My Sporting Life is The i Paper’s look behind the curtain at what drives sports stars to greatness. For the latest in the series, we sat down for a fascinating and insightful chat with John Barnes, widely regarded as one of England’s greatest players of all time. The Jamaican-born dribbler reflects on his journey to the top, including the highs and lows of his career, and the memories that will stay with him for life.
I look at my whole career as the highlight
I don’t look for individual moments, I look at my career as a whole, the good and the bad. But if I had to choose one particular highlight, it’s obviously the first league title I won with Liverpool. That for me is the most important thing, not winning the Champions League or FA Cup.
The way I was brought up, it was always about the team, not the individual. My dad was a colonel in the Jamaican army. He talked about discipline, determination, effort, commitment, understanding what it means to be a part of a team.
Barnes made over 400 appearances for Liverpool during his 10-year stint at Anfield (Photo: Getty)
