Nabil El Zhar

Nabil El Zhar ( 31 )

Full Name: Nabil El Zhar
Position: Midfield Right, Winger
Squad number: 31
Date of birth: 27/August/1986
Birth place: Ales, France
Former clubs: St Etienne
LFC 1st team games: 13
LFC 1st team goals: 1
International caps: 7
International goals: 2
Career Appearances: 13
Career Goals: 1
Previous Clubs: Olympique Ales, Nimes, St Etienne
Transfer Fee: £0m

Nabil El Zhar Profile

Liverpool secured the signature of winger Nabil El Zhar from St Etienne in October 2006.

The youngster was born in France and played for Les Bleus at youth level before defecting to Morocco, where his parents were raised.

He first caught the eye during the 2005 World Youth Championships when he helped Morocco reach the semis.

Liverpool's number 31, who can play on either flank or behind the striker, made his debut as a 71st minute substitute against Portsmouth on November 29, 2006. It was the first of three appearances in 2006-07.

The following year saw El Zhar score a 25-yard corker in front of the Kop during his first start of the campaign against Cardiff City in the Carling Cup.

He rippled the net again during his senior bow for Morocco versus Belgium in March 2008 before helping Liverpool Reserves clinch the 2007-08 national title.

Damien Plessis

Damien Plessis ( 28 )

Full Name: Damien Plessis
Position: Midfield Center
Squad number: 28
Date of birth: 5/March/1988
Birth place: Neuville-aux-Bois, France
Former clubs: Lyon
LFC 1st team games: 7
LFC 1st team goals: 1
International caps: 0
International goals: 0
Career Appearances: 7
Career Goals: 1
Transfer Fee: £0m

Damien Plessis Profile

Damien Plessis signed for Liverpool in August 2007 from the French side Olympique Lyonnais, at the age of 19. A player of French nationality, he was in fact born in La Reunion, a French island situated in the Indian Ocean.

Plessis signed for Lyon at the age of 15, and was considered to be one of the team's most promising youngsters, following in the footsteps of Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa.

Beginning his Liverpool career in Gary Ablett's reserve team, Plessis played a key role in the centre of midfield as part of the title-winning side during the 2007-2008 season.

Considered to be one of the hottest talents of a strong reserve outfit, Plessis made a surprise debut on 05th April 2008 against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, a match which finished in an honourable 1-1 draw for the Reds.

Plessis has also made an impact on the International scene, forming part of the French side that reached the semi-final of the 2007 UEFA European Under-19 Championships, alongside Liverpool newcomer David Ngog.

For the 2008-2009 season, Plessis has been given the number 28 shirt, confirming his integration as part of the Liverpool first team.

Jay Spearing

Jay Spearing ( 26 )

Full Name: Jay Spearing
Position: Midfield Center, Defender Right
Squad number: 26
Date of birth: 25/Nov/1988
Birth place: Wirral, England
Former clubs: LFC Youth Academy
LFC 1st team games: 0
LFC 1st team goals: 0
England International caps: 0
England International goals: 0
Career Appearances: 0
Career Goals: 0
Transfer Fee: £0m

Jay Spearing Profile

Jay Spearing graduated to Melwood in the summer of 2007 after the best part of a decade at the Academy.

The central midfielder cum defender captained Liverpool Under-18s to the second of their successive FA Youth Cup victories in 2007.

A broken leg meant he missed most of the previous campaign, though he did feature as a late substitute when the young Reds beat Man City in the final.

In May 2007, Spearing was voted best player at the Torneo di Renate after a Liverpool under-20s side competed against the likes of AC Milan and Parma.

He then played a crucial role as Gary Ablett's second string clinched the FA Premier Reserve League title in 2007-08.

Reserves coach Gary Ablett said of the petite but combative youngster: "I think he will find that if he advances at this football club, centre-back may not be his position. His understanding and reading of the game in central midfield are there for all to see."

