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Sander Westerveld walks out at Anfield during the legends match between Liverpool and Ajax in March 2024(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld has hailed the club as one of only a handful in world football capable of putting on games to raise millions for charity.

And ahead of a Liverpool legends contingent that will go up against representatives of Chelsea on Saturday, the 2001 treble-winning goalkeeper says he can't wait to hear supporters sing You'll Never Walk Alone once more.

It's 20 years since the Reds beat the Londoners in a Champions League semi-final renowned as one of the most raucous Anfield atmospheres of all time.



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Luis Garcia's famous 'ghost goal' - as it was coined by then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho - was enough to settle it the way of Rafa Benitez's men, who went on to lift a fifth European Cup in extraordinary circumstances on May 25, 2005 against AC Milan.

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Westerveld, who was part of the Gerard Houllier team that won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup before qualifying for the Champions League in 2001, is expected to play somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes at Anfield this weekend.

The annual legends' fixture has raised more than £7.5million for the LFC Foundation from their eight previous matches and with the iconic Steven Gerrard stepping out once more this weekend, the club is in line for another sizable sum to donate to local causes.

And Dutch goalkeeper Westerveld says the legends fixtures have become a highlight for him, post-retirement.

"I have been involved in a few of these games, so I am a veteran myself now!

Looking at the all veterans, I was there when Ian Rush and John Aldridge and even King Kenny (Dalglish) in one was still playing, so now people drop out and can't physically play or be involved," Westerveld tells the ECHO ahead of his appearance.

"So these [games] for us, I think I speak for most of us, we never miss the pre-seasons.

So we are all former Reds, we are part of the former Reds group, the ex-players who have a foundation.

"So it is an honour to be involved but I am also looking forward to it every year and I can never wait until they announce the game and who we play against.

"It gives me goosebumps when I walk on the pitch and they sing You'll Never Walk Alone again.

I have been asked to play in charity games in Holland with the national team and you are on an amateur pitch with a couple of thousand people watching, it's not the same.

"This is just different.

Only a few clubs in the world can do games like this and to raise money for charity, it is just the best day."

Westerveld adds: "David James is now knocking on the door to play too so maybe we will play with three goalkeepers now, so it means we play just 30 minutes.
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