There is something about the No.10 jersey that appears almost magical, with so many iconic players having donned said jersey down the years. Whether turning out on domestic or international stages, anybody deemed deserving of taking on such a shirt should consider themselves fortunate – especially if asked to do so by one of the biggest teams on the planet.
History
Liverpool has bestowed that honor upon plenty of household names over the course of their distinguished history, with success expected, rather than long for at Anfield. As it stands, outright football betting odds have the Reds at +900 for Champions League glory in 2022-23 and +550 to savor back-to-back FA Cup triumphs.
In order to collect more major honors, key men will need to produce moments of match-altering brilliance – the kind that is usually reserved for those patrolling the field with No.10 on their back. With that in mind, here are five of the best to fill that shirt on Merseyside during the Premier League era.
Jamie Redknapp
Better known to football supporters in the modern era for his role as a pundit and game show panelist, Redknapp spent 11 years with Liverpool between 1991 and 2002. He took in 308 appearances for the club, with many of those seeing him asked to fill a creative playmaking post, with the No.10 shirt taken on at times during the Premier League’s inaugural campaign of 1992-93.
Michael Owen
One of the greatest goalscorers of his generation, which is some going given the competition he faced for such standing in that era. After bursting onto Premier League and World Cup stages, Owen won the coveted Ballon d’Or in 2001. In total, he hit 158 goals for Liverpool through 297 appearances – winning the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup along the way.
Luis Garcia
Luis García against Chelsea in 2005 👻
(via @LFC)pic.twitter.com/3IbA7MG9fK
— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 26, 2022
Netted the infamous ‘ghost goal’ against Chelsea that guided Liverpool to the 2005 Champions League final and left Jose Mourinho fuming. Garcia would go on to play the full 120 minutes against AC Milan on a miraculous night in Istanbul as the Reds recovered from three goals down to claim another European crown. He would also score in a UEFA Super Cup victory over CSKA Moscow – one of his 122 total appearances.
Philippe Coutinho
The Brazilian was struggling to make his mark in Europe when arriving at Anfield from Inter in January 2013, but quickly showed why he was so highly regarded and would become a cult hero across five years at Liverpool. Coutinho hit 54 goals and provided 45 assists through 201 outings for Premier League heavyweights.
Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane is having a season to remember 💪 pic.twitter.com/RgqeZxyROF
— GOAL (@goal) April 27, 2022
Mane’s departure from Bayern Munich in 2022 was always going to hit Liverpool hard, with his value to the cause has been clear for all to see across six seasons prior to that. The Senegalese forward – who won Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup crowns with the Reds – netted 120 goals through 269 appearances for the Reds, with a Golden Boot included on his glittering CV.
Future
After parting with Mane, Liverpool left their No.10 shirt vacant for the 2022-23 campaign. That begs the question as to who will be next to take on an iconic jersey and will they go on to add their name to a list of legends at Anfield?
