Suarez unaware of Anfield No.7 history
Liverpool new boy Luis Suarez has confessed he was unaware of the prestige attached to the number seven shirt he picked when he arrived at Anfield.
The Uruguayan international has made a bright start to his career on Merseyside since his £21 million January transfer from Dutch giants Ajax, scoring two goals in his first five appearances and winning over the Kop with his skillful play and high work rate.
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The rich promise exhibited by the 24-year-old has raised hopes among Liverpool supporters that he may grow to prove a worthy successor to club legends Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish, who both previously wore the number seven shirt at Anfield.
Suarez, however, has revealed he did not know about the number’s illustrious history when he picked it.
In an exclusive interview in the May issue of FourFourTwo, the Reds’ front-man said: “If I'd known then [that he’d picked Keegan and Dalglish’s old number] there's no way I would have chosen it. When I arrived, the club told me there were five numbers.
“I still don't know why I chose No.7. But when you're out on the pitch you forget what number you're wearing anyway.”
Despite not being familiar with every aspect of his new club’s history, Suarez is perfectly aware of the pressure which comes with playing for a club of Liverpool’s stature, and insists he is relishing the challenge.
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“The eyes of the world are on me at Liverpool and I want to show what I can do,” he said. “The whole world knows the history Liverpool have. They are one of the best teams in Europe, some great players have played here and I was very excited to join.
“When I was 10-years-old, I used to play as them on the PlayStation but never imagined I would play here.”
The May issue of FourFourTwo is in shops now, featuring exclusive interviews with Liverpool's Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll, Kenny Dalglish, Damian Comolli and John Henry, as well as the 30 maddest refereeing moments and a look at Gangbangers FC and Plymouth Argyle's mammoth trips to Hartlepool and Carlisle. Subscribe here!
By Liam Twomey
Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.
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