Lucas Leiva

Lucas Leiva (21)

Full Name: Lucas Pezzini Leiva
Position: Midfield Center
Squad number: 21
Date of birth: 09/Januari/1987
Birth place: Dourados, Brazil
Former clubs: Gremio
LFC 1st team games: 40
LFC 1st team goals: 2
Brazil International caps: 3
Brazil International goals: 0
Career Appearances: 56
Career Goals: 6
Former clubs: Gremio
Transfer Fee: £6500000

Lucas Leiva Profile

Brazil international Lucas Leiva signed for Liverpool in July 2007.

The midfielder's arrival from Gremio was seen as quite a coup for Rafa Benitez, with a host of European clubs apparently circling.

Having broken onto the scene in October 2005, Lucas soon became the youngest player ever to win the Bola de Ouro. The honour is given to the best player in the Campeonato Brasileiro and has previously been won by Zico, Romario, Kaka and Carlos Tevez.

The youngster, nephew of former Brazilian footballer Leivinha, captained his country's under-20s to the South American Youth Championship title in 2007, scoring four goals in the process.

No wonder senior coach Dunga was starting to take note. He actually selected the box-to-box midfielder against Al-Kuwait in October 2006, but the game was not an official FIFA tie and so did not count as his international debut. That came a month into his Liverpool career in August 2007 when he came on as a substitute in a friendly with Algeria.

Lucas, who also holds an Italian passport, made his Reds bow as a second-half sub in a Champions League qualifier against Toulouse on August 28, 2007.

The Brazilian notched up more than 30 appearances in his debut season, breaking his Anfield duck in style with a 25-yard curler in the FA Cup against Havant and Waterlooville.

Lucas was absent for the start of 2008-09 after travelling to the Olympics in Beijing, where he had to settle for bronze after a semi-final defeat to Javier Mascherano's Argentina.

Javier Mascherano

Javier Mascherano (20)

Full Name: Javier Alejandro Mascherano
Position: Midfield Center
Squad number: 20
Date of birth: 08/June/1984
Birth place:San Lorenzo, Sante Fe, Argentina
Former clubs: West Ham United
Transfer Fee: £18300000 from MSI Investments
LFC 1st team games: 62
LFC 1st team goals: 1
Argentina International caps: 44
Argentina International goals: 2
Previous Clubs: River Plate, Corinthians, West Ham United

Javier Mascherano Profile

Midfield enforcer Javier Mascherano signed from West Ham in February 2007.

Since then his dynamic style has established him as a Kop favourite and one of the first names on Rafa Benitez's teamsheet.

The Argentinean has quite a pedigree having come through the ranks at South American giants River Plate. Such was his potential that he earned his first international call-up before kicking a ball for his club.

Having already represented his country in the FIFA Under-17 Championships, Mascherano made his senior debut against Uruguay in July 2003.

The following summer saw him compete in the Copa America. Argentina lost the final to Brazil on penalties but Mascherano was voted player of the tournament by his teammates. A month later he and his countrymen won Olympic gold in Athens.

By this stage, the youngster had accrued quite a fan club, including one of the greatest players of all time. Diego Maradona described him as "a monster of a player destined for great things."

Mascherano joined Brazilian club Corinthians in July 2005, helping them to win the Campeonato Brasileiro in his first season.

From there he travelled to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where his performances led to links with several of Europe's top clubs.

It was West Ham who eventually clinched Mascherano's signature alongside compatriot Carlos Tevez in August 2006, though his time in east London was troubled at best.

After featuring just seven times in six months, he jumped at the opportunity to try his luck on Merseyside.

Despite the presence of Momo Sissoko, Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, the new boy quickly established himself as a regular in the Liverpool midfield.

Mascherano made his debut against Sheffield United on February 24, 2007 and three months later won fans' man of the match for his performance in the Champions League final.

While goals are not his forte, he did bag two in the summer of 2007 to help Argentina win the Copa America. A first for Liverpool arrived against Reading in March 2008.

Five months later Mascherano won a second Olympic gold in Beijing.

What he lacks in height, he makes up for in power, and the sight of our number 20 thundering across the field to recover possession is as familiar to the Kop as a Fernando Torres goal or a last-ditch tackle from Jamie Carragher.

