Peter Crouch said he ‘can’t keep the smile off his face’ after scoring a match-winning brace against Chelsea in Saturday’s legends’ game at Anfield.
A team made up of former Liverpool stars including the likes of Steven Gerrard, Sami Hyypia and Dirk Kuyt returned for the annual game to raise funds for the LFC Foundation, facing Chelsea 20 years on from that memorable Champions League semi-final double header.
Like in 2005, Saturday’s game between the Reds and Blues lacked urgency in the first period, before Crouch was introduced off the bench at half-time. He opened the scoring soon after, when he directed a header perfectly into the far corner from a Florent Sinama Pongolle cross, before managing to lob the ball over Chelsea keeper Robert Green not long after and secure a 2-0 win for the side managed by Sir Kenny Daglish.
“Honestly, I can’t keep the smile off my face,” the ex-striker said after the match. “I was just hoping to get through the game to be honest. It’s so nice to get a couple of goals. I’m genuinely really pleased because you just never think you’ll even get the opportunity to play at Anfield again. To score two at The Kop End, I’m so happy.”
Crouch revealed beforehand that his Liverpool-supporting son was excited to see his dad pull on the red jersey once again and, although they hadn’t spoken before the post-match press conference, having his family in attendance made the moment particularly special.
“First and foremost, it’s about the Foundation and raising money,” said Crouch. “The amount of people who were here today is a credit to the club really and the fanbase. But I’ve also got my family here.
(Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)
“My little boy had never seen me play, he’s only five so I’ve been saying to him, ‘I did play, I swear, I promise!’ For him to see it first hand, at Liverpool as well, it’s a good moment for my family.
“It was really special, I just don’t think like that. I do the games, I do the commentary and punditry so I’m around the live games but you never think you’re going to get that chance again in front of a packed Kop,” he continued. “There’s more people in here than when I played. So it’s so special to get a couple of goals and to get the win, I’m really pleased with it all.”
And to commemorate a first goal in a Liverpool shirt for 17 years, Crouch pulled out his trademark robot celebration in front of the Kop for the first-ever time.
“You know what, people must be bored of it. I didn’t want to do it but so many kids on the way in, they weren’t even born the last time I was doing the robot, they kept asking me, ‘if you score, you’ve got to do it.’ You know what, you’ve got to do it for them.
“Oh yeah, 100% [I’m coming back next year],” he added. “You won’t keep me away now.”
