I’ve been thinking about Gini Wijnaldum recently.
And honestly, I think Liverpool supporters underrated him.
I know that’s probably going to sound strange considering he was such an important part of Jürgen Klopp’s best Liverpool team.
But I still don’t think we appreciated just how good he was until he wasn’t there anymore.
Wijnaldum left Liverpool in 2021 after five seasons at Anfield.
Since then, we’ve seen plenty of talented midfielders come and go.
We’ve had different types of players, different systems and different managers.
But that Gini energy?
I’m not sure Liverpool have ever really replaced it.
He just kept going
This is the thing I remember most about Wijnaldum.
He never seemed to stop.
He could play 90 minutes and then somehow look like he could have played another 90.
Liverpool’s own retrospective on Wijnaldum describes him as a model of consistency and quality, while highlighting his ability to win the ball, keep possession and contribute creatively. He made 237 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 22 goals, and was a key part of the team that won the Champions League and Premier League.
But those numbers don’t really explain what made him so valuable.
Gini was one of those players who made things easier for everybody around him.
He’d receive the ball under pressure.
He’d turn away from trouble.
He’d carry it forward.
He’d press.
He’d track back.
He’d cover somebody else’s position.
And then he’d do it all again.
And again.
And again.
That’s not always the sort of thing that gets you onto highlight reels.
But it’s bloody important in a football team.
Klopp knew exactly what he had
The funny thing is that Jürgen Klopp knew.
He wasn’t fooled by the lack of huge goal numbers.
Klopp once described Wijnaldum as an “outstanding player”, pointing to his ability to protect the ball, play in different midfield positions and contribute defensively.
And in 2019, Klopp went even further.
He described Gini’s skillset as that of a “perfect midfielder”, saying he had virtually everything Liverpool needed and complaining that Wijnaldum somehow went under the radar.
That last part is interesting.
“It is not my fault if he goes under the radar,” Klopp said.
And I think that’s exactly what happened.
Wijnaldum wasn’t flashy enough.
He wasn’t constantly scoring 15 goals a season.
He wasn’t producing spectacular assists every weekend.
He just kept doing his job.
And he was bloody good at it.
Barcelona showed just how important he could be
Of course, nobody will ever forget what happened against Barcelona.
Liverpool went into that second leg 3-0 down.
Roberto Firmino wasn’t fit enough to start and Wijnaldum came off the bench at half-time.
Eleven minutes later, he’d scored twice.
Two goals.
In eleven minutes.
Liverpool won 4-0 and somehow reached the Champions League final.
That’s probably the moment most supporters immediately remember when you mention Wijnaldum.
But that’s almost the problem.
Because Gini was much more than that night.
He was a huge part of the team that came desperately close to winning the Premier League in 2018-19 before collecting 97 points.
Then the following season he featured in 37 of Liverpool’s 38 league matches as Klopp’s team finally ended the club’s 30-year wait for the title.
And in his final season, when Liverpool were absolutely battered by injuries and everything seemed to be going wrong, Wijnaldum played every single Premier League match, starting 34 of them.
That’s Gini.
You could rely on him.
That’s the bit Liverpool haven’t replaced
This is where I think the comparison with modern Liverpool becomes interesting.
We’ve had midfielders who are better passers.
We’ve had midfielders who score more goals.
We’ve had midfielders who are stronger defensively.
We’ve had midfielders who are more creative.
But finding somebody who combines all of those things with Wijnaldum’s ridiculous reliability and energy is much harder.
And I think Liverpool supporters have noticed it.
You don’t necessarily notice what Gini gives you when he’s playing.
You notice it when he’s missing.
There were games during Klopp’s reign when Liverpool’s midfield simply needed somebody to take the ball, absorb pressure and keep the team moving.
Gini would do it.
No fuss.
No drama.
Just give him the ball and let him get on with it.
That’s an incredibly valuable quality.
I wish we’d appreciated him more
I’ll admit it.
There were times when I watched Wijnaldum and thought Liverpool needed more from him.
More goals.
More attacking contribution.
Maybe more risk.
Looking back, I think I got that wrong.
Because perhaps part of the reason Wijnaldum didn’t produce spectacular numbers was because Liverpool didn’t need him to.
His job was to keep the machine running.
And he did that exceptionally well.
He was part of a midfield that helped Liverpool become European champions, world champions and Premier League champions.
He barely missed a game.
He could play different roles.
He could cover for teammates.
He could carry the ball.
He could defend.
And when Liverpool desperately needed something special against Barcelona, he even gave us that.
What more could you really ask for?
I don’t think Liverpool have replaced his energy
This is probably the main thing for me.
Liverpool have replaced players since Wijnaldum left.
But I don’t think they’ve replaced Gini Wijnaldum.
And I don’t mean that as a criticism of the current midfield.
It’s just that players like him are incredibly difficult to find.
You can buy a midfielder who can pass.
You can buy one who can tackle.
You can buy one who can score.
But finding someone who can quietly do everything for 50 games a season is another matter.
That’s why I think Wijnaldum deserves more appreciation.
He wasn’t the biggest personality in that Liverpool team.
He wasn’t always the first name supporters talked about.
But when you look back at the greatest period of Klopp’s Liverpool career, there he is.
Running.
Pressing.
Covering.
Passing.
Carrying.
And occasionally popping up with something unforgettable.
Maybe that’s why I’ve come to appreciate him more with every year that passes.
Gini Wijnaldum was seriously underrated.
And if Liverpool haven’t quite found that energy again since he left, perhaps that’s because there was only ever one Gini.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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