Articles
Who are the best North and South American players to have played for Liverpool?
Football is a truly global game now with most Premier League teams having a range of nationalities in their squad. Long gone are the days when teams in England would have 1 or 2 foreign players mixed in with the British born ones. While Europe has always been a strong market to pick players up from, Liverpool have also done well in the past when dipping their toes into the North American and South American markets. Just look at the current starting line-up, and you'll see two of South America's top talents in Roberto Firmino and Alisson.
But what about former players who played for Liverpool in the past from these continents? Who are the best players to have pulled on a Liverpool jersey?
When it comes to players born in North America, this is not a market which Liverpool have explored in great depth previously. Considering the growing popularity of the MLS, though, this may change. As the North American MLS grows too, more focus and knowledge of players there could see more come over to the Premier League in future. Of course, this may also see more talented North American players break into top European leagues before moving to England – Christian Pulisic to Chelsea is a great example.
Goalkeeper Brad Friedel is perhaps the best-known North American player to have stepped out at Anfield. He moved to Merseyside from Columbus Crew in 1997 for a fee of £1.5 million which, at the time, was a large sum of money. Despite serving as second-choice goalkeeper behind David James, he had the opportunities to show the fans his reliability with superb shot-stopping abilities and a real presence in the box.
All of this talent, combined with the vast number of goals he scored for Liverpool, made his time in the Premier League a real success. As Suarez's career stats show, the Uruguayan scored 82 goals in 133 appearances during his three and a half year spell at the club.
Another superb player from South America who Liverpool were lucky to have was Argentinian defensive midfielder, Javier Mascherano. In January 2007, the midfielder joined on loan from West Ham before he made the permanent move in 2008. With his no-nonsense tackling, a great range of passing and his excellent positional awareness, he turned out to be an outstanding player for Liverpool.
Alongside legends Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, he formed a fearsome midfield trio during his time in the city. Overall, he turned out 139 times for the club in his spell in Liverpool before leaving for Barcelona in 2010.
There is doubt that playmaker Phillipe Coutinho sprinkled some Brazilian magic on the team during his stay. Coutinho arrived from Inter Milan in 2013 for only £8.5 million which turned out to be a real steal. In his five-year spell, he notched up 201 appearances and scored 54 goals.
Coutinho is remembered at Anfield for his quick feet, long shots, visionary passing, accurate free-kicks and all-round intelligent play. His talent was perfectly exhibited in his glorious August 2016 strike when Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-3 in the Premier League opener. He eventually left in January 2018 for a staggering fee of £142 million. When you look at a list of the most expensive players Liverpool have sold, this easily comes top. While many fans questioned this at the time, it gave the club funds to buy both Alisson and Van Djik who both turned out to be vital players for the club moving forward.
One thing that most Liverpool fans can agree on is that we will see more players coming from these continents to wow crowds in the future. While the flow from South America may be as seen previously, we may see higher numbers coming in from North America soon. Only recently, highly rated teen US starlet Matteo Ritaccio signed with Liverpool; could this be the start of a new supply line? If anyone who comes in can do half as well as the ones listed above, it will bode well for the club.
Written by Alan Spencer
But what about former players who played for Liverpool in the past from these continents? Who are the best players to have pulled on a Liverpool jersey?
Brad Friedel
When it comes to players born in North America, this is not a market which Liverpool have explored in great depth previously. Considering the growing popularity of the MLS, though, this may change. As the North American MLS grows too, more focus and knowledge of players there could see more come over to the Premier League in future. Of course, this may also see more talented North American players break into top European leagues before moving to England – Christian Pulisic to Chelsea is a great example.
Goalkeeper Brad Friedel is perhaps the best-known North American player to have stepped out at Anfield. He moved to Merseyside from Columbus Crew in 1997 for a fee of £1.5 million which, at the time, was a large sum of money. Despite serving as second-choice goalkeeper behind David James, he had the opportunities to show the fans his reliability with superb shot-stopping abilities and a real presence in the box.
Luis Suarez
By contrast, the South American market has been a much richer supply line of players for Liverpool. Whether they came from this continent direct or via other European or English teams, South American players have lit up Anfield in the past. For many fans, there is one name that stands out from the rest: Uruguayan hitman, Luis Suarez.
Suarez has everything as a player, and he showed all of it and more when
playing on Merseyside. Not only does he have a real desire to win, but
he also has excellent pace, precision finishing and intelligent
movement.
All of this talent, combined with the vast number of goals he scored for Liverpool, made his time in the Premier League a real success. As Suarez's career stats show, the Uruguayan scored 82 goals in 133 appearances during his three and a half year spell at the club.
Javier Mascherano
Another superb player from South America who Liverpool were lucky to have was Argentinian defensive midfielder, Javier Mascherano. In January 2007, the midfielder joined on loan from West Ham before he made the permanent move in 2008. With his no-nonsense tackling, a great range of passing and his excellent positional awareness, he turned out to be an outstanding player for Liverpool.
Alongside legends Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, he formed a fearsome midfield trio during his time in the city. Overall, he turned out 139 times for the club in his spell in Liverpool before leaving for Barcelona in 2010.
Phillipe Coutinho
There is doubt that playmaker Phillipe Coutinho sprinkled some Brazilian magic on the team during his stay. Coutinho arrived from Inter Milan in 2013 for only £8.5 million which turned out to be a real steal. In his five-year spell, he notched up 201 appearances and scored 54 goals.
Coutinho is remembered at Anfield for his quick feet, long shots, visionary passing, accurate free-kicks and all-round intelligent play. His talent was perfectly exhibited in his glorious August 2016 strike when Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-3 in the Premier League opener. He eventually left in January 2018 for a staggering fee of £142 million. When you look at a list of the most expensive players Liverpool have sold, this easily comes top. While many fans questioned this at the time, it gave the club funds to buy both Alisson and Van Djik who both turned out to be vital players for the club moving forward.
More to come from North and South America at Anfield
One thing that most Liverpool fans can agree on is that we will see more players coming from these continents to wow crowds in the future. While the flow from South America may be as seen previously, we may see higher numbers coming in from North America soon. Only recently, highly rated teen US starlet Matteo Ritaccio signed with Liverpool; could this be the start of a new supply line? If anyone who comes in can do half as well as the ones listed above, it will bode well for the club.
Written by Alan Spencer
