Liverpool Name Alisson Vice-Captain And Explain Why He Won’t Wear The Armband

Liverpool have named Alisson Becker as one of their vice-captains for the new season before explaining why the goalkeeper is unlikely to actually wear the captain’s armband.

Andoni Iraola confirmed that Alisson, Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai will serve as deputies to Virgil van Dijk as the head coach establishes his leadership group ahead of the Premier League campaign.

Alisson’s role comes with one practical difference.

Iraola does not intend to give him the armband.

The Premier League’s “Captains Only” approach allows referees to call captains over when explaining significant decisions and places greater responsibility on them for managing their teammates. If the captain is a goalkeeper, clubs are permitted to nominate an outfield player to perform those duties instead.

That solution is entirely possible.

Iraola would simply rather not use it.

The Liverpool head coach experienced the arrangement while working with goalkeeper Neto at Bournemouth and said having to nominate another player to act as captain during every game was not practical. He therefore told Alisson that, despite being part of Liverpool’s official captaincy group, his leadership role would not necessarily include wearing the thing traditionally used to identify the captain.

It is not because Alisson is unfamiliar with the job. The Brazilian previously captained Liverpool against Porto in the Champions League in November 2021, describing the experience at the time as both a pleasure and an honour.

Iraola has also stressed since arriving at Liverpool that he does not believe leadership depends on an armband, arguing that teams need several players capable of taking responsibility regardless of who officially wears it.

Alisson has now been formally recognised as one of those players.

Liverpool have made him vice-captain.

They just don’t particularly want him doing the armband part.