 2007, he scored two goals during a Copa del Rey semi-final againstGetafe CF, one of which was very similar to Maradona’s famous goal against England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, known as the Goal of the Century.^[51] The world’s sports press drew comparisons with Maradona, and the Spanish press labelled Messi as “Messidona”.^[52] He ran about the same distance, 62 metres (203 ft), beat the same number of players (six, including the goalkeeper), scored from a very similar position, and ran towards the corner flag just as Maradona did in Mexico 21 years before.^[50] In a press conference after the game, Messi’s team-mate Deco said: “It was the best goal I have ever seen in my life.”^[53] Against RCD Espanyol Messi also scored a goal which was remarkably similar to Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the World Cup quarter-finals. Messi launched himself at the ball and connected with his hand to guide the ball past the goalkeeper Carlos Kameni.^[54] Despite protests by Espanyol players and replays showing it was clear handball, the goal stood.^[54] During his time at Barcelona, manager Frank Rijkaard decided to move Messi from the left flank onto the right wing, initially against the player’s wishes, allowing him to cut into the centre of the pitch and shoot or cross with his left foot.^[55]

2007–08 season

Messi takes Barcelona to 2–0 against Sevilla at Camp Nou on 22 September 2007

On 27 February, Messi played in his 100th official match for Barcelona against Valencia CF.^[56]

Messi was nominated for a FIFPro World XI Player Award under the category of Forward.^[57] A poll conducted in the online edition of the Spanish newspaper Marca had him as the best player in the world with 77 percent of the vote.^[58] Columnists from Barcelona-based newspapers El Mundo Deportivoand Sport stated that the Ballon d’Or should be given to Messi, a view supported by Franz Beckenbauer.^[59] Football personalities such as Francesco Tottihave declared that they consider Messi to be one of the current best footballers in the world.^[60] Messi finished third in the 2007 Ballon d’Or, behind Kakàand Cristiano Ronaldo, and finished second in the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year award, once again behind Kakà. He also came in third in the IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker Award, once again behind Kakà and Andrea Pirlo.^[61]

Messi was sidelined for six weeks following an injury on 4 March when he suffered a muscle tear in his left thigh during a Champions League match againstCeltic FC. It was the fourth time in three seasons that Messi suffered this type of injury.^[62] Messi scored 6 goals and provided 1 assist during the Champions League that season, as Barcelona were knocked out in the semi-finals, to the eventual winners Manchester United. When the season was over Messi had managed to score 16 goals and assisted 13 times in all competitions.

2008–09 season

Upon Ronaldinho‘s departure from the club, Messi inherited his number 10 jersey.^[63] During this season he placed second in the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year awards with 678 points and third in the 2008 IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker Award for the second consecutive year.^[64]

Michael Carrick defending a shot from Messi in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final

Messi scored his first hat-trick of 2009 in a Copa del Rey tie against Atlético Madrid which Barcelona won 3–1.^[65]Messi scored another important double on 1 February 2009, coming on as a second half substitute to help Barcelona defeat Racing Santander 1–2 after being 1–0 down. The second of the two strikes was Barcelona’s 5000th league goal.^[66] On 8 April 2009, he scored twice against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, setting a personal record of eight goals in the competition.^[67]

As Barcelona’s season was drawing to a close, Messi scored twice (his 35th and 36th goals in all competitions) to cap a 6–2 win over Real Madrid at theSantiago Bernabéu^[68] in what was Real’s heaviest defeat since 1930.^[69] He won his first Copa del Rey on 13 May, scoring one goal and assisting another two, in a 4–1 victory over Athletic Bilbao.^[70] He helped his team win the double by winning La Liga. On 27 May he helped Barcelona win the Champions League by scoring a second goal in the 70th minute giving Barcelona a two goal lead; he also became the top scorer in the Champions League, the youngest in the tournament’s history, with nine goals.^[71] Messi also won the UEFA Club Forward of the Year: and the UEFA Club Footballer of the Yearrounding off a spectacular year in Europe.^[72] This victory meant Barcelona had won the Copa del Rey, La Liga and Champions League in the one season,^[73] and was the first time a Spanish club had ever won the treble.^[74] Messi finished the season with 38 goals and 18 assists in all competitions.

2009–10 season

“The Maradona and Pelé polemics will end.”

 —Diego Maradona, on the consequences if Messi won the 2010 World Cup ^[75]

After winning the 2009 UEFA Super Cup, Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola asserted that Messi was probably the best player he had ever seen.^[76] This would also be the season in which Guardiola would first move Messi from the position of right winger into his now iconic “false-9” role in the centre of the front line at Barcelona.^[77] On 18 September, Messi signed a new contract with Barcelona, running until 2016 and with a buy-out clause of €250 million included, making Messi, then along with Zlatan Ibrahimović, the highest paid players in La Liga, with earnings of around €9.5 million yearly.^[78][79]

Messi was named winner of the 2009 Ballon d’Or on 1 December 2009, beating runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo by largest ever margin of 473 to 233.^[80][81][82] He also placed 2nd in the 2009 IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker Award.^[83] behind team mate Xavi.

Messi at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup

On 19 December, Messi scored the winner in the final of the 2009 Club World Cup against Estudiantes in Abu Dhabi, giving the club their sixth title of the year.^[84] Two days later, he was given the FIFA World Player of the Year award,^[85] beating Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi, Kaká and Andrés Iniesta to the award. This was the first time he had won the award, and he became the first Argentinian to ever receive this honour.^[86] On 10 January 2010, Messi scored his first hat-trick in 2010 and his first hat-trick of the season against CD Tenerife in the 0–5 victory,^[87] and on 17 January he scored his 100th goal for the club in the 4–0 victory over Sevilla FC.^[88]

Messi scored a hat-trick against Valencia CF in a 3–0 home win,^[89] and finally he scored another hat-trick against Real Zaragoza in a 4–2 away win,^[90]becoming the first Barcelona player to score back-to-back hat-tricks in La Liga.^[91] He played his 200th official match for Barcelona against CA Osasuna on 24 March 2010.^[92]

“Once he’s on the run, Messi is unstoppable. He’s the only player who can change direction at such a pace.”He is the best player in the world by some distance. He’s (like) aPlayStation. He can take advantage of every mistake we make.”

Arsène Wenger after Barcelona won 4–1 against Arsenal^[93][94]

On 6 April 2010, for the first time in Messi’s career he scored four goals in a single match, netting the lot in a 4–1 home win over Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final second leg.^[95][96] This also saw him overtake Rivaldo as Barcelona’s all time greatest scorer in the competition.^[97] In the final league match of the season against Valladolid, he scored two goals in the second half to tie Ronaldo’s club record of 34 goals in a single league season, set in 1996–97,^[98][99] and to finish four goals behind the all-time record held by Telmo Zarra.^[100] He was named La Liga player of the year for the second year in a row on 3 June 2010.^[101] He finished the season with 47 goals in all competitions, tying Ronaldo‘s record from the 1996-97 season, and he provided 11 assists.^[102]

2010–11 season

On 21 August 2010, Messi scored a hat-trick in his first start of the season in a 4–0 victory over Sevilla FC in the Supercopa de España, helping Barcelona secure their first trophy of the season after a 1–3 first leg loss.^[103]

On 19 September 2010, Messi suffered an ankle injury due to an ill-advised tackle by Atlético Madrid defender Tomáš Ujfaluši in the 92nd minute of their Round 3 match at the Vicente Calderón Stadium. At first sight it was feared that Messi suffered a broken ankle that could have kept the star player away from the pitch for a minimum of six months, but MRI performed the next day in Barcelona showed he suffered a sprain in the internal and external ligaments of his right ankle.^[104] Team-mate David Villa stated “the tackle on Messi was brutal” after watching the video of the play and also added that he believed the Atlético defender “didn’t go into the tackle to hurt”.^[105] The incident caused widespread media attention and brought up the debate of equality in protecting all players in the game.

