Jari Litmanen : Striker (2000-2002)Date of Birth: 20/02/1971
Birthplace: Lahti, Finland
Debut :
1st team games: 43
1st team goals: 9
Other clubs: Reipas Lahti, HJK Helsinki, MyPa, Ajax, Barcelona, FC Lahti
International caps while with Liverpool: 76
International goals while with Liverpool: -
Honours with Liverpool: -
PROFILE
Jari Litmanen is without question the most famous Finnish footballer of all time and was recruited on a free transfer from Barcelona in 2000.
Jari made his Reds debut as a substitute in the Worthington Cup semi-final first leg at Crystal Palace, and then made his first start for Liverpool in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Jari was already an established Finnish international by the time Ajax came in for him at the start of the 1992-93 season. He started slowly but in his second season he took the Dutch League by storm, finishing up as top scorer with 26 goals as Ajax won the first of a hat trick of Dutch titles.
In 1999 Jari finally ended his fabulous seven-year stint in Amsterdam by joining former Coach Louis Van Gaal at Barcelona. Things, however, didn't go as planned. Injury curtailed his appearances and when Van Gaal left last summer, Jari was effectively left in limbo. That season he had not played a single match for Barca - hence his keenness to leave Catalonia and join Liverpool, the club he has supported since childhood.
Jari helped Liverpool reach the Worthington Cup Final with an outstanding display in the semi-final win over Crystal Palace at Anfield, but injury unfortunately ruled him out of the exciting climax to the 2000/01 season.
He was left frustrated with first team chances limited during the 2001-2002 season spending most of his time on the substitutes bench but did serve up some memorable moments.
He scored a fantastic individual goal in the 1-0 win at Anfield against Tottenham then played a starring role in the Champions League win over Roma at Anfield, scoring a penalty on Houllier's return.
Litmanen's career at Anfield will go down as a case of what might have been. Despite his undoubted skill and creativity many supporters will say he was underused at Anfield.
He came off the bench to score an amazing individual goal in the Champions League quarter-final with Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Germany, but the German side went on to win. One of the best goals of last season it was quickly forgotten because of Liverpool's defeat.
He returned to Ajax just before the transfer deadline on August 30th 2002. After leading Ajax to the semi-finals of the Champions League in the 2002/03 season Litmanen then returned to his native Finland and joined FC Lahti on a free transfer in August 2004
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