Past playersVegard Heggem
Years: 1998-2000
Appearances: 65
Goals: 3
Vegard Heggem was a promising Liverpool right-back whose career was cut short due to a recurring hamstring injury.
The Norwegian started out with Rosenborg in his home country, announcing his name on the European stage with the winner at San Siro in his team's sensational 2-1 victory over AC Milan to earn them passage to the 1996 Champions League quarter-finals.
His arrival at Anfield in July 1998 was unique: he was the only signing made while Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier were briefly in joint control of the Reds.
Heggem brought pace and skill to the full-back position and figured 29 times for Liverpool in the 1998-99 season, despite missing a month with a hamstring complaint.
In November of that campaign, he was substituted in the 90th minute of a 2-0 win against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield for a young Scouser making his debut - a certain Steven Gerrard.
Heggem was also a regular member of the first team in the following season, but his troublesome hamstring meant he spent more time in the stands than on the pitch.
He recovered in time to represent Norway in the 2000 European Championship, but injury struck in his country's second game of the tournament and brought his 20-match international career to an end.
Heggem's fitness struggles led to an early retirement in 2003.