John Arne Riise was an excellent left-back for Liverpool.
Football is a game of imagination as much as execution. Fans dream of perfect line-ups, magical goals, and what-ifs that never quite materialise.
For players, the dream can take on a different shape: the chance to share a pitch with someone whose talent seems almost supernatural.
For John Arne Riise, Liverpool’s dynamic left-back from 2001 to 2008, that dream includes two of football’s most iconic names
Riise’s own career brought him into contact with some of football’s finest. At Liverpool, he played alongside Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, and Fernando Torres, all of whom were instrumental in some of the club’s greatest moments. He won silverware, scored iconic goals, and became a fan favourite.
Yet, even with such a storied career, imagining the chance to share a pitch with Messi or Ronaldinho adds an almost dreamlike layer to his memories the kind of fantasy Liverpool supporters themselves often entertain.
“I played with some amazing players, of course,” Riise said. “But to have someone like Messi or Ronaldinho on your team would have been brilliant”
In a recent interview, Riise was asked if there was one player he would have loved to play alongside during his career. His answer was immediate, a clear reflection of both admiration and curiosity.
“Obviously, it would have also been amazing to have Lionel Messi in your team and play with him — the best player in history,” Riise said. “I was lucky to play with unbelievable players, but having someone like Lionel Messi or Ronaldinho on your team would have been brilliant.”
It’s a statement that resonates deeply with Liverpool fans who know Riise’s contribution to the club. During his seven seasons on Merseyside, Riise became synonymous with pace, power, and precision.
His marauding runs down the left flank, thunderous left-foot strikes, and knack for scoring crucial goals made him one of the most exciting full-backs of his era culminating in a Champions League win in Istanbul in 2005 and an FA Cup triumph in 2006.
Yet even in a career glittering with accolades and memories, Riise is candid about the players he would have loved to link up with those whose influence on a game is immediate, transformative, and unforgettable.
Lionel Messi is more than a footballer; he is a global phenomenon. Messi joined Barcelona’s La Masia academy as a teenager and quickly rose to superstardom. Known for his exceptional dribbling, vision, and finishing, Messi has shattered records and redefined expectations of what an attacker can achieve. His career boasts multiple Ballon d’Or awards, countless domestic and international trophies, and the crowning achievement of lifting the FIFA World Cup in 2022. To Riise, the idea of sharing a dressing room with Messi observing his intelligence, movement, and creativity firsthand is a tantalising prospect.
Ronaldinho, the Brazilian wizard, represents another kind of footballing dream. A player whose legacy is defined as much by joy and flair as by trophies, Ronaldinho’s peak years at Barcelona left an indelible mark on football history.
The 44-year-old reflections are a reminder success isn’t just measured in trophies, appearances, or goals it’s also about the moments we dream of,