Against Almería Messi scored his second hat-trick of the season in an impressive 8–0 away win, the second of which was his 100th La Liga goal.^[106]

Messi playing against Real Madrid in a Champions League match

Messi won the 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or, beating his Barcelona teammates Xavi and Iniesta.^[107] Messi had been nominated for the awards for the fourth consecutive year.^[108] On 5 February, Barcelona broke the record for most consecutive league wins with 16 victories after they defeated Atlético Madrid 3–0 at the Camp Nou.^[109] Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to ensure the victory for his side and after the match he stated, “it’s an honor to be able to pass a record set by a great like Di Stéfano” and “if the record has been around for so long is because it’s very complicated to achieve and we have reached it by defeating a very difficult team who’s going through a bad situation, which makes it even more difficult.”^[110]

After failing to score for a month he scored a brace against UD Almería; the second goal was his 47th of the season, equalling his club record return of the previous season.^[111] He surpassed his record on 12 April 2011 by scoring the winner against Shakhtar Donetsk in a UEFA Champions League game, which put him in the record book as all time top scorer in a single season for Barcelona.^[112] He scored his eighth goal on El Clásico on a 1–1 tie at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. On 23 April, Messi scored his 50th goal of the season against CA Osasuna in a 2–0 home victory which he came on as a substitute in the 60th minute.^[113] He finished the season by winning La Liga and scoring 31 goals as he finished runner-up in the Pichichi trophy to Cristiano Ronaldo, who had managed to score 40. Messi finished the league season as the top assist provider with 18 assists.

On 20 April, Barcelona were defeated by arch-rivals Real Madrid in the 2011 Copa del Rey Final. Messi set up a goal for Pedro, which was however ruled offside. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal of the match in extra time. Messi was however the joint top-scorer of the tournament along with Cristiano Ronaldo, with 7 goals.^{[114][115][116]}

In the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, he gave a memorable performance, scoring twice against Real Madrid in a 2–0 win, the second goal (a dribble past several players) being acclaimed as one of the best ever at that stage of the competition.^[117][118] At the Champions League Final at Wembley, Messi scored the eventual game-clinching goal to give Barcelona their third title in six years and fourth overall.^[119] This was also Messi’s 12th goal in the Champions League that season, which allowed him to tie Ruud Van Nistelrooy‘s record of 12 goals in a single European Cup season, after it was re-established as the UEFA Champions League, in 1992.^[120] The overall record of goals scored in a single European Cup Season, is José Altafini‘s record of 14 goals, which Messi did however equal in the following season.^[121] Messi finished the 2010-11 season with 53 goals and 24 assists in all competitions combined.

2011–12 season

Messi started the season by lifting the Spanish Supercup with Barcelona, scoring three goals and providing two assists in a 5–4 aggregate win against Real Madrid.^[122] His vital interventions continued in the next official match played against Porto when he scored again following a weak back pass from Fredy Guarín before setting up Cesc Fàbregas to give Barcelona a 2–0 victory and the UEFA Super Cup,^[123] then the only official competition that remained for him to score in.^[124]

After scoring his first goal of an eventual hat-trick in an 8–0 rout against CA Osasuna, Messi produced a special celebration for Soufian, a 10-year-old Moroccan boy with Laurin Sandrow syndrome, a rare medical condition that can eventually lead to the loss of the lower extremities. Whilst Messi usually points to the sky after scoring a goal, Messi slapped his thighs as a dedication to Soufian.^[125]

In August, Messi became the second highest goalscorer surpassing László Kubala on 194 goals, being behind only to César Rodríguez on 232 goals in all official competitions.^[126]

On 28 September, Messi scored his first two Champions League goals of the season against BATE Borisov,^[127] becoming Barcelona’s second highest goalscorer in its history, tying László Kubala, at 194 goals in all official competitions.^[128] He surpassed that record when he scored two goals against Racing Santander.^[129] He became second in Barcelona’s La Liga goalscorers list with 132 goals, one more than Kubala.^[130] He scored his 200th Barcelona goal and two more as part of a hat-trick in his next game against Viktoria Plzeň in the Champions League.^[131]

Messi scored a brace in the Club World Cup Final against Santos FC and was recognized as the man of the match and also awarded the Golden Ball for his performance during the tournament.^[132]

Messi won the 2011 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, beating his FC Barcelona team-mate Xavi Hernández and Real Madrid‘s Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi won the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or, again beating his team-mate Xavi and Cristiano Ronaldo. By winning the FIFA Ballon d’Or again, Messi become the fourth player to win three Ballon d’Ors, after Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco Van Basten and the second player to win three consecutive Ballon d’Ors, after Michel Platini (although two of his Ballon d’Ors are FIFA Ballon d’Ors, which he won consecutively). Messi also won the IFFHS World’s Top Goal Scorer award, with 19 goals in 2011.^[133]

On 19 February 2012, Messi, on his 200th La Liga appearance, scored four goals against Valencia CF in a 5–1 win.^[134] On 7 March, Messi became the first player to score five goals in an UEFA Champions League match since the tournament’s re-establishment in 1992, helping the defending champions Barcelona win 7–1 against Bayer Leverkusen.^[135]

On 20 March, Messi scored three goals against Granada CF, making him FC Barcelona’s leading goalscorer in official competitions, surpassing club legend César Rodríguez, who had previously held the record with 232.^[136]

On 3 April, Messi scored two goals from penalty kicks against Milan in the second leg of the Champions League Quarter-final, allowing him to surpass his personal record, joint with Ruud van Nistelrooy, of 12 goals in a single UEFA Champions League season. These goals allowed him to tie José Altafini’s record of 14 goals in a single European Cup season in the 1962–63 season, before the tournament’s re-establishment as the UEFA Champions League in 1992.^[137] Messi was unable to score in the semifinals, although he provided an assist in the second leg, as Barcelona were knocked out to eventual winners Chelsea. During the second leg match, Messi missed an important penalty, hitting the crossbar. The goal would have put Barcelona ahead on aggregate.^[138]

On 11 April, Messi scored his 61th goal against Getafe CF, surpassing Isidro Langara‘s record of 60 goals in 1933–34, and became the best goalscorer in history in one season in Spain.^{[citation needed]}

On 2 May, Messi scored a hat-trick against Málaga CF surpassing Gerd Müller‘s record (67 goals in 1972-73) with 68 goals, and thus becoming the best goalscorer in history in one season in Europe.^[139] It was the 21st multi-goal game of the season for Messi and his seventh La Liga hat-trick.^[140] He then scored four goals on 5 May against RCD Espanyol to take his tally to an unprecedented 72 goals, in the process becoming only the second player to pass 70 goals in a first division season since Archie Stark of Bethlehem Steel in the American Soccer League in 1924–25.^[9]

On 25 May, he scored again in the 2012 Copa del Rey Final, helping Barcelona win their 26th Spanish Cup title, and increasing his seasonal goalscoring record to an unmatched 73 goals in all competitions.^[141][142] This was also Guardiola’s last match as Barcelona’s manager, and the Cup win marked Messi’s second Copa del Rey title, after losing the final the year before, as well as his 14th Barcelona trophy during Guardiola’s four seasons at the club. Although Barcelona failed to win their 4th consecutive Liga title under Guardiola, finishing runners up to arch-rivals Real Madrid, Messi finished the 2011–12 season as the top goalscorer in La Liga for a second time, with a Liga record of 50 goals. He was the second best assist provider in La Liga that season with 16 assists, after Mesut Özil, who managed 17. He also ended the season as the UEFA Champions’ League Top Scorer for a fourth consecutive time, with 14 goals.^[141] He was one of the top assist providers of the tournament with 5 assists and finished the season with 73 goals and 29 assists in all club competitions, with more goals and assists than any other player.

