Jurgen Klopp favourite pays tribute to Liverpool after announcing retirement in emotional message

Jurgen Klopp favourite pays tribute to Liverpool after announcing retirement in emotional message

Former Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37

Southampton's Adam Lallana talks with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield (Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images )

Adam Lallana has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37 in an emotional message as he paid tribute to Liverpool and his other former clubs. The midfielder won both the Champions League and Premier League during his five years with the Reds.

Signed by Brendan Rodgers, Lallana joined the club in a £25m deal from Southampton in the summer of 2014. But it wasn’t until Jurgen Klopp was appointed as manager the following year that he really flourished at Anfield.

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The 37-year-old was a key player in the German’s early Liverpool side, with his best campaign at Anfield coming in 2016/17 as he scored eight goals from 31 Premier League appearances to help the Reds qualify for the Champions League for only the second time since 2009.

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Injuries limited his impact during his final three seasons with the club, but he was still a member of the Liverpool side that won the Champions League, European Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in 2019.

He also won the Premier League in 2020 in his final campaign on Merseyside, having signed a short-term contract extension in order to complete the title-winning season with the Reds in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Taking to social media to announce his retirement, Lallana paid tribute to his family and former clubs, team-mates and managers.

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“As I call time on my playing career, I do so with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and pride,” he wrote on Instagram . “I could not be more appreciative of the opportunities I’ve been given and the support I’ve received along the way.

“You owe so much to so many on a journey like this — it’s impossible to name everyone, but to all those please know how grateful I am. I couldn’t have done it without you.

“It’s crazy to think this all began in the last millennium, when I signed for the academy in 1999. Since making my professional debut in 2006, I realise I’ve been blessed to live the dream that millions of people share.

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“Southampton… the place where it all started, and fittingly where it ends. It’s the club I ultimately owe everything to.

“Liverpool… the chance to represent one of the greatest clubs in the world and win some of the biggest prizes in the game.

“Brighton… home to some of the happiest years of my life, at a club deeply connected to its community and run in such a smart, modern way.

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“And England… every single cap meant the world to me. Representing my country was the greatest honour.

“I’m proud of the playing career I’ve had and have no regrets about any of it. I embrace all the highs and all the lows as they’ve shaped me into who I am.

“To everyone who made the journey so special, the staff at each club and organisation, the managers and coaches, my team-mates, and of course the supporters — thank you.

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“But most of all, to my own team… my family. My wife Emily, our amazing sons, my mum, dad and sister, thank you for putting up with me and being in my corner through it all.

“I’m excited for whatever the future brings.”

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Lallana made 178 appearances in five seasons with Liverpool, scoring 22 goals and registering 21 assists.

He spent four seasons with Brighton & Hove Albion after leaving the Reds, before returning to Southampton last summer. He has also started coaching during the final years of his career with both the Seagulls and Saints, as well as with England Under-21s.

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