Liverpool Legend

Jose Manuel Reina is one of the world's top stoppers with an uncanny knack of saving penalties.

He became the latest Spaniard to join the Rafalution in July 2005 and has already smashed a collection of Anfield records.

The bald-headed goalie ousted Jerzy Dudek as first choice despite the Pole's heroics in Istanbul just two months earlier.

Reina, who goes by the nickname Pepe, certainly had the pedigree having come through the ranks at Barcelona.

Having helped lead his country to European Under-16 Championships glory, he made his Nou Camp debut aged just 18.

The charismatic 'keeper played 33 games for the Catalan giants in 2000-01, including two against Liverpool in the UEFA Cup semi-final.

He would later reveal how the reception he received from the Kop during the second leg was key in his decision to join the Reds.

Reina, who is noted for his superb distribution, played just 11 times during the 2001-02 season, prompting a loan move to Villarreal. The transfer was made permanent in May 2004.

The agile stopper helped Villarreal secure a Champions League spot in 2004-05 season, saving an incredible seven out of nine penalty kicks. It was to be his final deed for the club.

On arriving in Merseyside, the new boy was labelled "the best goalkeeper in Spain" by Rafa Benitez.

Immediately installed as top dog in the Anfield goal, his debut came in a Champions League qualifier on July 13, 2005 against TNS. A month later he won his first Spain cap in a 2-0 victory over Uruguay.

What a year it was turning out to be for the young 'keeper. And it was to get even better on December 15 when he and his teammates kept a club record 11th successive clean sheet against Deportivo Saprissa in the World Club Championships.

Reina's first season ended with an FA Cup final against West Ham, and though he made a number of errors in normal time, his habit of saving spot kicks once again made him a hero. Three out of four of West Ham's penalties were blocked and the Cup was heading to Anfield for the seventh time.

Spain coach Luis Aragones took the Liverpool man to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, though Real Madrid's Iker Casillas and Valencia's Santiago Canizares prevented him playing any part.

Back on Merseyside, Reina would soon destroy another club record. His shut out against Blackburn in April 2007 was his 28th in his first 50 league games - three more than Kop legend Ray Clemence.

But there was no time to bask in his own glory, for just around the corner laid a Champions League semi-final against Chelsea. Benitez had his man between the sticks to thank when the Reds returned from the first leg at Stamford Bridge with just a one-goal deficit. The tie ultimately went to penalties, and it was no surprise when Liverpool prevailed. It was later revealed that while Reina was thwarting Arjen Robben and Geremi, thieves were ransacking his home.

Three weeks later in Athens he became only the third player to follow in his father's footsteps by appearing in a European Cup final. Unfortunately, like former Atletico Madrid stopper Miguel Reina Santos, he was on the losing side.

In June 2007, Reina signed a new deal five-year deal at Liverpool.

The season that followed ended without a trophy for the Reds, though our custodian had the personal honour of winning the Golden Glove award for most clean sheets in the Premier League for the third successive year.

Not that this was enough to earn him the No.1 jersey for his country in Euro 2008. Reina featured just once as Spain won their first major honour since 1964 - though the sight of him celebrating each and every goal illustrated his importance to the squad.

Description
Philipp Degen (born 15 February 1983 in Hölstein) is a Swiss international defender who currently plays for Premier League side Liverpool. Degen is usually a right-back but, if required, can also play at left-back. He began his professional career at Swiss team FC Basel, playing four seasons at the club before moving to Borussia Dortmund. He then spent three years at the German club, his last season being marred by injury. Degen signed for Liverpool on a free transfer on 3 July 2008.

In his international career, Degen reached the last 16 in the 2006 FIFA World Cup with the Swiss team. He was selected again for the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament but did not play any games.

Club career
In 1987, Degen began playing for the youth team FC Oberdorf and made the transition to professional football in 1995, signing for the Swiss team FC Basel. He spent five seasons in the youth team before making his first team debut in 2001. In the first four seasons of his senior career Degen made 69 first team appearances and scored 4 goals for Basel. Degen spent the 2002-03 season on loan to FC Aarau making 16 appearances and playing in the same team as his brother, David Degen.Over this four year period he claimed three league titles and one domestic cup with Basel, managed by Christian Gross.

Degen was then signed by Borussia Dortmund of the German Bundesliga and in three seasons at the club he made 68 first team appearances, scoring 1 goal. Degen's last season at Dortmund the 2007-08 season was marred by injury as he only made 12 first team appearances.

On 3 July 2008, Degen signed for Liverpool on a free transfer on a 4 year contract. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez described him as "an offensive player with great energy and a winning mentality. His strength is going forward and I am confident he will be prove to be a quality addition to our squad."On his move to Liverpool, Degen said

"The move is a challenge for me because Liverpool are not just any club. They play every year for the title and the Champions League so it is clear to me that it's not easy to get through to the team. All the positions at Liverpool are occupied by two or three players already. But my playing style suits the Premier League, where the football is played moving forward."

