A Liverpool star has been slammed after a 'selfish' international performance earned him a low rating.

Up to 20 Reds have been away on international duty over the past 10 days and the majority have enjoyed success with their nations and come away from overseas commitments unscathed, much to the delight of Arne Slot.

But the recent break also afforded players on the fringes of Liverpool's starting XI to show the new manager what they can do, with the Reds so far sticking with the same team for all three games this season bar one half-time change.

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One of those players would have been Cody Gakpo, who has been restricted to 53 minutes of action across three substitute appearances so far in 2024-25, yet his recent performance for the Netherlands would appear to have done him no favors.

The 25-year-old grabbed himself a goal in the 5-2 mauling of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday, featuring for 66 minutes in the Nations League clash, before once again being named in the starting lineup for Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Germany - this time managing the full 90 minutes.

However, that may certainly come as a surprise to many given how Gakpo was rated for his performance in the stalemate by national media, who slammed the winger for his "selfish" performance.

Dutch outlet Voetbal International rated him a 6, the second-lowest rating of any player, while Voetbal Primeur gave him a 6.5 rating, adding: “Gakpo was threatening on a couple of occasions and had multiple chances but failed to pull the trigger. He was also a bit selfish, while teammates were in better shape.”

Cody Gakpo struggled for the Netherlands against Germany

According to SofaScore, Gakpo touched the ball just 40 times in 90 minutes, lost possession eight times, misplaced four out of his 21 passes and lost four duels. Off the back of this, it appears the Dutchman has done nothing to help his chances of displacing Luis Diaz on Liverpool's left wing ahead of this weekend.

Yet it's night and day compared to his Euro 2024 performances, where Gakpo was highlighted as one of the players of the tournament following three goals in six appearances to help the Netherlands reach the semi-finals.

But perhaps Gakpo's sloppy performance on Tuesday was to be expected, given he is yet to start a game for Liverpool this season. However, with the Reds due to play seven games in three weeks starting this weekend, with the Champions League and Carabao Cup also back underway, he'll have plenty of chances to prove himself.

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Jurgen Klopp could have signed a German striker in 2019 had it not been for Divock Origi.

The German was after a suitable back-up for his then front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane as he prepared to wave goodbye to the Belgian striker that summer, along with Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings.

Yet Origi's 87th-minute goal in the 2018-19 Champions League final to clinch a 2-0 victory for Liverpool against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur changed everything. Not only did it persuade Klopp to keep him at the club, it also earned Origi a new contract too.

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But this meant the end of an Anfield dream for Max Kruse, who was plying his trade for Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen at the time. The former German international has now revealed that he even spoke to Klopp personally over a move to Merseyside just a few months before Origi changed his life.

Speaking on the Flatterball podcast, which he runs alongside fellow former Werder Bremen striker Martin Harnik, Kruse has revealed how very different things could have been for him had Origi not scored that Champions League final goal.

As per Deichstube, he said: “In February or March 2019 I got a phone call from Jürgen Klopp. It’s the truth! He said he was interested because they wanted to give up two strikers and wanted me as a backup for Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino.

The moment Divock Origi's goal in the 2019 Champions League final ended Max Kruse's dream move to Anfield

“When you get that call, there’s no way for you to say, ‘I’m deciding today to extend my contract’ when you have even the small percentage of opportunity to play for Liverpool. As a footballer, when you hear that name, everything turns off.

“I played poker back then. And it didn’t work. In the end it became Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Back then, Liverpool was delayed until the Champions League final. After that, they wanted to keep the transfer candidate Divock Origi. I sent Klopp a photo with my shisha from vacation. And then the topic was over.”

By the time Origi scored against Tottenham at the Wanda Metropolitano, Kruse had just notched 12 goals and 14 assists (Transfermarkt) for Werder Bremen in the 2018-19 season, becoming one of the standout performers in the Bundesliga.

But once his proposed move to Liverpool fell through, he would instead move onto Turkish giants Fenerbahce, grabbing seven goals and eight assists in 23 league appearances before returning to Germany a year later with Union Berlin.

Max Kruse had been on fire for Werder Bremen during the 2018-19 campaign

Whilst in the German capital, he continued his fine goalscoring form with 11 goals in the 2020-21 campaign, helping Union Berlin qualify for its first European football since the 2001–02 season with a place in the Europa Conference League.

He then scored eight goals in the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, before jumping ship to Wolfsburg in the January transfer window and finding the back of the net on another seven occasions. In November 2022, he terminated his contract, before history would repeat itself 12 months later with SC Paderborn.

In December 2023, Kruse announced his retirement from playing at the age of 35 and is now flourishing as a professional poker player, having won almost $367,000 (£281,000/€333,000) in all poker tournaments as of the start of the 2024 World Series of Poker.

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been handed a squad boost after it was reported Reds midfielder Curtis Jones has returned to full training with the first team.

