5 Footballers who have played for both Liverpool and Bayern Munich
Liverpool face Bayern Munich in a vital UEFA Champions League match tonight at the Anfield. Liverpool are the most successful English club in the history of the competition, while Bayern are the most dominant club in Germany.
Both the clubs have won the Champions League/European Cup five times. Moreover, Liverpool have won the English league 18 times, whereas Bayern have won the Bundesliga a record 28 times. They are definitely among the most successful clubs in the world and have had some legendary players playing for them.
However, there have not been too many players who have played for both Liverpool and Bayern Munich. Here's a selection of those who have.
#1 Xabi Alonso
Alonso was one of the best midfielders in the world in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and played top flight football for elite clubs of England, Spain and Germany. He was a defensive midfielder with a very good passing range and shooting abilities.
He was a superb tackler in midfield, and had a range of passing from the middle of the park, that few other midfielders could boast of.
He was signed by Liverpool in 2004 and evolved as a player under the tutelage of fellow Spaniard Rafael Benitez.
Alonso played for Liverpool from 2004 to 2009, and won the Champions League with them in the 2004-05 season. He scored 18 goals from 210 matches for Liverpool. However, he could not win the Premier League title with them. Still, he formed the core of a strong midfield for Liverpool along with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano.
Alonso joined Bayern Munich from Real Madrid in 2014 and went on to play 3 seasons with them. He won the Bundesliga thrice with Bayern, and led their midfield with his experience. He played with the likes of Javi Martinez, Arturo Vidal and Thiago Alcantara in Bayern’s midfield. He also scored 9 goals from 117 matches for Bayern.
Alonso retired as a player in 2017. He has also played for Real Madrid and remains one of the few players to have played in the top leagues of England, Spain and Germany.