Jurgen Klopp left in tears by Liverpool midfielder who transformed career after boos
The tributes came from far and wide when Lucas Leiva announced his immediate retirement from professional football last March.
Leiva, who celebrates his 37th birthday today, made 346 appearances for the Reds across a 10-year stay on Merseyside. The former Brazil international, who temporarily stepped away from the game after a heart issue was detected during pre-season testing with boyhood club Gremio in December 2021, departed Liverpool for Lazio in Serie A during the 2017 summer transfer window.
That means May 21, 2017 is a date that will live long in the memory for the former midfielder. Not only was it Liverpool's final game of the 2016/17 campaign - and a game in which the Reds needed a win against Middlesbrough to secure a top-four finish and return to Champions League football - it was also the last time Leiva would play for Liverpool.
Georginio Wijnaldum opened the scoring shortly before half-time, with Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho both helping the side cruise to a 3-0 victory. It was certainly the start of something special under Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool went on to reach two consecutive Champions League finals, winning it in 2019.
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He may not have had the stats and flair of other Liverpool midfielders past and present, but Leiva was a well-respected, popular member of the dressing room and among supporters. His early days at the club were challenging, to say the least, though.
With the likes of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano to compete with, it wasn't easy for the then-20-year-old. He faced the lowest point of his Liverpool career when he was booed
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