Liverpool FC

Liverpool FC was formed in 1892 following a dispute between Everton and their Anfield landlord John Houlding. When Everton left for Goodison Park, Houlding founded Liverpool FC to fill the stadium. The club won their first league title in 1901 and added a second in 1906, establishing themselves as one of the country’s top sides in the pre-war era. A third title came in 1922 and a fourth in 1923, cementing Liverpool’s status as a genuine footballing power.

Bill Shankly’s appointment as manager in December 1959 transformed Liverpool FC from a Second Division club into one of England’s most powerful forces. Shankly rebuilt the club from the ground up: the training facilities, the scouting network, the culture. He promoted the legendary Boot Room philosophy and built an identity around total commitment, attacking football and a unique bond with the supporters on the Kop.

Liverpool won the Second Division title in 1962 to return to the top flight, then claimed the First Division championship in 1964 and the FA Cup in 1965, the club’s first. Two more league titles followed in 1966 and 1973, and a UEFA Cup win in 1973 gave Liverpool their first European trophy. Shankly retired in 1974 having made Liverpool the dominant force in English football.

Bob Paisley succeeded Shankly and became the most decorated manager in Liverpool’s history, winning six league titles, three European Cups and three League Cups in just nine seasons. His successor Joe Fagan added a fourth European Cup in 1984, making Liverpool the first British club to win the trophy three times. After the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 and the subsequent ban from European competition, Kenny Dalglish took the reins as player-manager and delivered the club’s last double in 1986.

These two decades produced an almost unbroken run of dominance in English football. Liverpool won 11 league championships between 1964 and 1990, making them the undisputed kings of the English game.

The Premier League era began without the league title Liverpool craved. Manchester United’s dominance under Alex Ferguson defined the 1990s and 2000s while Liverpool had to settle for cup competitions. But there were memorable moments: the 2001 treble under Gerard Houllier, winning the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup in a single season. Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard carried the club through a period of transition.

Rafael Benitez arrived in 2004 and took Liverpool to the brink of a title challenge in 2009, when they accumulated 86 points and yet still finished second to a record-breaking United side. But in Europe, Benitez delivered the greatest night in the club’s modern history.

Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in October 2015 and within five years had transformed Liverpool into the best team on the planet. His gegenpressing style, infectious personality and unshakeable belief in his players produced a period of sustained excellence that rivalled even the Paisley years.

The 2018/19 season brought a sixth European Cup, won in dramatic fashion against Spurs in Madrid. The following season delivered the league title for the first time in 30 years, Liverpool reaching 99 points. Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson became household names worldwide. Klopp’s nine-year tenure ended in 2024, with Arne Slot arriving to continue the project.