Szoboszlai on Liverpool vice-captaincy and Iraola's style

Dominik Szoboszlai has spoken openly about his role as one of Liverpool's vice-captains, saying he was ready to take on formal leadership responsibilities at club level.

Andoni Iraola appointed Szoboszlai alongside Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez as deputies to captain Virgil van Dijk for the 2026-27 season, following Andy Robertson's departure during the summer.

"This is my longest period in a football club, to be honest, because I was never so long in a club like this. This is my fourth season," the 25-year-old told former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in an interview for TNT Sports.

Szoboszlai, who also captains the Hungary national team and signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool in July, said he prefers to lead through his performances on the pitch. "I think you need both, but I would rather speak on the pitch, how I do and what I do," he said.

The midfielder was equally positive about head coach Iraola's direct, high-intensity approach. "I like him, I like him a lot. Obviously I know his is a really direct playing style, intense, which I love. This is what we missed last season," Szoboszlai said.

He added that a conversation with Bournemouth teammate Milos Kerkez, who previously worked under Iraola, had set his expectations. "He said, 'We are going to go, we run, all in, one-v-one if needed,' and that is what I like."

Szoboszlai closed with an assertive message about Liverpool's ambitions: "As Liverpool FC, we should focus on what the other teams do but they should focus more on what we are doing. Let them think, 'Oh, what are we going to do now Liverpool is coming?'"