Degen made his Liverpool debut on 12 July 2008 as a half-time substitute in a friendly against Tranmere Rovers which they won 1–0.

International
Degen played for the Swiss team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, until they were knocked out on penalties by Ukraine in the last 16. Despite having been injured for much of the season, Degen formed part of the Swiss squad for the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament. However, the host nation were knocked out in the group stage of the tournament and Degen did not make any appearances.

Personal Life
His twin brother, David, is also a footballer and plays for FC Basel, where both made their professional debut.

Biography
Andrea Dossena is a defender for Italy and Liverpool in the English Premier League. He is a left-footed player who operates best as a left-back, although he can step in and operate as a left-sided centre-back. He is better-known for his tough tackling than in venturing forwards, but can cross the ball well if he finds himself in a position to do so. He is a regular member of the Italian national squad. 

Childhood 
Andrea was born on 11th September 1981 in Lodi, in the suburbs of Milan. As a child he supported AC Milan, although he switched allegiances when he was taken on as a youngster by Verona. He worked his way up through the youth ranks, and impressed the coaches with his tenacity and determination.

Early Career
Dossena signed a professional contract when he was still learning the game, at 17 years old, but he was only brought into the first-team squad at Verona in 2001, when he was 20. He was used sparingly at first, as Verona battled to stay in Serie C. He started to establish himself in the team the following season, and was a first team regular by the time the team won promotion in 2004/05.

Udinese were happy to gamble on this promising youngster, though he still needed match practice at the highest level. A year on loan at Treviso (Serie B) showed that he was capable of playing with classier players, and he became a first-teamer at Udinese the following season.

Representing Udinese in the Champions League and Serie A as their first choice left-back ensured that he was noticed, both by the Italian national side (Donadoni gave him his debut) and by other top clubs.
Current Club
Andrea Dossena signed for Liverpool on 4th July 2008, for around £7m. Big things were expected of the Italian international, with manager Rafa Benitez selling off crowd favourite John Arne Riise because he had such faith in Dossena.

At first Dossena struggled to keep up with the physical demands and pace of the English game, but in time he has changed his game and become better equipped to deal with lightning-quick wingers and counter-attacks.

International
Dossena first donned the azzurri blue shirt in 2007, in a friendly against South Africa. Whilst he has been a regular member of the squad since then, he just missed out on representing Italy at Euro 2008, with Zambrotta recovering from injury just in time. He remains an important member of the squad, and since his move abroad has seen his first-team opportunities increase.

Biography

Martin Skrtel, a professional footballer, was born on December 15, 1984 in Handlová, Slovakia. Nicknamed as Squirtle in the professional circuit, Martin Skrtel was a proficient ice hockey player before he chose to pursue his career in football, following the footsteps of his father.

Martin Skrtel was selected for the Slovakia national team in 2004, subsequent to his experience with the youth teams. He was awarded as the Youth champion of Slovakia in 2001 and Slovak Footballer of the Year in 2007. As of May 2008, he has appeared in 25 matches for the national team, contributing four goals.


Martin Skrtel kicked off his football career at a tender age of six by joining as a youth player in Prievidza Football Club. After playing in different positions, he opted to play the role of a defender at the age of sixteen. In 2001, he entered the professional football arena by signing for FK AS Tren?ín, a Slovak football club, and represented it in 45 matches during his tenure of three years.


Martin Skrtel switched to Zenit Saint Petersburg, a Russian football club, in 2004, and made his debut in a Russian Cup match in July of the same year. The presence of players from his homeland helped him get acquainted to his new team. He was ranked third as a left-central defender in the 2006 Russian Premier League’s list of 33 best players. Martin Skrtel also made his mark in the same league the following year. Totally, he made 113 appearances for the team, scoring five goals.


Despite the interest of various other clubs that wanted his services, Martin Skrtel signed a four and a half year contract for Liverpool in January 2008 for a whopping £6.5 million. He won the confidence of the club’s manager, Rafael Benítez, who hopes that Martin Skrtel would be a great asset for the club owing to his good mentality and competitive attitude. Martin Skrtel made his league debut for the club against Aston Villa by sporting the number 37 shirt. In the fourth round of the Football Association (FA) Cup in January 2008, he made it to the starting eleven and represented the club in the match against Havant & Waterlooville, a non-league English club. He was voted as the Man of the Match by his Liverpool supporters on their official website, subsequent to a concrete performance in the league game against Chelsea. Martin Skrtel has become a fan favorite and proved to be a significant player for Liverpool by his excellent play at centre-half in both the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) Champions League quarter-final legs against Arsenal F.C.


