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Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Liverpool, Football, Jurgen Klopp, Premier League, Anfield
Chris Byfield
Topics: Liverpool, Football, Jurgen Klopp, Premier League, Anfield
Jurgen Klopp has banned six Liverpool stars from touching the famous ‘This Is Anfield’ sign before matches.
The ‘This Is Anfield’ sign is iconic, having been celebrated across European football since being first installed by Bill Shankly some 50 years ago.
The statement piece underpinned one of Shankly’s most famous quotes: “It’s there to remind our lads who they’re playing for and to remind the opposition who they’re playing against!”
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The sign has been replaced three times over the years but still retained its historic status into the present day.
In the past decade alone it has bore witness to Liverpool’s 19 league title, sixth European Cup, ninth league cup, eighth FA Cup, fourth Super Cup and first Club World Cup.
The current crop of players ritualistically touch the sign as they make their way onto the field.
However, as things stand, six players have not yet earned the privilege to do so.
Back in 2016, during the early days of his Liverpool tenure, Klopp said: “I’ve told my players not to touch the ‘This Is Anfield’ sign until they win something!
“It's a sign of respect. I touched it when I was manager of Borussia Dortmund, but we lost 4-0.”
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Should the rule still be enforced, summer signings Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch are all restricted from touching the sign.
Meanwhile, with the Reds having failed to claim any silverware last term, January signing Cody Gakpo and youngster Stefan Bajcetic are also not allowed to touch the tunnel sign.
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