Having a spectacular kick and playing as a left-back player, John Arne Riise becomes one of the top lists in the football player category. Even his former teammate, Steven Gerrard, acknowledged Riise’s greatness. He once said that Riise was one of the best left-backs that Liverpool ever had.

Besides that, Riise also has an eye-catching appearance. With his red hair and a hand band that he always wears, this Molde-born player is one of the iconic left backs in the early millennium.

Riise began her career with the Aalesund club. After a season playing in the main team, he moved abroad in 1998 and continued his professional career at the French club, Monaco. Riise became the regular player in the team that won the 1999-2000 Ligue 1.

But he was immediately set aside by his coach, Claude Puel, as he expressed his desire to move. Although being targeted by Fulham and Leeds United, Riise finally decided to move to Liverpool with a transfer fee of 4 million pounds.

Riise made his debut with Liverpool in the 2001 European Super Cup against Bayern Munich at the Stade Louis II stadium and managed to score in Liverpool’s 3-2 win.

For eight seasons in the Reds’ uniform, he has played 234 matches in the Premier League. Although in that period he never once tasted the Premier League title, Riise also contributed on giving the Champions League and UEFA Super Cup trophy to Liverpool.

The year of 2005 became his golden era with Liverpool as he succeeded in winning the final match against AC Milan.

His career at Liverpool was getting faded away after he began to be replaced by Fabio Aurelio. Several times being associated with other English League clubs, right on June 18, 2008, Riise officially signed a 4-year contract with AS Roma with 4 million pounds transfer fee and 2.8 million euros salary per year.

His brilliant career had once tarnished by his declaration of bankruptcy as he could not pay his debt.

Right in 2007, this Norwegian international player went bankrupt because he was in debt over 100 thousand pounds or around 1.7 billion rupiahs. Riise, who had a salary of 50 thousand pounds or around 890 million rupiahs at Liverpool FC, was declared bankrupt by the Liverpool Court.

Riise’s name is included in the bankruptcy status list issued by the Insolvency Service on its website www.insolvency.gov.uk or the government agency that deals with people who went bankrupt.

Riise is included in the list due to heavy debt and unable to pay.

Besides involving in a problem with his former agent, Einar Baardsen, Riise’s debts are believed to be caused by his failed investment in the entertainment business, one of which is in the hospitality sector.

Riise has even fallen into poverty due to this shocking incident. He was not even sure about how to solve his complicated problem.

However, someone closes to Riise said,

“There are indeed demands asked by the Liverpool County Court, but the issue has been handled by their attorneys. It is expected that the problem will be solved in the near future. “

After the statement was issued, Riise was eventually taking responsibility for his failure and had to pay off the debt.

At that time, Liverpool had also refused to give a comment on the problems faced by Riise.

“We cannot give a comment on players’ personal problems.”

After leaving Liverpool and flying to Italy to join AS Roma, his career continued to fade. He had only played at Fulham, APOEL and Delhi Dynamos until finally returning to Aalesund.

Riise decided to hang his shoes at the age of 35 years. He chose to end his career in Aalesund, his childhood team.