Gini Wijnaldum’s Best Liverpool Moments

With Georginio Wijnaldum’s Liverpool career coming to an end, we take a look at his best moments with the Merseyside club.

Liverpool’s game against Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday does not only have high stakes for the Reds in terms of Champions League qualification, but it also looks likely to be the last game in a Liverpool shirt for Georginio Wijnaldum.

The 30 year-old who is currently Liverpool’s captain in place of the injured Jordon Henderson, is coming to the end of his current contract and unless there is a surprise twist, it looks like he will not be a Liverpool player next season.

The Dutch international has made 179 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 16 goals. He has won four honours on Merseyside including the Premier League and Champions League. Since signing for the Reds in 2016, Wijnaldum has been a mainstay in Jurgen Klopp’s side. As he looks set to move on from Anfield, lets take a look back at some of his best Liverpool moments.

FIRST PREMIER LEAGUE AWAY GOAL – LIVERPOOL VS. TOTTENHAM 2018

Jurgen Klopp and Georginio Wijnaldum share a moment after Liverpool’s Premier League match.

(Photo by PA Images/Sipa USA)

Since making his arrival to the Premier League, Wijnaldum had yet to score an away goal in England’s top tier. All 11 goals which he scored for Newcastle had come at home. This away draught continued into his first two seasons with Liverpool before a headed goal against Tottenham to earn a 2-1 victory for the Reds in September of 2018. This was a special moment for the Dutchman. It was also the season which marked Liverpool’s road to success under Jurgen Klopp.

PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL VS. CARDIFF CITY 2019

It was Manchester City who won their second consecutive league title at the end of the 2019 season, but they were pushed all the way by Liverpool. The Reds finished touching distance of the title and gave City a scare right to the final day. One standout game which kept Liverpool in the hunt was a win against Cardiff in April of that year. 

It was Wijnaldum that broke the deadlock in a hard fought game, burying an Trent Alexander-Arnold cross into the top corner. Liverpool failed to win the league but they would go on to win their first piece of silverware the next month winning the Champions League.

WINNING THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IN 2019

After a bitterly disappointing loss to Real Madrid in Kiev the year prior, Liverpool made it to their second consecutive Champions League final and were dead set on writing some wrongs. The Dutch midfielder was in Jurgen Klopp’s starting lineup against Tottenham in the Metropolitano and did everything asked of him. A more careful and tactical approach lead Liverpool to a 2-0 victory over Spurs handing Wijnaldum his first piece of silverware since his time with PSV in the Eredivisie. 

After the game the midfielder said; “Winning the Champions League has changed my life because you’ll always be a Champions League winner.” It would be another famous night at Anfield and a special night for the Netherlands’ captain that earned Liverpool a place in that final.

TWO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GOALS – SEMI-FINAL SECOND LEG AGAINST BARCELONA 2019

A night that ranks up there with one of the greatest games in Liverpool’s history, another historic comeback from the Reds stunned Barcelona at Anfield. Liverpool looked down and out after a 3-0 first leg loss against the Spanish giants at the Nou Camp. But there was still a spark of hope from fans and players alike that this tie was not yet dead. Liverpool were without two of their best players in Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah. An injury to Andy Robertson during the game heaped further pressure on the Reds, but his replacement would anchor fortune in Liverpool’s favour. 

Gini Wijnaldum replaced Robertson and produced one of the best individual performances at Anfield in years. Two goals in two minutes from the Dutchman lit up Anfield and in those moments the crowd knew this was Liverpool’s game to win. It appeared to be destiny for Liverpool as they finished the tie 4-3 on aggregate with a famous winner from Divock Origi. This famous Anfield night was enough to put Wijnaldum in the Liverpool history books. 

Despite receiving his fair share of criticism from fans especially in recent seasons, The greater footballing community in Liverpool realise the importance of Georginio Wijnaldum’s contributions since signing in 2016. Not a prolific goalscorer or the most creative player, but a player who fully embodied Jurgen Klopp’s style and philosophy. As he moves on to pastures new, his absence will certainly be felt by the club and fans, and so it rightfully should be.