DUBAI, 9 January 2022 – Following on from a nail-biting afternoon at the first-ever UAE All-Stars Tournament, held yesterday (8 January) at the Expo Sports Arena, Expo 2020 Dubai, former Wales, Liverpool and Juventus footballer Ian Rush weighed in on Liverpool’s hopes in the UEFA Champions League and on the chances of Wales and England in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Liverpool’s all-time leading goalscorer, Rush scored a total of 346 goals in all competitions at the club, and was Wales’s record goalscorer until 2018, with 28 goals between 1980 and 1996. He retired in 2000 and began working as a pundit, while children of the 1980s will also recognise him from the iconic “Accrington Stanley, Who Are They?” milk advert.
What are your thoughts on Expo 2020 Dubai?
This is my first time to the Expo and I’ve been amazed by it. You learn all the time when you’re here. When you see all the different countries together, as well as the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE [and Ruler of Dubai] – how Dubai was 30 years ago to how it is today – it’s a great education and a great experience. I’m turning 60, but you never stop learning!
How do you rate Liverpool’s chances against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League next month?
Liverpool are playing really well as a team at the moment. Every time you play an Italian team, it’s always difficult to score, but Liverpool have a front three that will score goals. There’s a few youngsters coming through which helps too. I think it will be a difficult game, but I can see Liverpool coming out on top, and I think they have every chance of going all the way.
Taking yourself out of the equation, who has been the best forward in Liverpool’s history?
For me, the best player ever is [former player and manager] Kenny Dalglish. I was lucky enough to play alongside him. I’m the record goalscorer for Liverpool and I’m proud to hold that record, but Kenny Dalglish as a player and all-rounder was absolutely fantastic. [Former Liverpool player and current Aston Villa Manager] Steven Gerrard is another one, and hopefully Mohamed Salah. If he stays at the club another four or five years, he too could become a top legend. I would love to see him stay. You become a legend when you stay at a club for nine or 10 years, not four or five. We’ve seen great players come in like Luis Suárez and Fernando Torres, but they’ve only stayed for four or five years.
This year will see the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East. Which teams do you believe have the best chance of winning it?
You’re always going to get the South Americans: Argentina and Brazil are fantastic teams, but when you look at the Europeans … Italy won the Euros and I still think that England have a chance … The English Premier League is the most demanding in the world, and previously at the end of a really tough season, you’ve asked England players to go and play even better and win a World Cup. They’re tired – it’s as simple as that. They have a good squad now and if they can get it together I think they will be in peak form in December, so I wouldn’t rule them out winning it. Germany will always be there and Italy will be strong, but I think England have the right mix of younger and older players.
What about Wales, who are in the European play-offs to reach the World Cup Finals?
We’re lucky enough to have two home games with Austria and then either Scotland or Ukraine. I’d love to see a Wales versus Scotland game because then at least one of them would get to the finals. Wales have the home advantage with a fantastic crowd, so I think they are the favourites. Fingers crossed anyway.”