2012–13 season

During Barcelona’s first game of the season against Real Sociedad, Messi continued his goalscoring run with 2 goals in a 5-1 win at the Camp Nou. Messi added another goal from a penalty in a 3-2 win against rivals Real Madrid in the first leg of the 2012 Supercopa de España in Barcelona on 23 August.^[143] He added another brace against Osasuna as Barcelona came from behind away from home to beat them 2-1.^[144] Messi added another goal from a free kick in the second leg of the Supercopa de España, as Barcelona, down to ten men, were defeated by Real Madrid on away goals.^[145] This marked his 15th goal in the Clasico Real Madrid-Barcelona derby, which made him Barcelona’s top scorer in Clasico matches, putting him tied with Raul, behind only Alfredo Di Stefano, with 18 goals.^[146][147] Messi placed second along with Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2012 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, with 17 votes each. The award was won by Messi’s Barcelona team mate Andres Iniesta.^[148] In his third league appearance on 2 September against Valencia, Messi assisted the only goal of the match, by team mate Adriano, from a short corner.^[149] Messi scored two more goals in a win against Getafe on 15 September^[150] and added another brace in his first Champion’s League match of the season against Spartak Moscow on 20 September, ending in a 3-2 win to Barcelona, also marking his tenth goal of the season.^[151]

International career

Often referred to as an Argentinian–Spanish player, this crossover was brought into sharp focus when in 2004, Lionel was offered the chance to play for the Spanish national U-20 team. He declined the offer given his Argentinian heritage, and was given the opportunity to play for Argentina’s U-20 team in a friendly match against Paraguay in June 2004.^[152] Messi scored once against Paraguay and twice in friendly against Uruguay in July 2004.^[153] In 2005 he was part of a team that finished third in 2005 South American Youth Championship in Colombia. He won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands with the team and won the Golden Ball and the Golden Shoe,^[154] scoring in the last four of Argentina’s matches and netting a total of six for the tournament.

He made his full international debut on 17 August 2005 against Hungary at the age of 18. He was substituted on during the 63rd minute, but was sent off on the 65th minute because the referee,Markus Merk, claimed that Messi had allegedly elbowed defender Vilmos Vanczák, who was tugging Messi’s shirt. The decision was contentious and Maradona even claimed the decision was pre-meditated. Messi was later reportedly found weeping in the changing rooms after the decision.^[155][156] Messi returned to the team on 3 September in Argentina’s 1–0 World Cup qualifier away defeat to Paraguay. Ahead of the match he had said “This is a re-debut. The first one was a bit short.”^[157] He then started his first game for Argentina against Peru, in which he was able to win a crucial penalty for Argentina; after the match Pekerman described Messi as “a jewel”.^[158] He scored his first goal for Argentina in a friendly match against Croatia on 1 March 2006.^[159]

On 28 March 2009, in a World Cup Qualifier against Venezuela, Messi wore the number 10 jersey for the first time with Argentina. This match was the first official match for Diego Maradona as the Argentina manager. Argentina won the match 4–0 with Messi opening the scoring.^[160]

On 17 November 2010, Messi scored a last-minute goal against South American rivals Brazil after an individual effort to help his team to a 1–0 win in the friendly match, which was held in Doha. This was the first time that he had scored against Brazil at senior level.^[161] Messi scored another last-minute goal on 9 February 2011 against Portugal in a penalty kick which gave his side a 2–1 victory in the friendly match, which was held in Geneva, Switzerland. He had also previously assisted the first goal.^[162] His first hat-trick for Albiceleste came against Switzerland, on 29 February 2012 which the game ended 3–1 for Argentina.^[163] On 9 June 2012, Messi scored his second international hat-trick in a friendly match against rivals Brazil, including the match winner. The match ended 4–3 to Argentina and Messi was voted man of the match.^[164] This brought his international goalscoring tally up to 26 goals in 70 matches, and brought his 2012 tally up to 7 goals in 3 matches. This was also his record-breaking 82nd goal of the season, including all club and international matches.^[165] These goals also made him the current fourth highest scorer for theArgentinian National Team.^[166] On 7 September, Messi scored his 28th goal for Argentina in a 3-1 victory against Paraguay in a World Cup Qualifying Match, sending them to the top of theCONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying table. This was his 4th goal in the current World Cup Qualifying campaign and his 8th overall in World Cup Qualifying matches, making him the third highest scorer for Argentina in World Cup Qualifying matches.^[167] This was also his 10th consecutive goal for Argentina in the last 6 matches and his 9th in 5 matches played in 2012.^[168]

2006 World Cup

The injury that kept Messi from playing for two months at the end of the 2005–06 season jeopardised his presence in the 2006 World Cup. Nevertheless, Messi was selected in the Argentina squad for the tournament on 15 May 2006. He also played in the final match before the World Cup against the Argentine U-20 team for 15 minutes and a friendly match against Angola from the 64th minute.^[169][170] He witnessed Argentina‘s opening match victory against Ivory Coast from the substitute’s bench.^[171] In the next match against Serbia and Montenegro, Messi became the youngest player to represent Argentina at a World Cup when he came on as a substitute for Maxi Rodríguez in the 74th minute. He assisted Hernán Crespo‘s goal within minutes of entering the game and also scored the final goal in the 6–0 victory, making him the youngest scorer in the tournament and the sixth youngest goalscorer in the history of the World Cup.^[172] Messi started in Argentina’s following 0–0 draw against the Netherlands.^[173] In the following game against Mexico, Messi came on as a substitute in the 84th minute, with the score tied at 1–1. He appeared to score a goal, but it was ruled offside with Argentina needing a late goal in extra time to proceed.^[174][175] Coach José Pekerman left Messi on the bench during the quarter-final match againstGermany, which they lost 4–2 on a penalty shootout.^[176]

2007 Copa América

Messi at the 2007 Copa América

Messi played his first game in the 2007 Copa América on 29 June 2007, when Argentina defeated United States 4–1 in the first game. In this game, he showed his capabilities as a playmaker. He set up a goal for fellow striker Hernán Crespo and had numerous shots on target. Tevez came on as a substitute for Messi in the 79th minute and scored minutes later.^[177]

His second game was against Colombia, in which he won a penalty that Crespo converted to tie the game at 1–1. He also played a part in Argentina’s second goal as he was fouled outside the box, which allowed Juan Roman Riquelme to score from a freekick, and increase Argentina’s lead to 3–1. The final score of the game was 4–2 in Argentina’s favor and guaranteed them a spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals.^[178]

In the third game, against Paraguay the coach rested Messi having already qualified for the quarter-finals. He came off the bench in place of Esteban Cambiasso in the 64th minute, with the score at 0–0. In the 79th minute, he assisted a goal for Javier Mascherano.^[179] In the quarter-finals, asArgentina faced Peru, Messi scored the second goal of the game, from a Riquelme pass in a 4–0 win.^[180] During the semi-final match against Mexico, Messi scored a lob over Oswaldo Sánchez to see Argentina through to the final with a 3–0 win.^[181] Argentina went on to lose 3–0 to Brazil in the final.^[182] Messi was elected young player of the tournament.^[11]

2008 Summer Olympics

Messi in the semi-final against Brazil at the 2008 Olympics

Having barred Messi from playing for Argentina in the 2008 Olympics,^[183] Barcelona agreed to release him after he held talks with newly appointed coach Pep Guardiola.^[184] He joined the Argentina squad and scored the first goal in a 2–1 victory over Ivory Coast.^[184] He then scored the opening goal and assisted Ángel di María in the second to help his side to a 2–1 extra-time win against the Netherlands.^[185] He also featured in Argentina’s match against rivals Brazil, in which Argentina took a 3–0 victory, thus advancing to the final. In the gold medal match, Messi again assisted Di María for the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Nigeria.^[186]