Martin Skrtel made his first appearance in a Merseyside derby match in Liverpool’s victory against Everton in March 2008. His brilliant display in the match made the Liverpool supporters vote him as Man of the Match on Liverpoolfc.TV.

Daniel Munthe Agger, born on December 12, 1984 in Hvidovre, Denmark, is a professional football player. His international football career started in the season 2003-2004, when he played for the Denmark under-20 national football team. In 2004, he moved to the Denmark under-21 national football team and made his debut performance in a friendly match against Finland on June 2, 2005, in which Denmark had a 1-0 win. During his tenure with the national team, he played ten games and scored three goals.

In his next match for the national team, he played against England on August 17, 2005, when the team had a 4-1 win. He was also selected to play for Denmark in the 2006 European Under-21 Championship tournament in May 2006. As of August 2008, he has appeared in 19 matches for the Denmark national football team and scored two goals.

When Daniel Agger was 12, he joined the youth squad of Brøndby IF from childhood club Rosenhøj BK. In July 2004, he moved to the first team of Brøndby IF senior club and became a regular player. Also, he was instrumental in the team’s win in the Danish Superliga 2004-05 championship and contributed for the club’s victory in 2005 Danish Cup. Daniel Agger played exceptionally well and went on to be awarded the 2004 ‘talent of the year’ by Spillerforeningen, a Danish equivalent of the English Professional Footballer's Association (PFA). At the age of 20, on December 6, 2005, he was also honored with the Danish "talent of the year" of all sports.

On January 12, 2006 Daniel Agger signed a four and half year contract with Liverpool for £5.8m transfer deal which made him the most expensive footballer sold by a Danish club to a foreign club as well as the most expensive defender Liverpool had ever bought at that time.

In the start of the 2006-07 season, Daniel Agger was a part of the Liverpool team that won the 2006 Football Association (FA) Community Shield and the FA Cup. His first goal for Liverpool came up on August 26, 2006 as a stinging curler from 35 yards in a 2–1 win against West Ham United. This goal became the Goal of the Month for August 2006 awarded by BBC's Match of the Day. His impressive feats in September won him the PFA's fan award on October 4, 2006.

In the 2007 pre-season, Daniel Agger scored two goals in four games, which included a left footed-finish against South China Athletic Association, a Hong Kong sports club. Daniel Agger scored a goal for Liverpool in the Football league Cup against Birmingham City and on March 31, 2007 he scored his third goal against Arsenal in a 4–1 victory.

On May 1, 2007, in the second leg of the semi-finals of the 2006–07 Champions League Daniel Agger scored another curler, and helped Liverpool beat Chelsea in a 1–0 win. His performance in the match impressed Liverpool fans winning him comparisons to Alan Hansen, a legendary Liverpool player. Daniel Agger also participated in the 2007 Champions League final match against A.C Milan. After a brief period of rest due to a metatarsal injury, Agger came back to action on July 12th 2008 in a friendly win against Tranmere Rovers.

Biography

Johnson was rewarded for getting his career back on track with a move to Liverpool in June 2009, for a fee believed to be in the region of £17m.

After picking up an FA Cup winners' medal with Portsmouth and becoming a regular in Fabio Capello's full England squad, he put himself back on the map after a career littered with misdemeanors.

Johnson first burst onto the scene towards the end of the 2002-03 season with West Ham United. He was a complete unknown before being drafted into the club's ill-fated relegation battle but soon won plaudits from all quarters.

Despite West Ham's relegation, Johnson pledged his future at the end of the campaign. But a £6m bid from Chelsea was too good to turn down, and Johnson made the switch after playing just 16 games for the Hammers.

He was handed his full England debut in November 2003 against Denmark, however, his fortunes changed in 2005-06. His first appearance of the season was as a half-time substitute in England's friendly in Denmark and was woeful as England let in four goals. Then a few weeks later he was sent home from the England Under-21 squad for a general lack of enthusiasm and professionalism.

The 2006-07 season saw Johnson move to Portsmouth on loan in a bid to revive his career. He looked to be rediscovering his form until a bad injury and he courted controversy again in January when he, along with former Millwall player Ben May, was arrested at a B&Q store in Dartford for attempting to steal bathroom fittings. Both received £80 fines.

Johnson joined Portsmouth permanently in August 2007 on the last day of the transfer window, signing a four-year deal after completing a £4m move from Chelsea and made the right-back position his own with some accomplished performances. Over the course of his 36 appearances he became something of a fans' favourite thanks to his attacking forays, and his role in helping the club lift the FA Cup.

That season he also returned to the England fold, called up for the friendly with France. And from then on he was a fixture for Capello in England's squad for the World Cup qualifying campaign.

