Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has called Alisson and Virgil van Dijk the two 'standout' signings behind the Reds' success over the past few seasons.
And Gerrard also paid tribute to owners FSG for their role in transforming the club's fortunes.
Liverpool meet Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final having lost to the Spanish giants in 2018 3-1. 12 months later and they were victorious when beating Tottenham Hotspur in the final 2-0 and went on to win the Premier League title in 2020. After a difficult season in 2021 due to a number of injuries to key players, Jurgen Klopp's side secured the Carabao and FA Cup this season and could end the season with another European trophy.
Central to that success in the past four years was the additions of Alisson from Roma in goal and Van Dijk from Premier League side Southampton. The Brazilian shotstopper arrived for £66.8million in the summer while Van Dijk joined the Merseyside club six months earlier in a deal worth £75m.
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The club have not looked back since the pair arrived and speaking in France before the final, Gerrard pointed Michael Edwards and Julian Ward's recruitment record and the signings of two players who have been instrumental to what the first-team has achieved since that sobering defeat in Kyiv four years ago.
"You have to give Michael Edwards and Julian Ward credit for their recruitment over the last four years, they have created a big team and they make little mistakes in the market," Gerrard said on BT Sports. "The two which standout for me are Alisson after the 2018 final and Van Dijk - they are the two that have propelled Liverpool to a different level in my opinion."
As for owners FSG, Gerrard praised them for recruiting Jurgen Klopp in 2015.
"I don’t think you can underestimate the part the owners have played - they have come in and recruited Klopp who has instilled the culture. It's a combination of different things," he added.
"But it also takes setbacks and pain to build resistance and come back. Real Madrid will have to go above and beyond to win tonight."
