Ex-Liverpool midfielder’s career hits new low after penalty miss abroad | OneFootball

Former Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is living through a career chapter few could have predicted when he left Anfield in 2013.

The 33-year-old, once competing with Jordan Henderson for a place in our midfield, is now turning out for UAE second-tier side Arabian Falcons, where he recently missed a penalty in a 1-0 win.

From Anfield promise to UAE penalty miss

(Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

Footage shared by English Players Abroad on X showed Shelvey’s first start for the Falcons – a match he captained, but one defined by a poor spot kick.

The caption read: “Jonjo Shelvey made his first start for UAE third-tier side Arabian Falcons. He captained his side to a 1-0 win but also missed this penalty. A moment he will want to forget.”

It’s a far cry from his early days at Anfield, where he made 69 appearances, scoring seven and assisting four between 2010 and 2013.

Shelvey’s competitive edge was clear – perhaps best remembered for that fiery red card against Manchester United and his words to Sir Alex Ferguson as he left the pitch.

That moment, like this latest one, spoke volumes about a player who always wore his heart on his sleeve.

Regret over Liverpool exit still lingers

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Five years ago, Shelvey admitted to Sky Sports that leaving Liverpool at 21 may have been a mistake.

“Should I have stayed? Probably, yeah,” he said. “Even if it was only for another year or two, just to see how things changed.”

While Henderson remains in the Premier League and has earned another England call-up at 35, Shelvey’s career has drifted through clubs from Swansea to Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Turkey, and now the UAE.

The Arabian Falcons, promoted from the third division last season, have a YouTube channel with just 22 subscribers and no social media presence – a world away from the roar of the Kop.

For Liverpool supporters, it’s a stark reminder of how differently careers can unfold.

One midfielder went on to lift every major honour with us as captain, while the other is missing penalties in front of empty stands thousands of miles away – albeit with inflated wages.

Shelvey left Merseyside to play football more regularly and now he’s getting his wish – just not quite in the way he would have imagined.

You can watch the video of Shelvey’s penalty miss via @EnglishAbroad1 on X:

You can watch Slot’s post Chelsea press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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