On Wednesday, it was also revealed Liverpool would be without Harvey Elliott until the end of October after the 21-year-old fractured his foot whilst away on England Under-21's duty. However, while Elliott will be a big miss for Liverpool's squad, they are set to welcome back Curtis Jones to their match day contingent for the visit of Nottingham Forest this weekend.

According to the Athletic's James Pearce, Jones is back in full training after having missed the Reds last two games prior to the September internationals due to a minor muscle issue. And Jones' return given Elliot's impending absence will be a small comfort for Slot.

Life at Anfield for the Dutchman is about to get busier than it has ever been for Slot, with fixtures coming thick and fast through September and October. On Saturday, they host Nottingham Forest at Anfield, before jetting off to Italy to take on AC Milan at San Siro.

And the clash against the Serie A side kicks off a three-week spell of double game weeks for Liverpool, with the Reds set to make their Carabao Cup debut against West Ham United on September 25th. Thankfully alongside Jones' return, Slot will be able to utilise summer signing Federico Chiesa too.

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Liverpool FC Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is back in full training (Image: Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

The Italian opted to remain on Merseyside during the international break instead of linking up with Italy after a discussion with Azzurri boss Luciano Spalletti.

Chiesa will be in contention for minutes off the bench against Nottingham Forest most likely, but could be handed a shock start by Slot depending on the condition the likes of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz return from international duty in.

Liverpool.com says: "With Elliot now set to miss significant game time, the return of Curtis Jones from injury will be a big boost for Liverpool. It seems more than likely Jones, when used by Slot, will be asked to play as one of the two men in Liverpool's pivot. Jones will be a useful player for Slot, allowing him to rotate the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister when needed."

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Attentions turn back to the Premier League this weekend for Liverpool with the first international break of the season over.

It's proven to be a good break for some of the Reds' stars, with Trent Alexander-Arnold in particular impressing as England made it two wins out of two against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.

Doubts still remain over the Liverpool vice-captain's future at Anfield, with less than 12 months now remaining on his contract. What's more, those links with Real Madrid have begun to rear their ugly head again.

Arne Slot may have some injury concerns as he looks to extend his perfect record as Liverpool boss against Nottingham Forest this weekend. Although Curtis Jones is back in training, there are still questions over Alexis Mac Allister's fitness, with the midfielder not starting for Argentina against Colombia.

And while the transfer window may be closed, the Reds continue to be linked with potential incomings. Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo finds himself being touted with a move to Anfield, perhaps with Mohamed Salah's future in mind.

Keep track of all the latest news and transfer rumors from Anfield with the Liverpool.com live blog...

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Mario Balotelli is on the move yet again, though it is unknown where he will end up signing this time.

Balotelli, a free agent, most recently played for Adana Demirspor in the Turkish Super Lig. Adana marked the eighth club the 34-year-old Italian star has played for since leaving Anfield after a disastrous stint with the Reds left him with no spot in Jurgen Klopp's club.

It was also reported that the Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters showed interest in signing the enigmatic striker into a contract. Ultimately, the Blasters elected not to go through with signing Balotelli based on two aspects: The Italian's stature in world football and his previous controversies.

Because of Balotelli's status as having played for the best clubs in world football such as Liverpool, the Blasters believed signing Balotelli would not have been realistic for the Indian side, according to The Times of India. Along with how much it would have cost the Indian club to sign Balotelli, it was also noted his attitude on and off the pitch played a role.

Earlier in 2024, Balotelli infamously lit a firework in Adana's dressing room, tossing it to one of his teammates' lockers. Though no one was hurt, the shocking video circulated social media, further adding to Balotelli's infamous legend as a presence in the dressing room and on the pitch.

Overall, Balotelli will have completed 11 transfers in the last 11 years, marking his ninth club in the last decade, if a team were to sign the striker. However, considering the 34-year-old was limited to just seven goals and one assist in 16 appearances because of a knee injury, it would be difficult to foresee a club taking a chance on Balotelli.

Mario Balotelli's stint at Anfield under Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp was forgettable (Image: Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Along with Balotelli's time with other clubs being forgettable, his stint at Anfield is perhaps his most prominent in the last decade or so. Seemingly signed as a desperate move to replace Luis Suarez, the Italian's performance left much to be desired, scoring just four times in 28 appearances.

Once Klopp took over for Brendan Rodgers, Balotelli had a brief heart-to-heart with the German to determine his place. During this conversation, Balotelli found out his time at Liverpool was over, with there being no hard feelings between the two men.

"Klopp doesn't know me," Balotelli told Sky Italia in 2016. "I spoke to him once, he told me to go somewhere else, work hard and then return. So I said goodbye to them, and that we wouldn't be seeing each other again."

Despite Balotelli's disastrous time with the club, Dr. Ian Graham admitted that the Italian wasn't high on the Reds' list of players to sign. Speaking to the ECHO, Graham revealed what went into the club's decision to sign Balotelli.

