Alisson Becker has become one of Andoni Iraola’s vice-captains but don’t expect to see the Liverpool goalkeeper wearing the armband.
The Brazilian shot-stopper’s future had been the subject of speculation ahead of the summer but he’s staying put to help Iraola at the start of the Spaniard’s reign. This will be his ninth season at Anfield, having become arguably the greatest number one in the club’s history.
Iraola is turning to Alisson and using the 33-year-old’s experience as part of his leadership team. He’s joined Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez in serving as deputy skippers to club captain Virgil van Dijk.
Why Alisson is Unlikely to Wear Captain’s Armband
Alisson has won every major trophy on offer during his time on Merseyside and played a key role in the club’s success during this period. He’s a popular figure on the pitch and in the dressing room and has been just as influential as Van Dijk, who will captain the Reds for a fourth consecutive season.
Should Van Dijk be unavailable, Alisson could captain his team but he wouldn’t be allowed to wear the armband. That’s due to Premier League rules as explained by Liverpool reporter James Pearce on X:
“[Premier League] rules on only the captain being able to speak to referees means Alisson won’t wear the armband if Van Dijk isn’t on the field. That honour would go to Szoboszlai or Gomez.”
Therefore, in the event that Alisson is handed leadership responsibilities, he wouldn’t be the proper captain and that’s due to an initiative brought in by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). ‘Only the Captain’ guidelines were introduced into the Laws of the Game ahead of last season, and the Premier League has opted to use them to minimize dissent surrounding the referee.
Top-flight bosses have focused on addressing players’ treatment of referees, which means goalkeepers are now unlikely to be appointed captains. They very rarely leave their areas and while its proven beneficial for officials, it rules out many shot-stoppers dreams of captaining their teams.
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How Alisson Can Still Captain Liverpool
If Van Dijk, Gomez, and Szoboszlai were all absent, Alisson could theoretically wear the armband. The guidelines state that referees must be made aware of a nominated outfield player they can approach throughout a game:
“Where the goalkeeper is the captain, the referee must be told, no later than at the coin toss before kick-off, which player is nominated to approach the referee instead of the goalkeeper.”
The thinking is that ‘stronger collaboration between the referee and the team captains can help instill fairness and mutual respect.’ The move to have captains only approach referees requires them to do so ‘respectfully and conduct themselves as such.’
They are given the responsibility to ensure their teammates ‘remain a reasonable distance from the referee and do not interfere in the interaction between the referee and the team captain(s).’
While the guidelines could prove problematic for goalkeepers, Crystal Palace appointed Dean Henderson as their captain following Marc Guehi’s exit in January. Clubs are clearly still open to using shot-stoppers in the role despite the limitations that come with it.