2010 World Cup

Messi and Argentina lost 0–4 againstGermany in the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup

For the 2010 World Cup, Messi wore the number 10 shirt for the first time in a major tournament.^[187] Messi played the entire game on Argentina‘s opening match in the 2010 World Cup, the 1–0 victory against Nigeria. He had several opportunities to score but was repeatedly denied by Vincent Enyeama.^[188] Messi started in Argentina’s following 4–1 win against Korea Republic; he played in more of an attacking midfielder and playmaking role under Maradona,^{[187][189][190][191]} and participated in all of the goals of his team, helping Gonzalo Higuaín score a hat-trick.^[192] On the third and last group stage match Messi captained during Argentina’s 2–0 win over Greece, again being the centrepoint of Argentina’s play and was voted man of the match.^[193]

At the Round of 16 he assisted Carlos Tévez for the first goal in a 3–1 win against Mexico. The World Cup ended for Argentina with a 4–0 loss againstGermany in the quarter-finals.^[194]

Messi was nominated in ten player shortlist for Golden Ball award by FIFA Technical Study Group. The group identified Messi with words: “Outstanding in his pace and creativity for his team, dribbling, shooting, passing – spectacular and efficient“.^[195]

2011 Copa América

Messi took part in the Copa América in Argentina, where he failed to score a goal but notched three assists. He was selected man-of-the-match in matches against Bolivia (1–1) and Costa Rica(3–0). Argentina were eliminated in the quarter-finals in a penalty shoot-out against Uruguay (1–1 a.e.t.), with Messi scoring as the first penalty taker.

Style of play

Messi has been compared to compatriot Diego Maradona, due to their similar playing style and stature,^[196] which gives him a lower centre of gravity than most players, allowing him to be more agile and change direction more quickly, helping him to evade tackles.^[197] His short, strong legs allow him to excel in short bursts of acceleration and his quick feet allow him to keep control of the ball when dribbling at speed.^[198] His former FC Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, once stated: “Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it.”^[199] Like Maradona before him, Messi is dominantly a left footed player.^[200] With the outside of his left foot, he usually begins dribbling runs, whilst he uses the inside of his foot to finish and provide passes and assists to team mates.^[197]

Messi often undertakes individual dribbling runs towards goal, in particular during counterattacks, usually starting from the halfway line, or the right side of the pitch, although he has also been described as a versatile team player, with good vision, known for his passing and his creative combinations, in particular with Barcelona team mates Xavi and Iniesta.^{[201][202][203]} He is also an accurate set piece and penalty kick taker.^[204] With regards to his dribbling ability, Maradona has said of Messi: “The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi’s ball control.”^[205] Maradona has stated that he believes Messi to currently be the greatest player in the world.^[206][207]

Tactically, Messi plays a free attacking and occasionally a playmaking role,^[208] known for his finishing, pace, dribbling, balance, positioning, vision and passing ability.^[202][209] He is comfortable attacking on either wing or through the centre of the pitch.^[210] He began his career as a left-winger and forward, but was later moved onto the right wing by former manager Frank Rijkaard, who noticed that from this position, Messi could cut through the defence into the middle of the pitch more easily, allowing him to curl shots on goal with his left foot, rather than predominantly crossing balls for team mates.^[208] He has more recently played in a false 9 role under Guardiola.^[211] This role is characterized by Messi’s tendency to seemingly be playing as a centre forward, or as a lone striker, although he will often run back into deep positions drawing defenders with him, creating space for wingers, other forwards, and attacking midfielders to make runs, allowing him to provide them with assists or giving him space to begin dribbling runs, score goals or create attacking plays.^[211] With the Argentinian National team, Messi usually plays anywhere along the front line. He began as a forward or winger but has also played in a deeper role, in particular under Maradona, in more of an attacking midfield and playmaking role.^{[187][189][190][212]} Messi revealed that he is a fan of the former Argentina playmaker Pablo Aimar.^[213]

“Messi has his personality and I have mine. He has his game and I have mine. I also play in a big club like him. We are different in every aspect. But right now, he is the best.”

 —Cristiano Ronaldo, in September 2011^[214]

Outside football

Personal life

Messi was at one stage romantically linked to Macarena Lemos, also from his hometown of Rosario. He is said to have been introduced to her by the girl’s father when he returned to Rosario to recover from his injury a few days before the start of the 2006 World Cup.^[215][216] He has in the past also been linked to the Argentine glamour model Luciana Salazar.^[217][218] In January 2009 he told “Hat Trick Barça”, a programme on Canal 33: “I have a girlfriend and she is living in Argentina. I am relaxed and happy”.^[218] He was seen with the girl, Antonella Roccuzzo,^[219] at a carnival in Sitges after the Barcelona-Espanyol derby. Roccuzzo is a fellow native of Rosario.^[220] On 2 June 2012, Messi assisted and scored a goal in Argentina’s 4-0 win against Ecuador in a World Cup 2014 Qualifying match. He celebrated scoring his 23rd goal for Argentina, by placing the ball under his jersey, as his girlfriend is reportedly 12 weeks pregnant. She posted on Twitter that she is expected to give birth in September.^[221] Messi has since confirmed that the child, a son, is to be born in October, and that he and his girlfriend plan to name him Thiago.^[26]

Messi has two cousins also involved in football: Maxi, a winger for Club Olimpia of Paraguay, and Emanuel Biancucchi, who plays as a midfielder for Paraguay’s Independiente F.B.C..^[222][223]

According to American writer Wright Thompson, Messi has maintained close ties to Rosario and his family since leaving for Spain, and has gone to great lengths to maintain them. These ties begin with his speech—to this day, Messi speaks Spanish with the distinctive accent of Rosario, even though he has now lived in Spain as long as he has in Rosario. He also keeps in daily contact via phone and text with a small group of confidants from Rosario, most of them fellow members of “The Machine of ’87”. One time when he was in training with the Argentina national team in Buenos Aires, he made a three-hour trip by car to Rosario immediately after practice to have dinner with his family, spent the night with them, and then returned to Buenos Aires the next day in time for practice. Messi has also kept ownership of his old house in Rosario, although his family no longer lives in it; he maintains a penthouse apartment in an exclusive residential building in which his mother lives, as well as a family compound just outside the city. ^[26]

Charity

In 2007, Messi established the Leo Messi Foundation, a charity supporting access to education and health care for vulnerable children.^[224][225] In response to Messi’s own childhood medical difficulties, the Leo Messi Foundation has offered Argentine children diagnosed with illnesses treatment in Spain and funds covering the transport, hospital and recuperation costs.^[226] Messi’s foundation is supported by his own fundraising activity with additional assistance from Herbalife.

On 11 March 2010 Messi was announced as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.^[227] Messi’s UNICEF ambassador activities are aimed at supporting children’s rights. Messi is supported in this by Barcelona, who also have a strong association with UNICEF.^[228]

He and Newell’s have also ended a long public feud. Messi funded the construction of a dormitory inside Newell’s stadium for the club’s youth academy, as well as a new gymnasium for the club. For its part, Newell’s has begun to embrace its ties with Messi, and plans to issue a special club membership card to Messi’s soon-to-be-born son.^[26]

Wealth

In March 2010, France Football ranked him at the top of its list of the world’s richest footballers, ahead of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, with £29.6 million (€33 million) in combined income from salaries, bonuses and off-field earnings.^[229][230] His net wealth is estimated at $110 millon.^[231]

Media

An example of Messi’s popularity and influence. Photographed in India.