Ryan Babel

Ryan Babel (19)

Full Name: Ryan Guno Babel
Position: Midfield Left, right, Winger, Forward
Squad number: 19
Date of birth: 19/December/1986
Birth place:Amsterdam, Holland
Former clubs: Ajax Amsterdam
Transfer Fee: £11500000
LFC 1st team games: 63
LFC 1st team goals: 11
Holland International caps: 28
Holland International goals: 5
Career Appearances: 103
Career Goals: 18
Previous Clubs: Ajax Amsterdam

Ryan Babel Profile

Explosive winger Ryan Babel joined the Reds in July 2007 in a deal worth more than £10million.

The Dutch international is a product of the famous Ajax youth academy, which he joined aged 11.

By the time he was 17 he was deemed ready for first-team action, resulting in a debut against ADO Den Haag in February 2004.

Just over a year later Babel won his first international cap against Romania when he came on as a substitute for former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben. Holland won the game 2-0, with the new boy bagging himself a goal. At just 18 years and 97 days, the strike made him his country's youngest scorer in 68 years.

Despite featuring at senior level, Babel was still eligible for the Under 20s' World Cup in June 2005, at which he scored two goals.

From there, he was part of Marco van Basten's 23-man squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, though made only one substitute appearance against Argentina in the group stages.

In June 2007, the winger was one of the stars as Holland Under-21s won the European Championships on home soil. His two goals included one in the final against Serbia, helping him scoop man of the match.

Babel, who can play on either wing or up front, left Ajax with a record of 14 goals in 73 Eredivisie outings.

His Reds debut came on August 11, 2007 when he appeared as a second-half substitute against Aston Villa.

It wasn't long before our new number 19 was hitting the back of the net, making two Derby County defenders look silly before lashing home at the Anfield Road end on September 1.

Another nine goals followed in a satisfying first year including an audacious flick in an 8-0 Champions League drubbing of Besiktas.

Sadly, just as he was poised to set Euro 2008 alight with Holland, Babel was forced into the treatment room. An ankle ligament injury sustained in training brought with it the heartache of missing Austria and Switzerland.

Jermaine Pennant

Jermaine Pennant ( 16 )

Full Name: Jermaine Lloyd Pennant
Position: Midfield Right, Winger
Squad number: 16
Date of birth: 15/January/1983
Birth place:Nottingham, England
Former clubs: Birmingham City
Transfer Fee: £6700000
LFC 1st team games: 79
LFC 1st team goals: 3
England International caps: 0
England International goals: 0
Career Appearances: 171
Career Goals: 12
Previous Clubs: Notts County, Arsenal, Watford (loan), Leeds (loan), Birmigham City

Jermaine Pennant Profile

Rafa Benitez signed Jermaine Pennant in the summer of 2006 following a long search for a right winger.

The move was seen as an ideal opportunity for the youngster to establish himself as an England international after years of showing great promise.

Pennant began his career at Notts County but was snapped up by Arsenal at the age of 15. The fee of £2million was a new record for a trainee.

The midfielder made his debut aged just 16 in a League Cup match against Middlesbrough in November 1999. It made him Arsenal's youngster ever player, though this record has since been broken by Cesc Fabregas.

Pennant had to wait until August 2002 for his league debut when he came on as a sub against West Ham. His first league start against Southampton in May 2003 saw him score a hat-trick.

Unfortunately for the young wideman, these were to be his only goals for The Gunners as he failed to hold down a place in Arsene Wenger's side.

All the while he was making quite an impression on the international scene. Despite occasional disciplinary problems, he managed to accrue 24 England Under-21 caps - putting him in the all-time top 10 for appearances.

Domestically, Pennant was loaned out to Watford, Leeds United and Birmingham City. He eventually joined the latter on a permanent basis in April 2005 having made just 26 appearances for Arsenal.

The winger's impressive form at St Andrew's was born out by OPTA statistics, which revelead he provided more crosses than any other Premiership player in 2005-06. Despite this, Birmingham were relegated, and another transfer was inevitable if he was to further his career.

Liverpool secured Pennant's signature in July 2006. Wearing the number 16 shirt vacated by Didi Hamann, he made his competitive debut in a Champions League qualifier against Maccabi Haifa on August 9.

