Liverpool FC’s Number 7s

Liverpool can make a strong claim to be the most successful club in English football. No rival can get near their incredible haul of six UEFA Champions League wins (including its forerunner, the European Cup), and they are undoubtedly one of the biggest sides in the world.

Over the years, they have been blessed with no end of incredible players in just about every position on the pitch. They’ve had goalkeeping legends such as Ray Clemence, Bruce Grobbelaar and current stopper Alisson; defenders such as Ron Yeats, Alan Hansen, Virgil van Dijk, and Mark Lawrenson; and strikers including Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Fernando Torres, and Mo Salah. They’ve also had plenty of outstanding midfielders, including brilliant wingers and attackers such as John Barnes and Steve McManaman, hardmen like Graeme Souness, and players who had a bit of everything, such as Steven Gerrard.

But one “position” where the Reds have been particularly blessed is the number seven. Traditionally, the number seven is most associated with the role of a right-winger: think George Best, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham. OK, that’s a bit Manchester United heavy… forget that! How about Luis Figo? But at Liverpool, the number seven jersey has tended to be worn by a more central attacker.

It has also been worn by some classic right wingers, for example McManaman, as well as some midfielders. Whatever the position, though, for many coming into the club, the seven was the most prized shirt number. Here we take a look back at some of the best players to have had the honour of wearing that iconic shirt for Liverpool.

NB – several players on this list did not only wear the number seven at Liverpool, but they were certainly strongly associated with it.

Ian Callaghan

Callaghan may not be the most obvious starting point for this list. He was not the most glamorous player; he “only” played four times for England, and he plied his trade for the Reds between 1959 and 1978. Moreover, he, more than many on this list, frequently wore a number other than seven.

However, he is the first name we put forward because he played a massive 857 games for the Kop outfit. That is a club record – put into context by the fact that second on the list is Jamie Carragher, 120 appearances behind. Callaghan was part of the team that transformed Liverpool’s history and won five league titles, three FA Cups and two European Cups with the club.

Kenny Dalglish

Dalglish is probably the Liverpool number seven and the one that many would put top of their list and most naturally think of. The Scot played 515 times for the Reds, scoring 172 goals. He also managed them and won numerous trophies in both roles.

His football intelligence made him a natural for the manager’s role and his link-up play and creativity were as good as it gets. He played for the club between 1977 and 1990, latterly as player-manager and the support he provided in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster further cements his legendary status within the club and indeed the city.

Luis Suárez

This list is not in order of greatness, so we will move more into the modern era next. Suárez was not always the most popular player, even among some Liverpool fans, and his behaviour left a lot to be desired at times. But what a player.

His haul of 82 goals in 133 appearances for the Reds shows what an impact he had. In 2013/14, he netted 31 league goals in just 33 matches to land the PL Golden Boot and various other individual prizes. He came so close to firing the Reds to the title, but it just wasn’t to be in the end. He cannot compete with many on this list in terms of the honours he won on Merseyside, but the magical moments he provided fans will live long in the memory.

James Milner

Milner, like Suarez, is still active and, like Callaghan, he is certainly not the most glamorous player to have worn seven for Liverpool. However, his attitude, work ethic and energy earned him the respect of his managers and all those who have played alongside him.

Jurgen Klopp, in particular, loved Milner, and that says a lot. The Leeds lad helped the Reds to three Champions League finals and won just about every trophy going with the club, including the Premier League in 2019/20. He played 332 times for the club in all and as of the 2025/26 season is still going strong and bidding to overtake Gareth Barry in terms of record appearances in the Premier League.

Kevin Keegan

Kevin Keegan won the Ballon d’Or in 1978 and 1979 and was, quite simply, one of the finest players to have represented Liverpool. It shows just how good Dalglish was that Keegan was hardly missed when he moved to Hamburg in 1977, but that does nothing to diminish his time on Merseyside.

Keegan played over 300 times for the Reds, scoring 100 goals and creating countless more. Well, actually, 86. He won three league titles, two UEFA Cups, the European Cup and the FA Cup during his six seasons at Anfield. Not a bad haul, and like the man who replaced him and others on this list, the excitement and joy he brought to fans means just as much as the trophies.

Peter Beardsley

We end this list with a man who played for Everton after Liverpool, but we won’t hold that against him. We could have chosen John Aldridge, McManaman, the hard-as-nails Billy Liddell, or even Luis Diaz instead. But Beardsley comes closer to the traditional role of what being a number seven at Liverpool has meant, so we will opt instead for him.

Beardsley was the successor in the line of Keegan and Dalglish to some degree, and his quick feet, intelligence and close control were majestic to watch. The diminutive Geordie only spent four seasons with the Reds at the tail end of their dominant era. Playing largely as a second striker, or a number 10, a role he fulfilled so well behind Gary Lineker for England, he netted 61 goals in 175 appearances for Liverpool. He won two league titles and an FA Cup with the Reds before moving across Stanley Park in 1991.