Messi was featured on the front covers of the video games Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 and is also involved in promotional campaigns for the games.^[232][233] Messi, along with Fernando Torres,^[234] is the face of Pro Evolution Soccer 2010, and was also involved in the motion capturing and the trailer.^{[235][236][237]} However, in November 2011 Messi was confirmed as the new face of PES’s rival football series FIFA with his debut as a cover star of the series coming in 2012’s FIFA Street. Messi was also chosen to be on the cover of FIFA 13.^[238] Messi is sponsored by the German sportswear company Adidas and features in their television advertisements.^[239] In June 2010, Messi also signed a three–year contract with Herbalife^[240] which further supports the Leo Messi Foundation.

Messi was named twice in the Time 100, the magazine’s annual list of the most influential people in the world, respectively in 2011^[241] and in 2012.^[242]

Also in April 2011, Messi launched a Facebook page and within a few hours, his page had attracted more than six million followers. His Facebook page had over 33 million followers in March 2012.^[243]

In May 2012, ex-Real Madrid player Royston Drenthe claimed Lionel Messi repeatedly called him “negro” during his time in Spain.^[244] A counter statement issued by Barcelona said: “Messi has always shown a maximum respect and sportsmanship towards his rivals, something which has been recognized by his fellow professionals many times.^[245]

Career statistics

As of 7 October 2012^{[31][246][247][248]}

Career totals

Professional career totals
Teams	Apps	Goals	Assists	GPG	APG
Barcelona	338	263	105	0.78	0.31
Argentina National team	73	28	21	0.38	0.29
Argentina U-20 team	18	14	5	0.78	0.28
Argentina U-23 Olympic team	5	2	2	0.40	0.40
Total	434	307	133	0.71	0.31

Club

Youth team

Season	Club	League	League[249]
			Apps	Goals
2003–04	Barcelona C	Tercera	8	5
2003–04	Barcelona B	Segunda B	5	0
2004–05			17	6
Total			30	11

Senior team

Season	Club	League	League				Cup				Champions League				Supercup				UEFA Super Cup				Club World Cup				Total
			Apps	Goals	Assts		Apps	Goals	Assts		Apps	Goals	Assts		Apps	Goals	Assts		Apps	Goals	Assts		Apps	Goals	Assts		Apps	Goals	Assts	GPG	APG
2004–05	Barcelona	La Liga	7	1	0		1	0	0		1	0	0		—				—				—				9	1	0	0.11	0.00
2005–06			17	6	3		2	1	0		6	1	1		0	0	0		—				—				25	8	4	0.32	0.16
2006–07			26	14	2		2	2	1		5	1	0		2	0	0		1	0	0		0	0	0		36	17	3	0.47	0.08
2007–08			28	10	12		3	0	0		9	6	1		—				—				—				40	16	13	0.40	0.33
2008–09			31	23	11		8	6	2		12	9	5		—				—				—				51	38	18	0.75	0.35
2009–10			35	34	10		3	1	0		11	8	0		1	2	0		1	0	1		2	2	0		53	47	11	0.89	0.21
2010–11			33	31	18		7	7	3		13	12	3		2	3	0		—				—				55	53	24	0.96	0.44
2011–12			37	50	16		7	3	4		11	14	5		2	3	2		1	1	1		2	2	1		60	73	29	1.22	0.48
2012–13			7	8	3		0	0	0		2	2	2		2	2	0		—				—				11	12	5	1.09	0.45
Total			221	177	75		33	20	10		70	53	17		9	10	2		3	1	2		4	4	1		340	265	107	0.78	0.31

Goals Against Spanish Clubs

^{[250][251][252]}

[show]Rank	Club	League	Cup	Super Cup	Europe	Total

goals only in competitive matches
Last updated: 10 October 2012

Goals Against European Clubs

^{[253][254][255]}

[show]Rank	Nation	Club	Total

goals only in competitive matches
Last updated: 10 October 2012

Goals Against Clubs Outside Europe

[show]Rank	Nation	Club	Total

goals only in competitive matches
Last updated: 10 October 2012

International

^{[44][153][256][257][258][259]}

By year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals	Assists
Argentina U20	2004	2	3	2
	2005	16	11	3
Total		18	14	5
Argentina U23	2008	5	2	2
Total		5	2	2
Argentina	2005	5	0	0
	2006	7	2	2
	2007	14	6	3
	2008	8	2	1
	2009	10	3	2
	2010	10	2	2
	2011	13	4	10
	2012	6	9	1
Total		73	28	21

Under–20

Scores and results list Argentina’s goal tally first.^[256][260]

[show]Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition

Under–23

[show]Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition

Senior team

Year	World Cup	WCQ	Copa América	Friendly	Total
2005		0		0	0
2006	1			1	2
2007		2	2	2	6
2008		1		1	2
2009		1		2	3
2010	0			2	2
2011		2	0	2	4
2012		2		7	9
2013
Total	1	8	2	17	28

[show]Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition

Hat-tricks

List

Including hat-tricks from all Argentina national team matches and all competitive club matches. Those from club pre-season heats and friendlies are not included such as the hat-trick in a pre-season heat match against Raja Casablanca in July,2012. Away, giant opponents, non-win result, 4+ goals, UCL, Final round are marked in bold. Results list goal tally of Messi’s team first.

[show]No.	Date	H/A/N	Place	For	Opponent	Result	Goals	Time of Goals	Competition	Round

Club Season League Cup Supercup UCL Total 2006–07 1 1 2008–09 1 1 2009–10 3 1 4 2010–11 2 1 1 4 2011–12 81 22 10 2012–13 Total 14 2 1 3 20 1 8 hat-tricks in a season is a La Liga record 2 2 hat-tricks in a season is a UCL record

International Year Friendly 2012 2 Total 2

Honours

Barcelona

• La Liga (5): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
• Copa del Rey (2): 2008–09, 2011–12
• Supercopa de España (5): 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011
• UEFA Champions League (3): 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11
• UEFA Super Cup (2): 2009, 2011
• FIFA Club World Cup (2): 2009, 2011

Argentina

• Olympic Gold Medal (1): 2008
• FIFA U-20 World Cup (1): 2005

Runner Up:

• Copa America (1): 2007

Third Place:

• U20 South American Youth Championship (1): 2005

Individual

FIFA Ballon d’Or (2): 2010, 2011 Ballon d’Or (1): 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year (1): 2009 World Soccer Player of the Year (2): 2009, 2011 World Soccer Young Player of the Year (3): 2006, 2007, 2008 ESM Team of the Year (5): 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011-12 European Golden Shoe (2): 2010, 2012 Pichichi Trophy (2): 2010, 2012 Copa del Rey Top Goalscorer (1): 2011 La Liga Player of the Year (3): 2009, 2010, 2011 LFP Best Player (3): 2009, 2010, 2011 LFP Best Forward (3): 2009, 2010, 2011 La Liga Foreign Player of the Year (3): 2007, 2009, 2010 La Liga Ibero-American Player of the Year (5): 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 UEFA Champions League Top Goalscorer (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award (1): 2011 UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (1): 2009 UEFA Champions League Forward of the Year (1): 2009 UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match (1): 2011 UEFA Team of the Year (4): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Onze d’Or (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Bravo Award (1): 2007 Tuttosport Golden Boy (1): 2005 FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball (2): 2009, 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup Player of the Tournament (1): 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup top goalscorer (1): 2005 Copa América Young Player of the Tournament (1): 2007 FIFPro World Young Player of the Year (3): 2006, 2007, 2008 FIFA/FIFPro World XI (5): 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Sportsperson of the Year of Argentina (1): 2011 Footballer of the Year of Argentina (6): 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Male Best Athlete in Latin America (1): 2011 Marca Leyenda (1): 2009 L’Équipe Champion of Champions (1): 2011 IFFHS World’s Top Goal Scorer (1): 2011[261] Best International Athlete ESPY Award (1): 2012

