Number 13 John Arne Riise

Position - Defender /Midfielder
DOB – 24/09/1980
Place of Birth –Ålesund, Norway
International Caps - 84
Debut –24/08/2001 (Bayern Munich)
Games for Liverpool - 348 (234 league games)
Goals - 31
Achievements – FA Cup, UEFA Cup, League Cup, Charity shield (2), UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup (2)

John Arne Riise was singed for £4 million from Monaco in 2001. The Norwegian wore Liverpool red over 300 times in his 7 year career. A career that made him a fans favourite after he scored a thunderous goal against arch rivals Manchester United. Riise’s Liverpool career really took of under Rafael Benitez in 2004. Riise was a key member of the team that did the impossible in Istanbul, when Liverpool came from 3-0 down to win on penalties against their Italian counterparts Ac Milan in the UEFA Champions League. Riise’s penalty in the shoot out was saved however he supplyed the cross for Steven Gerrard to head home Liverpool’s first goal on the night. Riise also made history in the League Cup in 2005 when he scored after 45 seconds to give Liverpool the lead against Jose Mourhino’s Chelsea.
The 2006 season was just as good for Riise as he once again scored against Chelsea this time in the FA Cup, he also got over the frustration of missing a penalty in Istanbul as he scored from the spot in the FA Cup final against West Ham United.
Riise went into Liverpool’s top 50 appearance holders of all time when he played in Liverpool’s 5-0 demolition of Luton Town in the FA Cup in January 2008. However Riise Liverpool career was to end on a sour note as he scored an own goal against Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League semi final in 2008. Liverpool where knocked out 4-3 on aggregate.
Riise had struggled to hold down a regular first team place in the 2007-08 season after the introduction of Fábio Aurélio to the Liverpool squad. This paved the way for Riise to move to Italy and Roma.

Why Riise makes it in
My relationship with Riise has been one of love and hate. At times he was unreal. His flaming red hair made him stand out a mile away and his left foot was made you scream shoot when ever he was in the oppositions half. The goal against Manchester United made him a instant hit with the Liverpool fans, myself included. Defensively he wasn’t all there but could still do a solid job and did get better through time. However that own goal against Chelsea that in my eyes cost us our 6th European crown is still unforgivable! So unforgiveable I nearly didn’t put him in the countdown all together, but after i looked through youtube and reminisced over some of the goals he scored and the celebration where he would slide on his knees and lift his shirt over his head.....i had a change of heart.