After an initial settling-in period, the new boy began to make his mark, scoring his first goal on January 20, 2007 in a league victory over Chelsea. The boyhood Reds fan was one of the stand-out performers during the Champions League final defeat in Athens.

Yossi Benayoun

Yossi Benayoun ( 15 )

Full Name: Yosef Shai Benayoun
Position: Midfield Centre
Squad number: 15
Date of birth: 5/May/1980
Birth place:Dimona,Israel
Former clubs: West Ham United
Transfer Fee: £5000000
LFC 1st team games: 63
LFC 1st team goals: 11
Israel International caps: 68
Israel International goals: 18
Career Appearances: 350
Career Goals: 103
Previous Clubs: Hapoel Beer Sheva, Maccabi Haifa, Racing Santander, West Ham

Yossi Benayoun Profile

Skilful winger Yossi Benayoun signed from West Ham in July 2007.

The Israel skipper began his career at Hapoel Be'er Sheva, 30 miles from where he was born and grew up.

He was invited to join the Ajax Academy aged 15 but homesickness meant he spent just one full season in Holland before returning to Hapoel.

Benayoun broke into the first team soon after his return in 1997, scoring 15 goals in his first season.

Despite this, the club were relegated and their star man was off to Maccabi Haifa. Several foreign clubs had expressed an interest, but three years of national service would keep him at home until the age of 21.

International recognition soon came his way, with the player nicknamed The Kid making his senior debut aged 18 against Portugal in November 1998.

Benayoun was developing into one of the shining lights of Israeli football. He was the country's second top scorer in 1999-00 with 19 goals.

In 2000-01 he helped lead Haifa to their first title in seven years, winning the division's most valuable player in the process.

The following campaign brought another title-winner's medal but it was to be his last in his homeland. After four seasons, 130 appearances and 55 goals for Haifa, the midfielder was on his way to northern Spain and Racing Santander.

Benayoun enjoyed three seasons in La Liga, managing 21 goals in 101 matches before financial difficulties forced his owners to cash in.

West Ham reportedly paid £2.5million for the forward in the summer of 2005, though he instantly repaid some of his fee with two assists against Blackburn Rovers on the opening day of the season.

Benayoun quickly established himself as one of the Premiership's best right-sided midfielders.

His five goals and seven assists helped Alan Pardew's side finish 9th in 2005-06 - as well as an FA Cup final against Liverpool.

West Ham may have lost on penalties, but their number 15's disappoint was soon eased with news he was being handed the Israeli captaincy.

The father-of-two bagged another three goals in his final year with The Hammers, taking his total to eight in 63 league appearances.

Benayoun made his Reds debut in a Champions League qualifier against Toulouse on August 15, 2007.

Six weeks later he opened his Liverpool account with a classy run and finish in a 4-2 Carling Cup victory at Reading. More cup joy followed in November 2007 with a hat-trick in an 8-0 drubbing of Besiktas in the Champions League group stages.

Benayoun tallied 11 goals in total during his debut season at Anfield, a credible return considering he wasn't always an automatic choice. in the final group game against Greece.

Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso ( 14 )

Full Name: Xabier Alonso Olano
Position: Midfield Centre
Squad number: 14
Date of birth: 25/November/1981
Birth place:Tolosa, Spain
Former clubs: Real Sociedad
Transfer Fee: £10500000
LFC 1st team games: 179
LFC 1st team goals: 15
Spain International caps: 48
Spain International goals: 3
Career Appearances: 303
Career Goals: 24
Previous Clubs: Real Sociedad, SD Eibar

Xabi Alonso Profile

Cultured midfielder Xabi Alonso became one of the first players to join the Rafalution with a £10.5million move from his native Spain in August 2004.

The pass master is the son of former Barcelona star Miguel Angel 'Periko' Alonso and brother of Bolton midfielder Mikel.

Both sons came through the ranks at Real Sociedad, with Xabi making his senior breakthrough in a Copa del Rey match versus Logrones in December 1999.

From there, he was loaned to Spanish minnows SD Eibar, only to be called back when Kop legend John Toshack took the reins at Estadio Anoeta.

Alonso swiftly developed into a defensive midfielder with an eye for a pass few of his contemporaries could spot.

