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Spanish striker Fernando Morientes, who played for Liverpool between 2005 and 2006(Image: Paul Mcfegan/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Former Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes has spoken for the first time of a recent terrifying health scare.

The 2006 FA Cup winner has explained how frequent air travel left him hospitalised for several days with a pulmonary embolism.

Since retiring in 2010, Morientes first worked as a coach but now at 49 years old is primarily a pundit for COPE in his homeland of Spain moving cross-country to cover La Liga.

The former Liverpool striker of only 18 months was speaking on the channel, via Marca, about his recent ordeal.

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"I was feeling ill after so many trips.

It was a pulmonary embolism."

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The NHS explain this to be life-threatening if not dealt with quickly so Morientes made a wise change of mind to go and get checked out.

He continued: "It's a clot that formed in my knee due to the excess air on the plane and in the stationary car.

I spent five days in the hospital, almost dying."

Thankfully, he indicated that a full recovery will be possible though doctors have told him he would 'have to choose his travels more carefully'.

Finally, raising awareness of the issue for those who may meet similar criteria, Morientes concluded: "It's important that people who travel several times a week know about these dangers.

"It's a good idea to carry heparin, and you can travel if necessary.

If you don't, I recommend making better decisions and not traveling all the time like I do."

Liverpool supporters of the era will remember Morientes' £6.3m arrival from Real Madrid in January 2005 as it was seen as quite the coup.

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A two-time La Liga and three-time Champions League winner with Los Blancos, Steven Gerrard said: "You know you're not taking a risk.

I just hope, after all the success he's had and trophies he's won, he's as hungry to do the same for us."

Unfortunately the new arrival was cup-tied for the remainder of the 2004/05 Champions League campaign, of course ending with triumph in Istanbul, but he was able to touch silverware in the form of the FA Cup the season after.

But with only 12 goals scored in 18 months, Morientes' departure from Rafael Benitez's side was unavoidable and he went on to close out his career with Valencia and finally Marseille.