Countless incredible players have donned the famous red jersey for Liverpool over the years, and fans have regular debates about which stars would make the cut in an all-time XI for the Merseysiders.
Some members of Arne Slot‘s 2024-25 Premier League winning squad could even be in contention for a spot in such a lineup, including the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, though the latter faces stern competition from historical greats.
With this in mind, Sports Mole considers: Who are the best players to ever feature for the Reds?
Signed from Roma in the summer of 2018 after Liverpool’s defeat in the 2017-18 Champions League final, Alisson Becker solidified a position that had been a glaring weakness for the Reds over the years, with Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius both failing to instil confidence from between the sticks since the departure of Pepe Reina.
The Brazilian shot-stopper is renowned as one of the best goalkeepers in the world for his composure, positioning and remarkable one-on-one success rate, and he will be remembered not only for the trophies that he helped to bring to the club, but also the last-gasp winner that he scored against West Bromwich Albion in May 2021.
A key component of Bob Paisley‘s dominant domestic and European force in the 1970s and early 1980s, Phil Neal was signed from Northampton Town for £66,000 and went on to make 455 appearances for Liverpool, winning eight First-Division titles and four European Cups, as well as one UEFA Cup – the competition now known as the Europa League.
Much like Alexander-Arnold, Neal was known for his attacking exploits despite being a member of the backline, and even earned the nickname ‘Zico’ in reference to his creativity and knack for scoring important goals, including strikes in the 1977 and 1984 European Cup finals.
A true great of the art of defending, Alan Hansen joined Paisley’s side in 1977 for £100,000 from Partick Thistle and served the club for 14 years, eventually being appointed captain by player-manager Kenny Dalglish in 1985.
Hansen’s legacy stands the test of time at Anfield despite his later years being hampered by injury, with the Scotsman winning 17 major honours during his time on Merseyside.
Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool’s current captain signed from Southampton as part of a £75m deal that was a record transfer fee for a defender back in January 2018, and while many questioned the price tag at the time, Virgil van Dijk has proven to be worth every penny over the years.
The colossal Dutchman has won two Premier League titles, one Champions League crown, two League Cups and one FA Cup to date, as well as finishing second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or rankings, a mere seven points behind Lionel Messi.
Nicknamed ‘The Flying Scotsman’, Andy Robertson joined Liverpool in 2017 for a bargain price of £8m after being relegated from the top flight with Hull City, and though it took a few months for him to get up to speed with Jurgen Klopp‘s style, he cemented his place as first choice once Alberto Moreno picked up an injury.
The former Celtic youngster has produced the second most assists of any defender in Premier League history, and alongside Alexander-Arnold, Robertson’s output from full-back was a trademark of an era of resurgence on Merseyside.
Another member of the Reds’ imperious side of the late 1970s and early 1980s, combative midfielder Graeme Souness spent seven seasons at Anfield after joining the club from Middlesbrough for a club-record sale price of £350,000 in January 1978.
His presence at both ends of the pitch was crucial in Liverpool winning five league titles, four European Cups and four League Cups during his time on Merseyside, and former captain Souness will also be remembered for scoring a number of classic goals, including his first for the club in a 3-1 win over Manchester United, and assisting the winner in the 1978 European Cup final.
Often referred to as ‘Captain Fantastic’ during his 17-year Liverpool career, Steven Gerrard remains a heroic figure for Reds fans both for his status as a loyal local that made it to play for the club at the highest level, and also for his ability to drag the team to victory in arduous circumstances.
Some claim that Gerrard was the greatest player to ever wear the red jersey at Anfield, and the legendary three-goal comeback against an AC Milan side that featured the likes of Kaka, Cafu, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta, Jaap Stam and Paolo Maldini that is often attributed to the skipper makes it difficult to argue against the idea.
Right-Winger: Mohamed Salah
The attacking star of Klopp’s nine-year tenure in the Anfield dugout, Mohamed Salah, joined Liverpool from Roma for an initial £36.5m in the summer of 2017, and many fans of the English top flight had doubts about the transfer due to his difficult spell at Chelsea years prior.
However, the winger went on to break the Premier League record for goals scored in a 38-game campaign with a staggering 32 goals and 10 assists from 36 matches in his debut season on Merseyside, and the Egyptian King’s remarkable consistency has brought him to third place in the Reds’ all-time top-scorer list having overtaken Gordon Hodgson in March 2025.
Second-Striker: Kenny Dalglish
Part of a triumvirate of Scottish signings under Paisley in the 1977-78 season, Kenny Dalglish arrived at Anfield from Celtic for a British record fee of £440,000, and he is regarded so highly by fans that he is known as King Kenny, not to mention the fact that the Reds’ home ground has a stand named after him.
One of the most significant figures in Liverpool’s history, Dalglish won 14 major honours both as a player and player-manager, and his formidable partnership with Ian Rush will live long in the memory of supporters.
Striker: Ian Rush
Welsh striker Ian Rush remains Liverpool’s all-time record goalscorer with 346 goals across all competitions, and having accumulated 15 major honours during his two spells with the Reds, he stands out as one of the greatest strikers in British history.
Some argue that Luis Suarez, who some consider to be the third best player of the Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo era, should lead the Merseysiders’ all-time XI, but Rush’s total of 15 years at Anfield puts him just ahead of the Uruguayan, despite his remarkable 2013-14 season.
The 1987-88 PFA Players’ Player of the Year, John Barnes, is regarded as one of the most exciting players to ever don the red kit, and though he successfully transitioned into a midfield role during the later years of his decade-long spell at Anfield, it was his time as a winger that saw him at his peak.
Barnes was considered by some to be one of the best players in the world during the late 1980s, and even outscored Rush during Liverpool’s 1989-90 title-winning campaign with a tally of 22 goals, before solidifying his status by netting 16 in 1990-91.
Complete Lineup:
Alisson; Neal, Hansen, Van Dijk, Robertson; Souness, Gerrard; Salah, Dalglish, Rush, Barnes
