Liverpool switched their goal net color from red to white ahead of the 2016/17 season at the request of manager Jürgen Klopp and his coaching staff. The decision was based on improving the players’ peripheral vision, as red nets were harder to distinguish against the backdrop of red-clad fans behind the goals.
Historically, Liverpool used red nets from the 1960s to 1994, honoring the club’s traditional colors. However, players later claimed that the red nets blended into the backdrop of the iconic Kop stand, prompting a switch to white. Nearly two decades later, in preparation for the 2012/13 season, manager Brendan Rodgers reinstated the red nets, citing nostalgia and the desire to embrace the club’s heritage. According to Liverpool museum curator Stephen Done, Rodgers vividly remembered Anfield’s red nets from the 1980s and believed restoring them would enhance the connection between fans and players.
Despite this, Klopp’s arrival in 2015 led to another change. In September 2016, fans noticed the nets had returned to white during a Premier League match against Leicester City. The adjustment, confirmed by the club, aimed to make the nets more visible during gameplay, as white stood out better against the predominantly red crowd. The change proved effective, as Liverpool scored 45 goals in 19 home games during the 2016/17 season, compared to 33 the previous year. The improvement contributed to their fourth-place league finish.
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