Liverpool's greatest ever goalscorer — 346 goals for the club across two spells and Wales's all-time top scorer with 28 international goals.
Ian James Rush was born in Flint, Wales on 20 October 1961. Chester City gave him his debut before Liverpool paid £300,000 in 1980. His sixteen years at Anfield produced 346 goals in 660 appearances — the club's all-time leading scorer. He won five First Division titles, three FA Cups and three League Cups, and three European Cups. He was also a one-season experiment at Juventus (1987-88) for £3.2 million — an unhappy period he later described as like going to a foreign country (which he meant culturally, not geographically). He returned to Liverpool for £2.8 million in 1988. He earned 73 caps for Wales — a then-record — scoring 28 goals, though he never appeared at a major tournament given Wales's failure to qualify during his career. His partnership with Kenny Dalglish was one of the most productive in English football history. His clinical finishing, work rate and pressing were ahead of his time — a blueprint for the modern pressing centre-forward.
Liverpool's all-time leading goalscorer with 346 goals
He scored in five different FA Cup finals — a record that has never been beaten.
Did You Know?How They Played
Clinical finisher with excellent positioning, pace, and ability to score from tight angles
Lasting Impact
Regarded as one of the greatest strikers in British football history and a Liverpool icon
Career Honours
- First Division 5x
- European Cup 1984
- FA Cup 5x
- Welsh Top Scorer all-time
- European Cup 1986
- First Division 1982-83
- First Division 1983-84
- First Division 1985-86
- First Division 1987-88
- First Division 1989-90
- FA Cup 1986
- FA Cup 1989
- FA Cup 1992
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | 1978–1980 | 34 | 229 | #9 |
| Liverpool | 1980–1987 | 224 | 139 | — |
| Juventus | 1987–1988 | 29 | 7 | — |
| Leeds United | 1996–1997 | 36 | 3 | — |
| Newcastle United | 1998–2000 | 20 | 2 | — |
| Sheffield United | 1998–1999 | 16 | 2 | — |
| Wrexham | 1999–2000 | 21 | 6 | — |
 Wales | — | 73 | 28 | — |