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Five world class players Liverpool regret missing out on

By Roy Skillen

SAITAMA, JAPAN - JULY 15: Mario Gotze of Borussia Dortmund runs with the ball during the preseason friendly match between Urawa Red Diamonds and Borussia Dortmund at Saitama Stadium on July 15, 2017 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)
SAITAMA, JAPAN - JULY 15: Mario Gotze of Borussia Dortmund runs with the ball during the preseason friendly match between Urawa Red Diamonds and Borussia Dortmund at Saitama Stadium on July 15, 2017 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images) /
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Juninho
PRESTON, ENGLAND – JULY 24: Juninho of Middlesbrough attempts to move past the Preston North End defence, during the friendly match between Preston North End and Middlesbrough at Deepdale on July 24, 2004 in Preston, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /

 5 World Class Players: Juninho

Any fan of the English Premier League in the mid 1990s will remember this guy. Juninho burst in to English minds when Brazil gave England a real lesson on how the beautiful game should be played in a 3-1 friendly win at Wembley.

During an era when big athletic midfielders were all the rage Juninho was more of a modern-day number ten, small, illusive and skillful with amazing vision and an eye for goal.  At just 22 years of age he was one of the most sought after players in the world and it surprised everybody when in October 1995 he decided to join new EPL club Middlesbrough.

Despite two seasons of outstanding performances the little Brazilian was unable to stop his side from being relegated and it was here that Liverpool tried to step in only for Atletico Madrid to beat us to the punch. 

"“If l could go back to the past, l would never leave English football when I did,” he told English Newspaper The Daily Mail. “I had the chance to go to Liverpool in 1997. The manager [Roy Evans] spoke to my father but I had already given my word to Atletico Madrid.”"

Some would say that Juninho never really reached his full potential, but I can’t help thinking what might have been had he stepped in alongside Owen, Fowler and a young Steven Gerrard as we looked to regain our spot at the top of English football.

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