It came as no surprise when, in April 2003 and aged just 21, he earned his first Spain cap against Ecuador. A year later he travelled to the European Championships in Holland and Belgium, though featured in just one of his country's three group games.

His arrival at Anfield followed hot on the heels of the appointment of Rafa Benitez, who viewed his countryman as the man to set the tempo in a new-look Liverpool.

Alonso made his debut at Bolton's Reebok Stadium on August 29, 2004. Two months later he put in a dazzling performance against Fulham at Craven Cottage which had Kopites purring. With the Reds 2-0 down at half-time, Benitez threw on his new boy. The midfielder duly inspired a miraculous comeback, with the game ending 2-4.

His first season in English football was interrupted by a broken ankle following a tackle from Chelsea's Frank Lampard on New Year's Day. After three months out, he returned in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Juventus. Alonso played 90 minutes as the Reds held the Italians to a goalless draw and thus progressed to the semis.

Next up were Chelsea, though a wrongly-awarded yellow card following a brush with Eidur Gudjohnsen meant the midfield anchorman missed the second leg.

Never mind, his teammates got the job done, and Alonso would play a pivotal role in Istanbul when the club won its fifth European Cup. It was he who scored Liverpool's third and equalising goal on 59 minutes, knocking in the rebound from his own missed penalty.

The Spaniard's second season in England was perhaps most notable for his performance against Luton Town in the third round of the FA Cup. With the Reds 3-1 down early in the second half, he scored two corkers, including a 65-yard punt from inside his own half.

Reports afterwards revealed the strike won one lucky fan £25,000. Spookily, the gent had placed £200 on the Reds number 14 scoring from his own half during the 2005-06 season.

Liverpool went on to win the FA Cup in Cardiff four months later, with Alonso playing 66 minutes of the final against West Ham.

From there, the popular Spaniard was selected for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where he scored his first international goal in a group match against Ukraine.

Alonso returned to Melwood following a second-round defeat to France to prepare for what would turn out to be another memorable season.

Not only did he play in his second European Cup final, he also scored another goal from inside his own half in a match against Newcastle United. Remarkably, it was his first Liverpool strike since the almost identical effort against Luton, and he remains the only modern player to score consecutive club goals from beyond the half-way line.

In June 2007 Alonso penned a new five-year deal, though sadly much of the following campaign was spent on the sidelines with a metatarsal injury.

Fortunately for Spain, he was back in time for Euro 2008 - and the tournament provided another career high as he and his countrymen defeated Germany in the final. Though not always in the starting XI, Alonso featured three times from the bench and wore the captain's armband in the final group game against Greece.

Albert Riera

Albert Riera (11)

Full Name: Albert Riera Ortega
Position: Midfield Left
Squad number: 11
Date of birth: 15/April/1982
Birth place: Manacor, Spain
Former clubs: Espanyol
Transfer Fee:£8 M
LFC 1st team games: 14
LFC 1st team goals: 1
Spain International caps: 6
Spain International goals: 1
Career Appearances: 229
Career Goals: 28
Previous Clubs: RCD Mallorca, Bordeaux, Espanyol, Manchester City

Albert Riera Profile

Rafael Benitez secured the signing of Spanish left winger Albert Riera just before the transfer deadline in August 2008.

He is an exciting player who likes to take on defenders and is a good crosser of the ball. Riera was a popular figure at Espanyol and their supporters were sorry to see him leave.

Riera has experience of playing in England before when he had a loan spell with Manchester City during the 2005-2006 season. During that period he made an appearance on the hallowed Anfield turf when he came on as a 78th minute substitute for City during Liverpool's 1-0 win on February 26, 2006.

During his spell in Manchester he played 15 games under Stuart Pearce and scored one goal against Newcastle United.

Riera, who hails from the island of Mallorca, comes from a town called Manacor, which incidentally, is the same place where tennis star Rafael Nadal was born.

Rieira can boast to have matched new teammate Steven Gerrard's achievement of scoring in a UEFA Cup final. However, unlike Stevie, it would prove to be a bitter-sweet occasion for the winger, as Espanyol eventually succumbed to a penalty shoot-out defeat in the 2007 final against Sevilla. The match had ended 2-2 after extra-time.