Records

• Most goals scored in a season in all competitions: 73 goals
• Most goals scored in a European Cup season: 14 goals (held jointly with José Altafini)
• Most La Liga hat-tricks in a season: 8 hat-tricks
• Highest scorer in a European Cup game: 5 goals (held jointly with ten other players)
• Most European Cup top scorer awards: 4 awards (shared with Gerd Müller)
• Most consecutive La Liga matches scored in: 10 matches (shared with Ronaldo and Mariano Martín)
• Most goals scored in the Supercopa de España: 10 goals
• Most goals scored in FIFA Club World Cup: 4 goals (held jointly with Denilson)
• Barcelona top goalscorer in official competitions: 263 goals
• Barcelona Record Goalscorer in UEFA Champions League: 53 goals
• Barcelona Record Goalscorer in European Competitions: 54 goals
• Barcelona Record Goalscorer in international Competitions: 58 goals

References

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9. ^ ^a b Associated Press (5 May 2012). “Barcelona 4-0 Espanyol | La Liga match report | Football | guardian.co.uk”. London: Guardian. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
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12. ^ “MS Dhoni, Mary Kom world’s 16th, 38th most marketable athletes”. The Times Of India. 26 June 2012.
13. ^ Gardner, Neil (19 April 2007). “Is Messi the new Maradona?”. The Times (London). Retrieved 31 March 2009.(subscription required)
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15. ^ Hansen, Alan; Dixon, Lee; Klinsmann, Jurgen (21 June 2012). BBC Euro 2012: Czech Republic vs Portugal. BBC.
16. ^ “News”. Ronaldo07.net. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
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18. ^ “El crack que desea victorias de regalo [The ‘crack’ who wants victories for presents]” (in Spanish). Canchallena.
19. ^ Carlin, John (27 March 2010). “Lionel Messi: Magic in his feet”. The Independent (UK). Retrieved 7 April 2010.
20. ^ Veiga, Gustavo. “Los intereses de Messi” (in Spanish). Página/12. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
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259. ^ “Lionel Messi”. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
260. ^ “Lionel Messi”. FIFA.com. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
261. ^ “IFFHS World’s Top Goal Scorer 2011”. Retrieved 31 August 2012.

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best soccer players in the world

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)

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Two times World Player of the Year, Messi is by some distance the best player on the planet. His ability to mesmerize defenders with a mix of skill and pace is unmatched and it appears as though the ball is glued to his feet at times. The Barcelona star is versatile enough to play anywhere across the frontline, but his country Argentina have so far failed to find a way to get the maximum out of this extraordinary talent. Already one of the best soccer play

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Real Madrid)

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Outscored Messi in the 2010-11 Spanish domestic season but has less influence on games than the nimble Argentine. Ronaldo, though, is stronger and taller than Messi, and his goals-to-games ratio similar. Since joining Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009, Ronaldo has been a revelation, making the world record outlay of US$131 look less outrageous with every hat-trick. His famous stepover is imitated in parks right across the world.

3. Xavi Hernandez (Spain & Barcelona)

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Barcelona’s midfield metronome dictates the tempo of a match with his phenomenal pass completion rate. He works superbly with partner-in-crime Andres Iniesta, the pair undoubtedly responsible for enhancing Messi’s game further with the steady stream of passes with which they provide in the final third. Xavi is now into his 30s, and a chronic Achilles injury notwithstanding, has the potential to continue for several years yet.

4. Andres Iniesta (Spain & Barcelona)

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Iniesta’s understanding with club-mate Xavi Hernandez borders on the telepathic at times. The short, eye of the needle passing the pair produce can pierce holes in the most stubborn of rearguards. Iniesta is also very modest, never creating problems for the coaches he works under. Scored the winner in the World Cup final against the Netherlands.

5. Wayne Rooney (England & Manchester United)

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If there were question marks over Rooney’s goalscoring abilities, they were well and truly answered in the 2009/10 season. Now that he has added more goals to his game, Rooney is the all-round player. Superb awareness, long-range passing, hold-up play and a never-say-die sprit combine to make a precious asset for club and country.

6. Robin van Persie (Netherlands & Arsenal)

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The Dutchman enjoyed his best ever season in 2011/12, scoring 36 goals in all competitions for Arsenal. Van Persie has blossomed into one of the very best centre forwards in world soccer, his finishing unerring and his touch exquisite. A player at the peak of his powers, he will be hoping that the injuries that plagued him throughout his 20s are now a thing of the past.

7. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast & Chelsea)

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For affirmation of Drogba’s striking qualities and all-round play, just ask the Arsenal defense. Season after season they are bullied into submission by this physically imposing specimen, who can head the ball, finish well with either foot, and take scorching free-kicks. The Chelseaman may be prone to histrionics, but at club and international level, there are few who can match him for presence and all-round effectiveness.

8. Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands and Inter Milan)

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His move from Real Madrid to Inter Milan in 2009 re-ignited Sniejder’s career. The Dutchman pulls the strings for club and country, his penetrating runs and passes causing no end of problems for opposition defenses. He also has a deadly free-kick, with Inter reaping the reward of this talent soon after his arrival at San Siro.

 

9. David Villa (Spain & Barcelona)

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The Barcelona star has an exceptional goalscoring record for La Furia Roja. An effective dribbler, with an intuitive finish, the frontman was long linked with a move away from Valencia before joining Barca for $49 million in May 2010. Research conducted by World Soccer magazine in 2009 established him as statistically the best striker in the game. His movement sets him apart from many others, that ability to shake off defenders and eke out space. The complete striker.

10. Maicon (Brazil & Inter Milan)

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The only defender in this list of best soccer players, not for a long time has there been a right-back capable of having so much influence on a game. The Inter Milan defender’s forceful runs down the right provide a great avenue of attack, not only for him to cross the ball, but for his teammates who can occupy the space vacated by opposition players trying to arrest Maicon’s attacking sorties. He has pace to burn and is a also a solid defender. Keeps the outstanding Barcelona right-back Dani Alves out of the Brazil team.

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ers of all time.

LiverpoolFC is formed

1892

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3rd June 1892

When the Football League was founded in 1888, Anfield was one of the League’s original grounds. On September 8th of that year – the very first Saturday of League football – Anfield welcomed as visitors Accrington to play not against the ‘Reds’, but the ‘Blues’ of Everton Football Club.

The blue and white quartered shirts of Everton FC made quite a name for themselves at Anfield winning the League Championship in 1891, but this is to run ahead slightly. Both teams owe their existence to a Reverend Chambers of the then newly constructed and now, totally demolished, church – St Domingo, and to John Houlding – Tory MP and Mayor of Liverpool who ultimately caused Everton FC to leave Anfield and who created Liverpool Football Club.

St Domingo’s football team was a strictly amateur affair created amid the belief that young lads could better be kept on the path of religious well-being through a healthy passion for competitive team games. After only a year or so of enthusiastic play in Stanley Park, they renamed themselves Everton Football Club in honour of the location of their founding church.

The St Domingo’s team met however not at Church, but the Queen’s Head Hotel in Village Street adjacent to “Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House”. From this Everton F.C. gained their curious nickname of “The Toffees”. In adopting the name Everton, the team ensured that they would permanently struggle to be located with confidence by those from outside of the city and lead to Royalty asking “Tell me, from which part of the country is the city of Everton?” nearly a century later.

The fledgling Everton played in a number of locations but settled in a greenfield site between Anfield Road and Walton Breck Road. So was born one of the great names in world football – Anfield. The team prospered and became financially sound with astute guidance from their President Mr John Houlding. John Houlding was a brewer, local council member and later Mayor of Liverpool.

Despite this he has become a largely forgotten figure in the city, although a bronze plaque outside the Directors’ Lounge in Anfield and a fine oil portrait hanging within the Club museum preserve his likeness.

