Kenny Dalglish left behind an enduring legacy at Anfield. As one of the finest players to ever wear the iconic Liver Bird on his chest and one of the most powerful managers to sit in the dugout and look across at the exact stand that now bears his name, the renowned Scot is not just admired but also immortalised in Liverpool legend.
Dalglish is still present at Anfield on game days, acting as a live reminder of Liverpool’s legendary history. He appeared on the pitch 511 times throughout his illustrious playing career on Merseyside, scoring 170 goals and dishing out 186 assists. Under Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan’s guidance, Bill Shankly’s goal of transforming the team into a “bastion of invincibility” came to fruition during his tenure. Consequently, he has three European Cups and six first division crowns in his trophy cabinet.
Unfortunately, he missed out on this golden age when he took over as manager since the club’s leadership found it difficult to provide him with the same funding as his rivals. Despite this, he managed to lead the Reds to two FA Cups and three First Division championships during his two tenure in the late 1980s and 2011–12.
He oversaw players including Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard, and Ian Rush during his coaching tenure. However, he selected a forgotten midfielder whose tenure at Anfield only ever resulted in a single League Cup when asked to choose the best player he had ever managed.
Dalglish, Kenny Lucas Leiva was named the best player he coached.
He was only able to work with the Brazilian for eighteen months.
Dalglish also managed Blackburn Rovers for a while, using Alan Shearer’s goal-scoring prowess to help the team win the Premier League. In his second stint at Liverpool, he signed Suarez from Ajax and collaborated with fellow Kop legend Gerrard.
However, Lucas Leiva was the one who had the biggest influence on Dalglish because he was receptive when asked who the best player he had ever managed was. Lucas fit the description of a great player, according to him, who possesses traits that go beyond what is visible on the pitch.
The Scot stated in 2022 (see the video below at 7:05): “It depends how you define best, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the best player, people make huge contributions in many ways that the punter doesn’t see.”
“You can see what Alan Shearer, Luis Suarez, and Steven Gerrard are capable of on the pitch. You say the names, and those are the names that immediately spring to mind because they were outstanding football players, had excellent honesty and integrity in the games they played in, and contributed significantly to the club, then you look at Lucas Leiva.”
In addition, he said, “You see what happens in the dressing room, and you need a really good dressing room to be led by really strong people in there, and they’re not always the best players.” Lucas was excellent, by the way.
The Career of Lucas Leiva at Liverpool
Throughout his ten years with the club, he gave it his best.
Leiva was a relentless worker in Liverpool’s midfield engine room, quietly succeeding under players like Rafael Benitez and Kenny Dalglish, yet never receiving the same recognition as some of his teammates. Imagine Leiva as Wataru Endo without the gum shield. He never had the glitz of a traditional South American, unlike his people, but he more than made up for it with content.
The 38-year-old made 346 appearances during his ten-year tenure at Anfield, scoring six goals. When Liverpool won the League Cup in 2012 under Dalglish, it was his only trophy on Merseyside. Leiva had no regrets about leaving, even if he did so shortly before Jurgen Klopp led the team to Premier League and European success.
The Career of Lucas Leiva
Years
Club
Games
Objectives
Helps
2005–2007
Gremio
40
4.
0
2007–2017
Liverpool
346
6.
20
2017–2022
Lazio
198
4.
Twelve
2022–2023
Gremio
18
3.
0
According to The Mirror, he declared in 2020, “My son, my family, we are Liverpool fans now,” which only serves to highlight his passion for the team. Lucas essentially walked at Liverpool to allow Fabinho to run. Even if the Reds have moved past their wilderness years and entered their first golden era since the 1980s under Klopp and Arne Slot, he will not be forgotten for his efforts anytime soon.
In the end, the athletes who put in their best effort during the 2000s and the first part of the 2010s will become cult icons. Despite fitting this description, Daniel Agger, Sami Hyppia, and Dirk Kuyt never received the same amount of recognition from a man whose influence will always be felt around Anfield’s renowned grounds as Leiva did.
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