He scored his one and only international goal in Spain's 3-1 win away to Denmark in a European Championship qualifier on October 13, 2007. He has five caps for his country to-date.

Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard ( 8 )

Full Name: Steven George Gerrard
Position: Midfield Centre
Squad number: 8
Date of birth: 22/July/1980
Birth place: Whiston, England
Former clubs: LFC Youth Academy
Transfer Fee: £0
LFC 1st team games: 457
LFC 1st team goals: 103
England International caps: 70
England International goals: 14
Career Appearances: 457
Career Goals: 103
Previous Clubs: -

Steven Gerrard Profile

Liverpool's captain Steven Gerrard was always destined to play for his boyhood club. He has everything you need to be a top class footballer. After impressing as a trainee at Liverpool he signed a professional contract at the age of 17 and within in twelve months he had made his first team debut.

In the coming years, the promising Whiston born lad, was plagued with injuries to his back and groin, caused by his body's growing pains. He got over the worst of the injuries and by the year 2000 was establishing himself as one of the country's finest prospects. Kevin Keegan confirmed this when he handed Stevie his first international cap against Ukraine in 2000. His international career continued to blossom and was included in Keegan's Euro 2000 squad.

As his own career started to rise, his trophy cabinet began to bulge after helping Liverpool to the famous treble of 2001 and picking up the PFA Young Player of the Year award as well. Gerrard's status on the domestic and international stage rose even higher after his first goal for England in the 5-1 hammering of Germany in Munich to help Sven Goran Eriksson's side progress to the 2002 World Cup but injury hit Gerrard again and he was forced to miss out on what should have been his first World Cup. Silverwear continued on the domestic front though as Stevie scored the opening goal in the 2003 Worthington Cup success against Man United.

2004 saw Gerrard receive the biggest honour of his footballing life when he was given the captain's armband at Anfield and not long after he captained England for the first time in a match against Sweden. By this time Gerrard had also been given the number 8 jersey at Anfield, a number that former legends like Hunt and Aldridge had worn.

2005 saw Steven Gerrard cement himself as arguably Liverpool's greatest ever player. The season started with a new manager but nothing changed in our skipper. With only seven minutes remaining between Liverpool Football Club going out of the Champions League at the group stage or progressing into the knockout stages up stepped Steven Gerrard. His goal against Olympiakos with time running out is still one of the biggest goals in the club's history. We desperately needed the goal but the one in Istanbul might have outdone even that goal. 3-0 down at half time but our leader wouldn't let us lie down and submit, he led from the front and his goal pulled us back into the match. His rally cries dragged Liverpool up and onto success in Istanbul. Steven Gerrard could finally hold aloft the Champions League. He also won UEFA's Most Valuable Player award in the same year.

People might say lightning doesn't strike twice but in Steven Gerrard's case it does. 12 months later and again Liverpool were dead and buried this time in the FA Cup final against West Ham. But one man wasn't buried and again up he stepped to smash in two rockets and keep our fight alive. At the end of the match, Gerrard held the FA Cup in his hand and knew this was his final. He had now scored in every major cup final he possibly could at club level. This was his best goalscoring season as well, a fantastic 23 goals in all competitions. Though the accomplishments didn't stop there, he won the PFA Player of the Year as well this year. In 2006 he also managed to top England's goalscoring charts in his first World Cup.

Before another Champions League final in 2007 our influential skipper had broken Ian Rush's goalscoring record in the European Cup, Gerrard's goal against PSV was his 15th, a club record. Steven Gerrard MBE is now his official title after receiving an MBE in 2006.

Gerrard has went onto captain England on several more occasions, most noteably the 3-2 defeat to Croatia which saw the Three Lions fail to qualify for Euro 2008 but this was after a season where Gerrard had scored an impressive 21 goals for Liverpool throughout the season.

Steven Gerrard DVD :

1. Steven Gerrard - Year in My life
2. Steven Gerrard - My Story ...
3. Steven Gerrard - Centurion

Video Clip and Wallpaper :

1. Video clip
2. Wallpaper
3. Gerrard Top 5 Goal
4. Gerrard The Heart of Liverpool