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JOHN ARNE RIISE
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| Position:
Defender
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| Date of Birth:
24/09/1980
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| Height:
6'1
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| Weight:
14st
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| 1st team games:
347
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| 1st team goals:
31
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| International caps:
71
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| International goals:
8
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| Former clubs:
Aalesund, Monaco
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| Birth Place:
Molde, Norway
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Left-back John Arne Riise is one of the longest-serving members of the Liverpool squad.
The Norway international, who is famed for his fierce shot, has notched up well over 300 appearances since joining from Monaco in the summer of 2001 for a fee of approximately £4million.
Riise began his career with Aalesunds FK in 1997, though within a year had been lured to the Cote d'Azur.
His form in France led to international recognition, with his debut coming against Iceland in January 2000.
Riise was an integral part of Monaco's 1999-00 championship-winning side, prompting interest from a host of Premiership clubs.
In June 2001 he signed for the Reds, making his debut in the Charity Shield against Manchester United on August 12.
It was in a fixture against the same opponents three months later that the flame-haired defender won a place in the heart of every Liverpool fan. To this day, the Kop pays tribute to his thunderbolt free-kick by singing: "John Arne Riise, ooh, ah, I want to know how you scored that goal."
The full-back, who can also play left-midfield, remained a first-team regular into the Benitez era.
It was he who opened the scoring against Chelsea in the 2005 Carling Cup final with a volley on 45 seconds - the fastest goal in the fixture's history.
During the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan, Riise provided the cross for Steven Gerrard to head home on 54 minutes - and in doing so helped trigger the greatest comeback European football has ever witnessed. The fact his penalty was saved by Dida in the shoot-out is now a historical insignificance.
The following season was again full of highlights, most notably another opening goal against Chelsea - this time in an FA Cup semi-final.
Three weeks later he erased memories of the Istanbul penalty miss by converting his spot kick to help the Reds clinch their seventh FA Cup.
Riise continued his knack of scoring against Jose Mourinho's men at the start of the 2006-07 campaign, this time in the Community Shield. The full-back ran from inside his own half before lashing the ball beyond Carlo Cudicini to open the scores. Liverpool went on to win the match 2-1.
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