It’s been a busy international break for a number of Liverpool players as they look to qualify for this winter’s World Cup. With a number of Reds in play-off action, it’s been now or never as they look to book their place in Qatar.
Diogo Jota and Neco Williams helped Portugal and Wales win their respective World Cup play-off semi-finals, with the former taking on North Macedonia on Tuesday as they look to qualify, while the latter will have to wait until June, where they could host Andy Robertson's Scotland. Meanwhile in Africa, Mohamed Salah’s Egypt beat Sadio Mane’s Senegal 1-0 in the first leg of their own play-off, with the Liverpool duo knowing only one of them will be able to feature at this year’s World Cup.
In South America, Luis Diaz scored in Colombia’s 3-0 win over Bolivia to keep their hopes of qualifying for the inter-confederation play-offs alive with just one qualifier left to place. And in Asia, Takumi Minamino helped Japan secure their own place at Qatar courtesy of a 2-0 win over Australia.
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But the forward wasn’t the one celebrating qualifying for the World Cup this week, with one former Red also playing a part in helping his own nation create history just months after leaving Anfield.
Liam Millar left Liverpool this summer to join Basel in a £1.3m move, having made one appearance for the Reds after joining from Fulham in 2016. Returning nine goals and five assists from 41 appearances, it's fair to say his first season in Switzerland has been a success, with the 22-year-old impressing both domestically and in the inaugural Europa Conference League.
With Basel currently sitting second in the Swiss Super League, 12 points behind leaders Zurich with nine games left to play, the title and Champions League football currently looks beyond their grasp. However, they are on course to compete in the Europa Conference League again next season.
Such form for Basel has seen Millar recalled to the Canada squad, having made his international debut during his time at Anfield back in March 2018 before playing in the Gold Cup the following year. The striker would miss out on a call-up for the same tournament last summer, before returning to feature in the CONCACAF third round since leaving Liverpool.
In the matchday squad for Canada’s last 10 qualifiers, Millar has made four appearances and was an unused substitute for their last two outings as they lost away at Costa Rica before beating Jamaica 4-0. Yet that win would be enough to book his homeland’s place in Qatar this winter with a game left to play.
By qualifying, Canada have made history by reaching only their second ever World Cup finals, with their only previous appearance to date coming back in 1986. And as a regular for Basel, Millar will be hopeful of competing in Qatar, and if he can keep up his club form, who knows, even force his way into starting reckoning.
Either way, his decision to leave Anfield behind has been more than justified in recent months. And while he might not be a former Liverpool player, the Reds look set to profit at some point courtesy of his success.
When selling the Millar to Basel, Liverpool received roughly £800,000 upfront with the rest payable in performance-related add-ons. Meanwhile, Michael Edwards negotiated a 20 percent sell-on clause as part of the deal, ensuring the Reds would receive a significant proportion of any profit the Swiss club made if they ever sell Millar.
While there is no sign of the forward leaving Basel just left, he is already impressing both in Switzerland and in European competition, with another season competing in Europe looking set to follow. A future move to a higher-profile league looks inevitable sooner or later if he keeps up such form in the months ahead.
And now with a World Cup to look forward to, the former Liverpool man is on the verge of being granted the greatest of stages as the Reds watch on with interest in the background, knowing when that when the time comes, they are set to profit.
