'I played for Liverpool in a Champions League final - leaving the club is my biggest regret'

Peter Crouch says leaving Liverpool is his "biggest regret" - but he believes he had little choice than to leave Anfield.

The towering striker's impressive career saw him play for big-name sides like Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, QPR, and Norwich City. But it was his stint at Anfield that left Crouch yearning for more. While working under Rafa Benitez, a tough start saw him not score in his first 19 matches - but he eventually found his feet.

He helped Liverpool lift the FA Cup and Community Shield and appeared in the 2007 Champions League final, where the Reds were beaten 2-1 by AC Milan. In an open discussion during a Daily Mail Q&A in 2020, Crouch opened up about his regrets and pinpointed his 2008 move from Liverpool to Portsmouth as a major one.

The 44-year-old said: "It would have been brilliant to be a one-club man or to spend 10 years at a particular place. My biggest club regret is leaving Liverpool too early, but circumstances meant I had little option."

Crouch also spoke out about his England career, admitting he wished for more than the 42 caps he earned. "The other main regret I have revolves around England. I won 42 caps but felt I could have got many more," he added.

Liverpool beat Chelsea in the 2007 Champions League semis en route to the final, and Crouch recalls the leg at Anfield as one of the most special from his career due to the electrifying atmosphere.

Crouch said: "In terms of intensity, Liverpool's Champions League semi-final with Chelsea in 2007 was unreal. I've never heard an atmosphere like it and the noise that followed Dirk Kuyt's winning penalty nearly took the roof off.

"The thing about the game that was so special was the rivalry and the quality of the opposition. We were walking a tightrope and one mistake meant our dreams would end."

Rumours are currently circling that Trent Alexander-Arnold may say goodbye to his boyhood club this summer. Reports suggest he's on Real Madrid's radar, and the Anfield faithful face a nervous wait over his contract, which expires after the season.

If the homegrown talent decides against extending his stay before the 2024/25 season wraps up, he might move to the Santiago Bernabeu without a transfer fee - a move that would sadden thousands of Liverpool fans.

With his contract ticking down, the talented right-back is now in the clear to initiate talks with clubs abroad about a pre-contract agreement for the 2025/26 campaign.

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