With Pompey needing to sell players there was little surprise that he was sold in the summer of 2009, though Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admitted he overspent on Johnson to get him to Anfield. That said, he landed himself the future of England's right side and Johnson showed his quality would backup the investment.

Biography

Steven Gerrard was born on 30th May, 1980 in Whiston, Merseyside. The town is about 8 kms to the east of the city of Liverpool. He was brought up in neighbouring Huyton and spent his childhood there.

Gerrard or Stevie G as he is called, is a natural central midfielder who can play in other positions with equal aplomb. He loves to make darting runs from the centre of the park into the striking area and his long range passing and shooting, coupled with his tackling ability makes him a player every manager would love to have in their side.

Gerrard attended the Cardinal Heenan Catholic high school in West Derby, Liverpool. Unlike Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher and other famous Liverpool players who were childhood Everton fans, Gerrard was a Kopite from the beginning and joined his beloved club as a trainee when he was a school boy. He rose through the ranks quickly and made his debut as a substitute for Norwegian Vegard Heggem against Blackburn on 30th November 1998. His first full debut came against Celta Vigo in the UEFA Cup and his performance that night was a definite indicator that the lad was destined for stardom.

He made his first appearance in England colours against Ukraine at Wembley in May 2000 and has been an integral part of the English squad ever since. His first goal for England was a rasping 25 yard shot which gave Oliver Kahn no chance, in the famous 5-1 demolition of Germany in September 2001. His career was plagued by injuries in that period though, and he missed the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan with a groin injury.

He was given the captain's armband first in October 2003 by Gerard Houllier and has captained the Reds regularly ever since. He wears the No.8 jersey for the Reds and No.4 for England. He first captained England against Sweden in 2004, and led the side five times in 2007. When Steve McLaren took over from Sven Goran Eriksson in August 2006, he named Gerrard vice captain of the national team.A leader par excellence, the man gives nothing less than 100% when he is on the pitch. Fans voted him the " Nationwide Player of the Year '' in 2007.

Gerrard has scored in nearly every major final that he has appeared in for Liverpool, proving that he is somebody to be relied upon in big match occasions. Prominent among them is the headed goal against AC Milan in the Champions League final in 2005, which kickstarted Liverpool's amazing comeback and the last minute stunning 35 yard equaliser against West Ham in the FA Cup 2006 Final. He was also on the scoresheet in the 2001 UEFA Cup final against Alaves and the 2003 League Cup final against arch rivals Manchester United. He is also remembered for his crucial 25 yard strike against Olympiakos in the Champions League which assured the Reds of a place in the last 16 of Europe's most prestigious club competition. While Ian Rush still holds most of Liverpool's scoring records, Gerrard is the club's highest scorer in Europe.

Considered as Liverpool's prized asset by many, Gerrard is the pivot around which the Merseysiders revolve and his combination with Fernando Torres saw the latter score over 20 goals in his debut season . Given his versatility and consistency, it comes as no surprise that he is regarded as one of the best midfielders ever to grace the football pitch. Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has even stated his desire to keep Gerrard lifelong at Anfield. He is currently contracted to the Reds till 2011.

Gerrard has won several awards - the PFA young player of the year in 2001, the most valuable player in the Champions League in 2004-05 and PFA player of the year in 2006 (ahead of the likes of Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry). He came third behind Ronaldinho and Lampard in the poll for the prestigious Ballon D'Or (European Footballer of the Year) in 2005. In December 2006, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire ( MBE) in recognition of his services to the game. In the last five seasons, he has never failed to make it to the PFA Team of the Year.

He married Alex Curran on June 16, 2007, and the couple have two daughters, Lily-Ella and Lexie.

Biography

Fernando Torres Fernando José Torres Sanz (born 20 March 1984 in Madrid, Spain), nicknamed El Niño (”The Kid”), is a Spain association football, who plays for Liverpool F.C..

Torres started his career with Atlético Madrid, with whom he progressed through the youth ranks. He made his professional debut in 2001 and finished his career with the club having scored 75 goals in 174 La Liga appearances. Prior to this, Torres played two seasons in the Segunda División, making 40 appearances and scoring seven goals. He joined Liverpool F.C. in 2007, after the club paid their record transfer fee to sign him and marked his first season with the club by being their first player to score more than 20 league goals for the club in a season since Robbie Fowler in 1995-96 in English football.

He is also a Spain national football team and made his debut for the team against Portugal national football team in 2003. He has since participated in three major tournaments; UEFA Euro 2004, 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008. He was unable to score for Spain during the 2004 tournament, but did so on three occasions in the 2006 World Cup. Torres scored the winning goal for Spain in their 1–0 win over Germany national football team in the UEFA Euro 2008 Final.