Steven Gerrard was usually every Liverpool fan’s favourite player when he captained the Reds throughout his 17 seasons at Anfield. The English icon wrote himself into the history books with incredible performances, including firing his Merseyside club to FA Cup glory in 2006 at the expense of West Ham United in what is often dubbed ‘the Gerrard final’.
The 44-year-old was the ultimate Red, who unfortunately failed to win a deserved Premier League title after calling time on his career in January 2017. Mohamed Salah has perhaps picked up the baton from Gerrard and taken on the team’s talismanic responsibilities with aplomb. The Egyptian star’s dribbling and eye for goal have many touting him as one of, if not, the greatest wingers in English top-flight history.
When the pair sat down for an interview in 2023, the former England captain revealed that his son, Lio, ‘loved’ the Reds’ third all-time top scorer more than himself. As for the 2005 UEFA Champions League winner, his all-time favourite paved the way for talents similar to Salah.
Steven Gerrard Loved Liverpool Icon John Barnes
The ex-Reds captain compared him to Salah
John Barnes was one of the most gifted wingers to grace English football, playing football elegantly and, at times, with ease, leaving his defenders chasing shadows. The 79-cap England international helped fire Liverpool to two league titles (1988 and 1990) and was somewhat of a trendsetting attacker whose incredible footballing IQ allowed him to thrive out wide for a decade at Anfield.
Gerrard spent his childhood idolizing Barnes and explained why during his interview with Salah, whom he feels is of a similar breed of winger (via Liverpool’s X account):
“Growing up? John Barnes. Barnes was like yourself, a dribbler, exciting, he could score individual goals like yourself, and he could change a game, he could win a game.”
Barnes joined Liverpool from Watford in a purported £900,000 deal after continuously catching the eye at Vicarage Road. He arrived alongside Peter Beardsley and John Aldridge as replacements for retiring Reds legend Kenny Dalglish, who took to the dugout, and Ian Rush, who’d soon join Juventus.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, he made 407 appearances, bagging 108 goals, and the accolades came his way through a PFA Player of the Year award in 1988 and two FWA Footballer of the Year awards. He wasn’t just getting fans like Gerrard off their feet at Anfield.
Barnes starred for England during his international career, scoring a wonder goal against Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in 1984, dribbling through the Selecao defence with the same aura of a Brazilian before slotting home. That was one of the 10 goals he netted while wearing Three Lions colours.
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John Barnes Liverpool Career |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
406 |
|
Goals |
107 |
|
Assists |
91 |
|
Trophies |
English First Division title 2x, FA Cup 2x, League Cup, Community Shield 3x |
|
Individual Honours |
PFA Player of the Year, FWA Footballer of the Year 2x |
|
Debut |
vs. Arsenal (August 15, 1987) |
|
First Goal |
vs. Oxford United (September 12, 1987) |
Dominik Szoboszlai Reminds John Barnes of Steven Gerrard
The Liverpool midfielder is Barnes’ current favourite Red
Arne Slot’s Liverpool boasts a similar team to the one Barnes made history with, with Salah out wide and following in his footsteps, possessing attacking excellence. One would imagine that the Egyptian, the Premier League’s sixth all-time top scorer, is a favourite among the club’s past generation.
Not for Barnes, though, as he is a massive admirer of Dominik Szoboszlai and feels he is displaying a similar dominance in the middle of the park to Gerrard (via DAZN):
“Dominik Szoboszlai has been incredible. He is my favourite Liverpool player. He reminds me of Steven Gerrard. He can attack. He can defend. He can do everything.”
Szoboszlai joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in July 2023 for £60 million and made a red-hot start to life at Anfield, which was hampered by injury issues. The 24-year-old has bounced back and been a vital asset for Slot’s Reds, putting in inspired performances on their march to likely Premier League glory.
Barnes will love nothing more than to see Szoboszlai and his teammates be crowned champions as he’s been a club ambassador since 2022, representing the Merseyside giants at home and abroad. Fans are reminded of the English great every time they visit Anfield, as a mural in his honour sits proudly outside the 61,276-capacity stadium.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – correct as of 26/02/2025.
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