Ian Rush Reflects on Health Scare and Career Achievements

During his recent health crisis, Ian Rush experienced significant difficulty breathing, necessitating his admission to intensive care for nearly two days. A spokesperson for Liverpool Football Club expressed the team’s collective hope for his speedy recovery and gratitude towards the hospital staff for their care of their esteemed player and ambassador.

Now fully recovered, Rush has returned home and recounted his distressing ordeal to BBC Sport. The 64-year-old stated, “I genuinely feared the worst and thought this could be it. Breathing was incredibly difficult, and at times, I felt fortunate to receive help from the NHS. There were moments when I believed I might not survive. Thankfully, I am feeling stronger and much better now.”

He further elaborated, “It was a frightening experience. I thought it was the end due to my inability to breathe, which led to a panic attack. Carol was exceptional in assisting me with my breathing, which provided me more time while we awaited the ambulance.”

Rush also mentioned, “This experience has motivated me to make significant changes by 2026. I want to ensure that everything is organized, should anything happen to me. The doctors advised that sunlight would be beneficial, and since I am allowed to fly, I am here now. Liverpool FC has been incredibly supportive, allowing me to take as much time as I need, which exemplifies the familial nature of the club.”

On Sunday, Rush enjoyed time with football legends including Brazil’s Ronaldo and Italy’s Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero. He reflected on these moments, saying, “Simple gestures, like seeing Baggio—who lived in the same house I once occupied during my time at Juventus—mean a great deal. It energizes me. While I haven’t won a World Cup like some of these legends, I take pride in being Liverpool’s record goalscorer.”

Rush’s illustrious career includes five First Division titles, two European Cups, three FA Cups, and five League Cups with Liverpool across two tenures. He was the club’s top scorer for eight seasons and received accolades such as the PFA Young Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year in 1983 and 1984, respectively.

Representing his national team, Rush earned 73 caps and scored 28 goals, making him one of the top scorers in his country’s history. His career also saw him play for clubs like Chester, Juventus, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield United, and Wrexham, before concluding in Australia with Sydney Olympic.

Post-retirement, Rush took on the role of part-time striker’s coach at Liverpool under Gerard Houllier and later managed Chester, helping them avoid relegation in the fourth division of English football. Despite expressing interest in managing the Welsh national team, he was never offered the position and did not return to management following his tenure at Chester, which ended after a series of disappointing performances.

On the pitch, Liverpool, under manager Arne Slot, concluded 2025 with a positive result, defeating Chelsea and securing a position in the Premier League’s top four. They aim to commence the new year successfully against Leeds United at Anfield on January 1.