'Roger Hunt comes second to no-one' - Jurgen Klopp pays tribute to Liverpool 'giant'
Liverpool legend Roger Hunt has passed away aged 83
Jurgen Klopp has paid tribute to Liverpool legend Roger Hunt after the World Cup winner died at the age of 83.
Hunt, who is Liverpool's record league goalscorer, passed away on Monday night at home following a long illness.
Having scored 285 goals in 492 appearances between 1958 and 1969, Hunt is the second-highest scorer in all competitions in the club's history.
He helped fire Liverpool out of Division Two as champions in 1962, and went on to win the championship in 1964 and 1966 and scored in the Reds' first-ever FA Cup final triumph when Leeds United were beaten 2-1 in 1965.
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Hunt also won the World Cup with England in 1966, playing ever minute of the competition and scoring three goals before helping beat West Germany 4-2 in the final.
And Klopp believes the qualities that made 'Sir Roger' hugely popular with Reds supporters throughout his career would have served him well in the modern-day team.
“It’s really sad news and our thoughts and our love go to his family,” said the Liverpool boss
“Unfortunately, it feels too frequent in this moment we are saying farewell to these giants of our club.
“Roger Hunt comes second to no-one in his importance in the history of Liverpool FC, that much is clear.
“To be the goalscoring catalyst of the Shankly team to actually achieve promotion and then go on to win those precious league titles and the FA Cup puts him in a bracket of LFC legends who are responsible for making us the club we are today.
"Not only that, he was also a World Cup winner in 1966, too.
“I am told the Kop christened him 'Sir Roger' for all his achievements. A goalscorer who never stopped working to help his team-mates; I believe he would have fit in well within our current team.
“So, it is Sir Roger we will remember, honour and pay tribute to over the coming days.
“You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
The Football Association, meanwhile, has also paid tribute to Hunt with a special tribute planned for the World Cup qualifier at Wembley against Hungary next month.
"English football has lost another great with the passing of Roger Hunt," said FA CEO Mark Bullingham.
"On behalf of the FA, our thoughts are with his family and friends today. Twice a league champion with Liverpool, either side of a memorable FA Cup success in 1965, Roger will always be treasured by fans across the country as one of our World Cup winners of 1966.
"He will forever be remembered at Wembley Stadium and we will pay tribute to his memory before our home fixture with Hungary next month."
READ MORE: Liverpool legend Roger Hunt has died aged 83
