Liverpool

Liverpool Football Club was founded in 1892 after a dispute between Everton’s directors and Anfield’s owner, John Houlding. Everton left Anfield, and Houlding created a new club that soon adopted the name Liverpool. The team quickly gained prominence, joining the Football League in 1893 and winning its first league title in 1901 under manager Tom Watson. Early decades established Liverpool as a competitive English side, but true dominance arrived after the appointment of Bill Shankly in 1959. Shankly transformed the club through modern training, a strong football philosophy, and the rebuilding of both the squad and club culture. He guided Liverpool to multiple league titles and European success, laying the foundation for long-term greatness. After Shankly retired in 1974, Bob Paisley took over and led Liverpool into its most successful era. Under Paisley, Liverpool won six league titles and three European Cups, becoming one of the most decorated clubs in world football.

The 1980s continued with success under Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish, including the historic 1986 double. However, tragedies marked the decade: the Heysel disaster in 1985, where 39 fans died before the European Cup final, and the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, in which 97 Liverpool supporters lost their lives due to crowd-control failures. These events reshaped English football and Liverpool’s identity. The 1990s were challenging as the club transitioned while rivals like Manchester United rose to dominance. Still, Liverpool captured domestic cups and developed iconic players but struggled for league consistency. A revival began in the 2000s under Gérard Houllier and later Rafael Benítez, whose team won the unforgettable 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul after coming back from 0–3 against AC Milan.

Nowadays, the top four teams in La Liga are qualified for the Champions League and the team that is placed fifth will get the chance to play in Europa League (one place also goes to the winner of the Copa del Rey).

In 2015, Jürgen Klopp arrived and rebuilt Liverpool into a modern powerhouse through high-pressing football, youth development, and smart transfers. His era delivered the 2019 Champions League title, the 2020 Premier League title ending a 30-year wait, as well as domestic cups and global trophies. Today, Liverpool remains one of the most storied and passionately supported clubs in the world, defined by resilience, attacking football, and a deep cultural connection to its fans known as the Kop.