Jürgen Klopp has told ESPN that James Milner’s achievement of breaking the Premier League appearance record is unlikely to ever be broken, and said none of the success they had at Liverpool would have been possible without him.
Milner equalled Gareth Barry’s record of 653 Premier League appearances when he came off the bench for Brighton against Aston Villa on Feb. 11 and then broke it this weekend. Milner made his Premier League debut as a 16-year-old for Leeds United back in November 2002 and he has gone on to play in the top flight for Newcastle United, Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.
The 40-year-old was named in Brighton’s starting XI for their match at Brentford on Saturday, making his record 654th Premier League appearance.
“I can’t believe it,” Klopp told ESPN. “Being part of something for eternity is really special. Reaching that number of appearances is just like landing on the moon. Maybe it only happens once?”
Across those 654 appearances, Milner has picked up a host of silverware, alongside his 61 England caps.
With Manchester City, he helped guide them to the Premier League title in 2012 and 2014 while also winning the 2011 FA Cup and 2014 League Cup. Milner joined Liverpool in June 2015, with Klopp arriving in October later that year. He managed Milner through to the player’s departure to Brighton in June 2023, but during their spell together, Milner helped Liverpool win the 2020 Premier League, 2022 FA Cup, 2022 League Cup and the Champions League in 2019.
“Of all the success we had at Liverpool, nothing would’ve happened without him,” Klopp, who left Liverpool in June 2024, said as part of an ESPN feature on Milner’s achievement. “That’s how it is really.”
Klopp, now Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer, described Milner as “probably the most disciplined, stubborn, professional football player I have ever worked with.”
He added: “You cannot get to this point without being incredibly determined. At the beginning of our player-coach relationship, it was clear immediately I needed to find a way to get him on my side, because he’s so influential in so many ways.”
On the field, Klopp used Milner across several positions, including a season at left-back in the 2016-17 season. Milner started his career on the wing at Leeds, but has ended up playing in every single out-field position during his 24-year Premier League career.
“When you think about James, people would probably say an honest, top professional,” Klopp said. “But I can tell you, he could do it all.
“If you are fixed on one position, it’s pretty clear over the years in each club there will be a player in your position either as good as you or better. They’ll be younger, faster, stronger, better in heading. So the more positions you can play, it gives you a longer lifetime.
“But the most important factor he has is his general skill set. He has absolutely everything and shows only 50, 60% of it. Both his right and left foot are excellent, he has decent speed, he’s fast, he can dribble, he’s good in tight spaces, good in big spaces. He has an incredible attitude, and makes it clear the fancy stuff will not be there on matchday. From a skill-set perspective, he’s one of the top five players I have worked with.”
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Milner is yet to announce future plans with his contract up in the summer, but his focus remains on Brighton. Those close to him say he’ll find the adulation awkward for this latest feat, but Klopp is incredibly proud of Milner and this achievement.
“Now you tell me, is there anybody out there who has a little chance to reach that number of games? Probably not,” Klopp said. “I hope after game No. 780 or whatever he reaches, and he retires, whatever he does next, the world desperately needs people like him.
“He has the biggest heart, which he’s showed by the foundation, the way he acts in the dressing room or on the football pitch. I’m so happy for him that he’s reached the landmark.”
