Profile

Florent Sinama-Pongolle arrived at Anfield touted as of the best young players in world football.

Signed alongside compatriot Anthony Le Tallec, the dynamic forward was hailed as a 'French gem' by boss Gerard Houllier in the summer of 2003.

The pair had previously both been on a season's loan at French side Le Havre, and Houllier's capture was deemed a shrewd one as the duo were in much demand.

Pongolle first rose to prominence in May 2001 when he scored six goals en-route to the final but France lost out to Spain 1-0 in the European U16 Championships in England.

There was better fortune for Pongolle in September 2001 as he played a major role in France winning the under-17 World Championships in Trinidad. Sinama-Pongolle won the golden ball for the tournament's best player and the golden shoe for top goalscorer with nine goals.

He set a new tournament record with hat-tricks against USA, Japan and a goal in the final against Nigeria.

With such impressive statistics at youth level, fans were eager to see him in action and it didn't take long for 'Flo' to make his mark. He gave a glimpse of his potential when he notched his first for the club in a 3-1 win over Leeds United in the 2003-04 campaign.

However, he spent the majority of the 2004-05 season on the treatment table after injuring his knee in the Carling Cup semi-final win at Watford. It was an unfortunate blow for the striker, as he had previously inspired Liverpool to the last 16 of the Champions League with his display against Olympiacos; coming off the bench he scored and played a major role in the 3-1 victory.

Despite occasional bursts of genius, Pongolle could not force his way into the Liverpool side on a regular basis and ended the 2005-06 season on loan at Blackburn Rovers whom he joined in January 2006.

The following year he signed a loan deal with Recreativo de Huelva and made such an impression that they opted to sign him permanently, bringing an end to his Anfield career.