For a man responsible for the development of Everton and the creation of Liverpool Football Club, it is amazing how little he is remembered. There are however a few landmarks in the area where Houlding was known as “King John of Everton”. The very short ‘Houlding Street’ has on it’s corner the ‘Sandon’ pub. This pub was once owned by Houlding and he led many meetings of Everton Football Club from here in the bowls pavilion that existed to the rear. The place was also used as a dressing room by the players for many years. Both Everton and later Liverpool football teams were first photographed in front of this bowls pavilion.

It can be questioned whether Everton would have been one of the founding members of the Football League in 1888 without Houlding’s assistance. He brought Everton to Anfield in 1884. They previously rented a little field in Priory Road, north of Stanley Park, but they were unwelcome because of the noisy crowds on match days.

So Houlding went to his friend and fellow brewer, Mr. Orrell, who owned a place in Anfield Road and conducted the business to get a new home ground. But it was from this point on that criticism of the club President started to grow from some members of the Everton board, building up to a crisis in 1892.
It was not the rent alone that annoyed the board members. Houlding also wanted only his sparkling ales to be sold at the ground, and he of course profited very considerably from this arrangement. However it was still John Houlding that helped the club out when they need money to buy players and rebuild the ground.

The Sandon’s use as dressing room was an arrangement that really only suited Houlding as he again benefited from his players drinking his products. A letter in the Liverpool Echo in January 1892 suggested that Houlding didn’t want the club to move out of the pub.
The writer says: “It’s a disgrace that at a big club such as Everton, players have to walk through hordes of people on match days.”

The conflict on how the club should be managed and conduct its business came to a head in 1889-90. The rent at Anfield went up again. Everton FC paid £100 in 1884. By 1889-90 Houlding was charging them £250. Houlding had many practical and realistic solutions on how they could solve this situation. One was to transform Everton into a plc. On the 15th of September 1891 he chaired a meeting about the issue.

The local press was banned as he predicted trouble ahead. And trouble it was. Houlding suggested that Everton FC should buy Anfield and also some land he owned adjoining the ground. The price seemed high and the members said no. Although with the growing development of football and the club, the land would soon have paid for itself.

In October the same year, the on-going deadlock over this situation resulted in the vast majority of the Board and players of Everton F.C. walking out to build a new ground. Houlding explained why this situation arose in a match programme against Cliftonville in April 1893. He pointed out that he had given Everton a rent free loan until the club started to make money. If the club had gone bust he would have lost it all.

Despite making no profit in this respect, the issue that upset the members at Everton most was his plan to sell Anfield and the land adjoining, with Houlding himself profiting. He felt it was a reasonable reward for the risk he had ventured in the club for nine years. Houlding, as the ambitious businessman he was, saw a great future for the club. He wanted the club to have its own home ground and wanted them to buy land so the club could expand in due course.

Unfortunately most of the Everton FC board members failed to share his forward thinking and lacked confidence. They wanted instead a long term rent deal on all the land, but for this to be acceptable to Houlding, he wanted a rent at a price considered too high for the Club. The members reacted to that by “offering” Houlding less rent. Houlding unsurprisingly refused to accept this stating that he did not want to be dictated: “I cannot understand why a gentleman that has done so much for the club (Everton) and its members should be given such treatment”.

The official split between Houlding and Everton took place on the 12th of March 1892. At a members meeting one of the opponents George Mahon, led the meeting when John Houlding unexpectedly turned up. Mahon stood up to give the club’s President the chair. But surrounded by “enemies” Mr. Houlding said the famous words: “I’m here on a trial, and a criminal never takes the chair”. He then left the club with 18-19 other members.

 
Liverpool F.C. was formed on the 15th of March 1892. It was at John Houlding’s house in Anfield Road that he and his closest friends left from Everton FC, formed a new club. William.E.Barclay, a great football enthusiast, strongly suggested that they should go on with a new name: Liverpool.

 

However, it was not until 3rd June that the name Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds Ltd was formally recognised by the Board of Trade, and the club could start to make history.

Barclay had been the first secretary at Everton when they became a league club in 1888, and so in turn became the first secretary at Liverpool. Bearing in mind Barclay’s suggestion, it was surprising that on 26th of January 1892 Houlding tried to form a ‘new’ Everton: The “Everton Football Club and Athletic Grounds Company plc” was registered in London on that date and as the ‘old’ Everton club was not registered as a plc Houlding had hoped to perform a weird “takeover” of Everton; stealing the name of the club in a legal way. But a meeting at the Football Council on 4th of February 1892 ruled that it could not approve membership of a new club with the same name as an existing member!

At the same time a group of Everton patriots, among them the organist from the St. Domingo’s church, had made a deal to buy a piece of land north of Stanley Park. The land cost them £8,090. Four members paid £1,000 each to let the deal go through. Houlding, left with an empty ground, took the bold step of forming a new football team to play in it.

Unable keep the Everton F.C. name he then thought bigger and finally acceded to his secretary’s proposal, and named his club after the entire city rather than one of its suburbs, even adopting by 1894 the City’s colour of red for the playing shirts and by 1901 the Liverbird as the crest.

The majority of Everton’s backroom and playing staff left for Goodison, so Liverpool FC had to be built from scratch. Fortunately one John McKenna stayed loyal to Houlding along with Barclay the Secretary. Most of the team building work was carried out by McKenna, a dynamic and personable Irishman. ‘Honest’ John McKenna did more than most people in English football.

He was to be a director at Anfield for 30 years, and also served the club as chairman on two occasions. He was a member of the FA Council from 1905, and he became the President of the Football League in 1910, and Vice-President of the Football Association in 1928. He also served on many different committees until he died in 1936. He was a well respected man, with an unique know-how of the game. Houlding is the founder of the club, but McKenna was the man and the brain behind early successes.

His rapid elevation to the top of English football is proof of John McKenna’s abilities as a manager and administrator. With a generous loan from Houlding of £500 that was never paid back, and McKenna’s know how, over a dozen players were recruited from Scotland. This led to LFC becoming known as the “Team of all the Macs” because of their surnames. However amongst the Scottish “Macs” in the early formations the goalkeeper Bill McOwen was in fact an Englishman.

Liverpool’s initial application to join the Football League was rejected and so they began life in the Lancashire League. On the first of September 1892 Liverpool AFC played their first match at Anfield. The opponents were Rotherham from the Midland League in a friendly.

On the very same day Everton played their first match at Goodison on the other side of Stanley Park. The rivalry was on! Which team would the people of Liverpool support? The Liverpool directors announced to the newspapers that: “No better game will be witnessed on any of the plots in the neighbourhood”. That was their message to Everton. The papers write that ‘Councillor J. Houlding kicked off the match’. Liverpool won the match 7-1. McVean scored the first ever Liverpool goal early in the first half. The only disappointment on the day was that only a handful people turned up. More than 10,000 came to Goodison.

A couple of days later Liverpool played the first match in the Lancashire League. Again LFC won heavily by eight goals to nil. The match was postponed for a few hours because of a late arrival of the guest team. Again only a few hundred people witnessed this convincing win. The captain of the day, McVean, won the toss and chose to play towards Anfield Road in the first half. A tradition many Liverpool captains have followed to this day. The club’s first competitive match was at home to Higher Walton on September 3rd 1892 with Liverpool yet again winning 8-0 .

latest premier league table

1	Chelsea	7	6	1	0	11	19
2	Manchester United	7	5	0	2	8	15
3	Manchester City	7	4	3	0	7	15
4	Everton	7	4	2	1	6	14
5	Tottenham Hotspur	7	4	2	1	5	14
6	West Bromwich Albion	7	4	2	1	4	14
7	Arsenal	7	3	3	1	8	12
8	West Ham United	7	3	2	2	0	11
9	Fulham	7	3	1	3	4	10
10	Newcastle United	7	2	3	2	-3	9
11	Swansea City	7	2	2	3	1	8
12	Stoke City	7	1	5	1	1	8
13	Sunderland	6	1	4	1	-2	7
14	Liverpool	7	1	3	3	-3	6
15	Wigan Athletic	7	1	2	4	-6	5
16	Aston Villa	7	1	2	4	-6	5
17	Southampton	7	1	1	5	-8	4
18	Reading	6	0	3	3	-5	3
19	Norwich City	7	0	3	4	-12	3
20	Queens Park Rangers	7	0	2	5	-10	2

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Pepe Reina praised by Liverpool FC manager Brendan Rodgers

 

Liverpool FC goalkeeper Pepe Reina

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BRENDAN RODGERS has reaffirmed his faith in Liverpool FC goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

The Spanish shot-stopper has endured a tough start to the season with some alarming errors against the likes of Hearts, Arsenal and Norwich.

