“I regret leaving Liverpool — I was in tears when the manager forced me out.”

Former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise has opened up about the emotional toll of leaving Anfield and the lingering regret surrounding his 2008 exit. While he never doubted his early decision to join Liverpool over Fulham, walking away from the Reds proved deeply painful.

Riise’s two former teams face off on Sunday as Liverpool travel to Craven Cottage for a crucial Premier League clash. Though he eventually joined Fulham, his time at Liverpool was far more significant and career-defining. Early on, he could have opted for Fulham instead of Liverpool, and he describes turning down that move as one of the easiest and happiest choices of his career.

When Riise later signed for Fulham in 2011, he revealed that Jean Tigana had sought to bring him from Monaco to London, but Liverpool’s interest ultimately changed the course of his career. As a 20-year-old, the chance to play for the Merseyside club was irresistible, and he has never regretted it given the experiences and matches that followed.

Over seven seasons at Anfield, the Norwegian left-back made 348 appearances and won major honours, including the 2005 Champions League. Yet his transfer to Roma left him with a sense of unfinished business. In a 2015 blog post, Riise admitted he felt he could have stayed and reclaimed his spot from Andrea Dossena.

He revealed that Rafa Benitez informed him of plans to sign a new left-back, signaling that Riise would no longer be first choice. This discussion came just days after Riise’s infamous own goal against Chelsea in a Champions League semi-final, though he insists the error was not the deciding factor.

Riise described being emotionally shattered by the own goal, retreating into isolation and feeling he had let down teammates and fans. Despite this, he continued to hold Benitez in high regard, wishing only that the manager had been more explicit earlier about what he needed to do to retain his place. He said that had he been given clear guidance, he would have done everything possible to improve. Riise spoke fondly of Benitez, crediting him for the greatest night of his career in Istanbul and for playing a key role in his development.

He also recounted the poignant moment he was told his Liverpool career was ending.

Summoned from training, Riise initially thought the meeting was about a contract extension, with two games left in the season and a year remaining on his deal. Instead, he was told it was time for both parties to move on.

Benitez explained that Dossena’s arrival meant Riise could stay and compete, but opportunities would be limited for months. Riise even requested to make substitute appearances in the final two games to reach 350 appearances, but his request was denied.

After informing his teammates, Riise left the training ground in tears and called his agent in shock. After seven seasons and countless memories, the abrupt end was overwhelming, though his agent reassured him a new club would soon be found.