“So Balotelli was probably choice number six or number seven,” he revealed. “As the transfer window proceeds, more and more strikers get signed by other clubs. And so when you're in late August, there's a limited number of players remaining.

"The failure was that he didn't get on the pitch. So, for whatever reason, he was never first choice as a striker. Brendan didn't really trust him. He didn't really behave badly in any way at Liverpool. He was just never first choice. If the process is working properly, Balotelli wouldn't have arrived at the club.”

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Former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has revealed that the dressing room believed Champions League glory was possible back in 2005 after Steven Gerrard's iconic last-ditch strike versus Olympiacos which saved them from elimination.

The Reds came into the final group game in Europe's premier cup competition needing to beat the Greek giants by two clear goals to advance to the knockout stage. With potential demotion to the UEFA Cup looming over Rafa Benitez's side, it took an inspired second-half revival to book Liverpool's place in the last 16.

The Merseysiders appeared to be heading for defeat after a free-kick strike from Brazilian legend Rivaldo in the first-half meant the visitors went into the interval ahead. Unwilling to accept their fate, Liverpool rallied after the break via goals from Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor to gain the advantage at 2-1.

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That scoreline would still not have been enough to save the Reds from finishing third in the group behind their opponents, though. However, skipper Gerrard eventually stepped forward with one of the most memorable goals in the club's illustrious history - a piledriver on the half-volley from 30 yards out - to put his team two goals clear in the 86th minute.

Inspiring delirium inside Anfield as their place in the next round was sealed, that goal arguably proved the catalyst as Liverpool went on to lift the European Cup that season. Now, Kirkland, who was the Reds' goalkeeper on the night, has described his recollections of the famous evening. He told Liverpool.com: "I was right behind Steve's strike, as soon as he hit it, I knew it was in.

"The eruption when the ball hit the back of the net, even now just thinking about it, gives me goosebumps. To be involved in a game like that at Anfield having stood on the Kop as a kid and watched the great players [of the past] was probably my best best memory of playing for Liverpool."

The one-time England international also described how the belief in dressing room that the team could win the competition was galvanized after that dramatic win against Olympiacos. He continued: "I've said it all along, after that game we just knew we were going to win it.

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard's famous strike versus Olympiacos in the 2004-05 Champions League is one of the most pivotal in the club's recent history (Image: PAUL BARKER/AFP via Getty Images)

"Some people say things are written in the stars and I firmly believe that. The confidence it gave [the team], the way we came back, the way we needed to win by two goals - there was still a long way to go. Something was just written in the stars that we were going to go on and win it."

After being ruled out through injury, Kirkland did not appear as Liverpool beat AC Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul in the following May. However, he recalls experiencing the final at the Ataturk Stadium as a supporter as the Reds came back from three goals down to win on penalties, saying: "I think I had a back operation not long after that ruled me out but then I was a fan so I was in Istanbul.

"I was there but unfortunately don't have my medal - I don't know where my medal went, somebody else got hold of that! But to be there as a fan and seeing them do what they did, what a night that was."

Steven Gerrard of Liverpool celebrates victory over Olympiakos after the Champions League Group A match (Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Of the celebrations after the game, Kirkland remembered: "We managed to get on somehow, the security were trying to stop us and I can't remember who got us on in the end but we were all there - the young lads and people who had played in earlier rounds. Everything all came together, it was all celebrations after the game and there was party back at the hotel."

Nearly 20 years on from the Reds' famous triumph in Istanbul, the retired goalkeeper has embarked on different chapter in his life after hanging up his gloves back in 2016. After a spell with final club Bury, he has since taken up a role with the LFC Foundation as a community representative.

He took part in the recent Run to Anfield 5K on September 8, which has raised over £80,000 for the cause at the time of writing. With the Kip on the Kop night coming up to in aid of raising awareness of struggles of homeless people on Merseyside and beyond, he will also sleep on the famous stand at the Reds' home ground on October 12.

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland now works for the LFC Foundation in a role as a community representative (Image: JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

Describing his dedication to his role, Kirkland said: "After coming out of football, you miss that routine and stuff and I was going through a tough time before talking with the foundation.

"I was looking for things to do and had been doing bits for the foundation but when I had a meeting with them and was told all the programmes they're running across Merseyside, not just football but in schools and with the foodbanks, something just really appealed to me."

"They asked me to come on board in 2019 and I said 'yes'. The last few years have been really beneficial, I go all over Merseyside on different projects with different age groups, it can be kids, adults, families. For me to be involved in it, it gives me a purpose and you know you're doing some good in the community."

He added: "I got the help I needed when I needed it most and now giving back and trying to help other people is what gets me up in the morning. So I do as much as I can. I think there's over a hundred full-time staff now and we're constantly trying to improve our area and give life-changing opportunities to people."

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