FeatureCally, Kenny and now Diaz: Liverpool's No.7s through the years

Having worn No.23 following his January 2022 arrival at Anfield from FC Porto, the Colombia attacker is set to switch ahead of the next campaign.

Here, we take a look back at the history of the No.7 jersey for the Reds…

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For many years after their introduction, of course, shirt numbers were not assigned on a permanent basis – instead being rotated depending on the make-up of the starting XI and players’ positions within it.

Nevertheless, the Liverpool No.7 found its way to the shoulders of plenty of greats, with Billy Liddell wearing it on many occasions – along with No.11 and No.9 – across more than 14 years at the club.

The prolific Scot remains the fourth-highest goalscorer in Reds history on 228, with that tally achieved in 534 appearances as the attacker became a talismanic figure during a difficult spell on the pitch in the 1950s.

Unsurprisingly given he represented Liverpool an unmatched 857 times, Ian Callaghan used several different numbers over the course of his remarkable Anfield career.

It all started with seven, though, as the midfielder took that number for his debut in April 1960 and then almost exclusively for the rest of the decade – including the Reds’ maiden FA Cup triumph at Wembley in 1965.

Kevin Keegan arrived ahead of 1971-72 and wore the No.7 jersey with distinction across a hugely successful six years on Merseyside that featured three league titles, an FA Cup and two UEFA Cups.

A nimble, creative forward, Keegan bridged the managerial reigns of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, signing off with Liverpool by lifting the European Cup in 1977.

His replacement upon leaving for Hamburg – both in terms of role in the side and the No.7 – would become an iconic figure and indelibly linked with the shirt: Kenny Dalglish.

A handful of matches aside, the legendary Scot wore the number throughout his 13 years on the pitch for the club, scoring 172 goals in 515 games as a plethora of domestic and European honours were secured with a huge helping hand from his majestic ability.

As Dalglish moved from the field to the dugout, the No.7 was used by a host of different players, with Peter Beardsley a standout during the late 1980s as the Reds’ 17th and 18th league titles were sealed.

Designated squad numbers were implemented by the Premier League from the 1993-94 season, with Nigel Clough taking Liverpool’s No.7 for three campaigns.

Having previously worn 17 – including for his match-winning display in the 1995 League Cup final – Steve McManaman adopted the shirt in 1996 and held it for three seasons before his departure to Real Madrid.

Vladimir Smicer inherited the jersey from McManaman and used it for the next four seasons, though his greatest Liverpool moment actually came in No.11 – the Champions League miracle under Rafael Benitez in Istanbul.

Smicer had passed over No.7 to Harry Kewell when he moved to Anfield from Leeds United in 2003, and the Australian forward would play in it 139 times over the subsequent five campaigns.

Robbie Keane wore the number during his short spell at Anfield in the first half of 2008-09 and it was then vacant for two years after his return to Tottenham Hotspur.

Then, in January 2011, it was taken by Luis Suarez as the Uruguayan switched to the Reds from AFC Ajax and began life on Merseyside under Dalglish in the dugout.

Suarez racked up 82 goals in his 133 appearances for the club, lifting the League Cup in 2012 and netting 31 times as Liverpool narrowly missed out on the Premier League title in 2013-14.

Most recently, James Milner was the custodian of the No.7 throughout his stellar eight-season spell at Anfield, vacating the jersey this summer as he moves to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Englishman had the number on his back on 332 occasions for Liverpool, scoring 26 times as he played a significant part in the winning of seven trophies – including the Premier League and Champions League.

Supporters who have already purchased the 2023-24 replica home jersey printed with the name ‘Luis Diaz’ and the number ‘23’ on will be personally reimbursed by the attacker with a like-for-like exchange for a ‘Luis Diaz 7’ shirt.

The exchange only applies to all ‘Luis Diaz 23’ 2023-24 home shirts or kits purchased in official club retail outlets, via the official LFC online store or LFC Retail app. Any qualifying shirts or kit must be returned with proof of purchase by 11.59pm BST on July 31, 2023. Full terms and conditions are available here.

Any ‘Luis Diaz 23’ shirts and kit exchanged will be retained by the club and donated to LFC Foundation.