However, the Anfield boss insists he has no concerns about Reina’s form and sees the 30-year-old as key to the Reds’ hopes of future success.

“I can’t speak highly enough of Pepe,” said Rodgers.

“He’s a keeper who has really impressed me. He’s a good guy who comes in and works hard every day.

“Like all the other players here he’s trying to improve and become a better player.

“Pepe has been here for a number of years and has proved himself over a long period of time.

“He’s obviously adapting to a new style but this is a way of working which is perfect for Pepe.

“He came through the Barcelona model so he understands this way of playing and what I’m trying to do perfectly.

“He’s working very hard to get in the best possible moment in his game.

“As a team, we just need to cut out the kind of mistakes we’ve been making. If we do that then everyone will benefit from that, including Pepe.”

Rodgers believes Reina showcased his class with a breathtaking save in last Thursday’s Europa League defeat to Udinese at Anfield.

The former Villareal No 1 flung himself full length to his right to claw Medhi Benatia’s header past the post in front of the Kop.

Reina then kept his first Premier League clean sheet of the campaign in last weekend’s stalemate with Stoke City as he made two vital early saves to deny Charlie Adam and Michael Kightly.

“That header against Udinese, it looked like a goal,” added Rodgers.

“I think everyone inside Anfield probably felt it was probably going to go in.

“But it was a wonderful reaction from Pepe and a great arm to push it out.

“There is obviously a lot of pressure on every player when they play for a top club, but it’s at moments like that when you see who the top keepers really are.”

Latest Liverpool FC News

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Match report chelsea vs norwich

Chelsea’s impressive start to the season continues after we came from behind to earn a convincing win against Norwich at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The visitors went in front early through forward Grant Holt, but Fernando Torres quickly levelled with a fine header, and 10 minutes later we were ahead when Frank Lampard rattled home a superb half-volley.

A swift counter-attack from Juan Mata allowed him to create a third for Eden Hazard, and Branislav Ivanovicsmashed a fourth in the second half to maintain our unbeaten start to the campaign and move us four points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

Team news
Roberto Di Matteo made three changes to the side that beat FC Nordsjaelland on Tuesday night, with Hazard andJohn Terry both back in the team, and John Mikel Obi recalled to play his 250^th Chelsea game.

Those three replaced Victor Moses, Gary Cahill and Ramires, all of whom were on the bench. Hazard started on the left, with in-form Mata on the right with the licence to cut inside. Ashley Cole also started despite making the headlines in the newspapers.

Norwich, beaten 5-2 by Liverpool last weekend, were much-changed, with former Spurs centre-back Sebastien Bassong returning in defence, and last season’s top scorer and captain Grant Holt leading the attack.

Chelsea’s bench included Cesar Azpilicueta, who would make a late appearance for a league debut.

First half
Chelsea should have been in front inside three minutes, when Fernando Torres beat the offside trap and was set free by Mikel‘s lofted pass. The striker ran on, but then inexplicably opted to try and turn into a crowded penalty area rather than shoot with his stronger right foot. The hesitation allowed Bassong in to block.

It was not long before we were made to pay, as Holt fired Norwich in front on 10 minutes, striking hard and low past a helpless Petr Cech after Leon Barnett had nodded Wes Hoolahan’s cross down. The visitors had been afforded far too much space both in delivering and meeting the cross, and Holt was typically uncompromising with his blasted finish.

Torres had some making up to do, and was quickly demonstrating his instinctive best as he headed Chelsea level three minutes later. Branislav Ivanovic combined with Mata to whip a cross into the box from the right, and the former Liverpool hitman was on hand to meet the ball and direct it hard into John Ruddy’s bottom right-hand corner. Honours even and Torres forgiven for his earlier indecision.

Most would have expected the equaliser to settle the nerves around Stamford Bridge, but defensively the Blues still looked incredibly unorganised. Hoolahan’s cross was met by Alexander Tettey who couldn’t direct the header, and then with another bite of the cherry Bradley Johnson could only side-foot straight at Cech.

This time it was Norwich who would regret their profligacy, as Frank Lampard converted a superbly-struck half-volley from the edge of the box, after Torres had seen an overhead kick blocked by a defender.

It was Lampard’s 189th Chelsea goal, and his 129thin the Premier League, to take him ahead of Roy Bentley and level with Bobby Tambling for club league strikes.

It was turning into a good afternoon for the Stamford Bridge faithful, and it would get even better on the 30-minute mark when Mata robbed the ball in his own half following a Norwich corner, and broke fast into opposition territory.

With options right and left, he went left, and found Hazard with a perfectly weighted pass, allowing the Belgian the simple task of side-footing beyond Ruddy to double our advantage.

Norwich are yet to win this season, and Hughton had demanded a reaction after the Liverpool defeat last week. They provided one with the ingenuity of Hoolahan, the diminutive midfielder, at the heart of all they did good. It was his low cross, aimed for Holt, that forced Terry to almost divert into his own goal.

Back on the front foot, Oscar, until this point quiet, danced around two challenges inside the box before passing the ball low towards goal, bringing a lively save from Ruddy.

Shortly before the break there were signs once again that defensively, Chelsea were not as tight as we have been. Johnson’s deep cross found Holt with space, though Terry did just enough in closing him down to force the striker off-target with his header.

Second half
The second period began in the same fashion as the first ended, Holt glancing a header just wide under pressure from Terry as Norwich sought a way back into the game.

Had referee Anthony Taylor seen things a little differently they might have been well out of it by the 53rd minute, with Hazard tripped by Barnett inside the box when chasing a pass. There was a clear obstruction of the Chelsea man, who felt he should have had a penalty.

Ruddy then made two decent stops, one from Oscar, the next from Hazard, who was denied by the keeper’s legs after tidy Chelsea passing.

Ramires was brought on for Lampard to add a little more protection, but further up the pitch there was still fun to be had as Ivanovic crashed home a fourth to put us in complete control.

Oscar crossed from the left, eventually finding Mata, whose flick into the air fell perfectly for the Serbian to hammer home into the bottom corner.

With the game won it was time for Chelsea’s great entertainers to enjoy themselves, with the fantastic three of Mata, Hazard and Oscar running Norwich’s midfield ragged, while sub Oriol Romeu twice went narrowly wide as he sought a first league goal to add to his Capital One Cup penalty against Wolves last week.

 

 

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic (Azpilicueta 78), David Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Mikel (Romeu 82), Lampard (Ramires 67); Mata, Oscar, Hazard; Torres.
Unused subs Turnbull, Cahill, Bertrand, Moses.
Goals Torres 14, Lampard 21, Hazard 30, Ivanovic 76

Norwich City (4-4-1-1): Ruddy; R Martin, Barnett, Bassong (R Bennett 78), Garrido; E Bennett, Howson, Tettey, Johnson (Pilkington 68); Hoolahan; Holt (c) (Morison 77).
Unused subs Bunn, Snodgrass, Turner, Jackson.
Goals Holt 10

Referee Anthony Taylor
Attendance 41,784