THE VITALS:

Team: Liverpool

Brand: Reebok

Era: 2005-06 (Used for the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League Proper, the 2005 FIFA Club World Championships and the 2005 FIFA Club World Championships Final)

Name/Number: Gerrard #8

CONDITION: EXCELLENT

This rare shirt comes to you in excellent condition in spite of its years and seemingly precarious disposition! All of the applications including the club crest are vinyl applied, however, none of the respective decal are showing any sign of wear, nor is the shirt material or name and numbering!

DIMENSIONS:

Size: Extra Large

Pit to Pit Measurement: 23 inches

Shirt Length: 30 inches 

Made by Reebok as part of their Official Team Merchandise range in 2005; the dimensions of this shirt are a reflection of the times and thus, this shirt could probably fit an XXL also!

DESCRIPTION:

The newly christened champions of Europe in 2005! Reebok, as they did in 2001 when Liverpool won the UEFA Cup, would create a special European home shirt for ‘The Reds’ the following season, and this shirt would also have the honour of being adorned in the last ever edition of the FIFA Club World Championships before it was rebranded as the Club World Cup! Unlike the aforementioned European shirt which was used for two seasons; this shirt would only feature during the 2005-06 season and would hold the distinction of being the last ever shirt made by Reebok for Liverpool! This shirt would feature extensively as ‘The Reds’ topped Group G ahead of Chelsea in their once in a lifetime Group Stage pairing and would also be worn in their FIFA Club World Championships Final defeat to Sao Paolo on December 18^th 2005!

THE SEASON:

Who could have forecast that winning the Champions League would bring as much trouble as it did for Liverpool in 2005? Owing to a 5^th place Premiership finish in 2004-05; Rafa Benitez’ side would have to begin their defence of the Champions League would begin in Mid-July from the very first qualifying round as they met The New Saints (TNS) of Wales! The European champions would make light work of their Welsh opposition as they prevailed 6-0 on aggregate! This would be followed up by a 5-1 destruction job of Lithuania’s FBK Kaunas and then a 3-2 triumph over 2 Legs versus CSKA Sofia would see the reigning champions navigate the first hurdle of reaching the Group Stages!

In another sensational turn of events, they would be drawn in Group G alongside – Real Betis, Anderlecht and Chelsea! Owing to their place being granted by UEFA by special exemption; the usual same co-efficient rules of not being allowed to drawn together in the Group Stage did not apply, and fate would bring these two rivals together to renew acquaintances again on the European stage!

Liverpool put 3 points on the board when they beat Real Betis 2-1 on Match-Day 1 and that would be the only goal they would concede for the remainder of the Group Stage! Both clashes with Chelsea would end goalless, meanwhile back to back wins over Anderlecht and a Match-Day 5 draw with Betis ensure that Liverpool finished 1^st in their group and set up a Last 16 clash with Benfica, who had just defeated (and eliminated) Manchester United to reach the Last 16!

Before 2005 ended, Liverpool would take their place in Japan for the FIFA Club World Championships where they met Saprissa of Costa Rica in the semi-final on December 15^th 2005 in Yokohama. A Peter Crouch brace and a Steven Gerrard goal would set up a clash with Brazil’s Sao Paolo in the Final on December 18^th. Unfortunately for Liverpool, the club edition of the World Cup would elude them as Sao Paolo prevailed 1-0!

Back on the European circuit in 2006; Liverpool would suffer the indignation of joining FC Porto as having the worst Champions League title defence in the UCL-era when Benfica eliminated them 3-0 on aggregate over two legs.

The notable players that season(s) were:

Fernando Morientes, Peter Crouch, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Robbie Fowler, Djibril Cisse, Luis Garcia, Harry Kewell, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Dietmar Hamman, Mohamed Sissoko, John Arne Riise, Daniel Agger, Sami Hyypia, Stephen Warnock, Jan Kromkamp, Djimi Traore, Jamie Carragher, Josemi, Steve Finnan, Pepe Reina