Liverpool and England great, and one of the most gifted wingers in British football history
FootballIf you had to pick one goal to explain the talent of John Barnes, you would still pick the one in the Maracana in 1984.
Born in Jamaica in 1963 and raised in London, Barnes was 20 years old and playing for Watford when he collected the ball deep inside his own half on tour with England in Brazil, glided past six defenders and stroked the ball home. It remains one of the most audacious goals any Englishman has ever scored, and it was only the beginning.
At Anfield from 1987 he was Liverpool's talisman in perhaps the last great era of the old Liverpool, winning two First Division titles, two FA Cups and being voted the Football Writers' and PFA Player of the Year in 1988. He collected 79 England caps across three World Cup cycles at a time when the game could still be unwelcoming to a black footballer, and carried himself throughout with dignity and a cool, articulate eloquence.
Since retiring he has managed, coached, commentated and campaigned. He is a regular pundit on TNT Sports and SuperSport, one of football's most thoughtful voices on racism and social issues, and an extremely funny dinner speaker who happens to be able to tell first hand stories about Kenny Dalglish, Graham Taylor and the dressing room at Italia 90.
Two decades of world class speakers in the basement at EC3. Want to book John Barnes or someone like them? Tell us what you need and we will come back with a plan.
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