The present invention relates to a method for liquefying hydrogen in large-scale comprising the steps of: providing a feed gas stream comprising hydrogen, precooling the feed gas stream to an intermediate temperature yielding a precooled feed gas stream, cooling the precooled feed gas stream to a temperature of below the critical temperature of hydrogen yielding a liquid product stream comprising hydrogen. According to the invention, the precooled feed gas stream is cooled to a first temperature in a first cooling step by a first closed cooling cycle with a first refrigerant stream consisting of or comprising neon and/or hydrogen, and that the cooled feed gas stream is further cooled from the first temperature to temperature below the critical temperature of hydrogen in a second cooling step by a second closed cooling cycle with a second refrigerant stream comprising or consisting of hydrogen and/or helium