Dominik Szoboszlai has admitted he dreams of winning the Champions League with Liverpool - but he has extra motivation to do well in next season's tournament
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Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool talks to Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth
(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Getty Images)
Dominik Szoboszlai made history with Liverpool this season. By winning the Premier League with the Reds, he became the first ever player from Hungary to win the English top-flight.
Consider it a mission accomplished for the midfielder. Speaking to Sky Sports back in April, as Arne Slot’s side closed in on clinching the title, the 24-year-old revealed three goals he was looking to achieve at Anfield - well-aware he was on the cusp of one.
"Now? (My dream is) to win the Champions League and can it be three?” he said. “Win the Premier League and go to the World Cup. It feels good (that it can be done) but we still haven't achieved it.
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"I came to a team who want to win the Premier League and actually who want to win everything that is possible. That is my point. I came here to win.”
By winning the Premier League, it’s one down, two to go for Szoboszlai.
As for qualifying for the World Cup, that will become clear this Autumn. Drawn in a group with Portugal, Republic of Ireland and Armenia, Hungary’s qualification campaign does not actually even get underway until September, courtesy of the Portuguese’s involvement in the Nations League finals.
Which leaves the Champions League, with Szoboszlai having additional motivation to go far in next season’s tournament.
Only one Hungarian player has ever played in the final and won the tournament according to UEFA - the legendary Ferenc Puskas.
Szoboszlai will be desperate to follow in the Real Madrid legend’s footsteps. And he even could have the opportunity to do so in his home country this season.
The Puskas Arena in Budapest will host next season’s Champions League final on 30 May, making the possibility even more special for the Reds midfielder.
Of course, he is no longer the lone Hungarian at Anfield. Liverpool have recently signed Armin Pecsi from Puskas Akademia in a deal worth up to £1.5m.
Meanwhile, having now agreed a club-record deal with Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz, completing a switch for Milos Kerkez of AFC Bournemouth will be next on the club’s to-do list.
Liverpool remain confident of striking a deal for the Hungary international and are in direct contact with the Cherries, but are yet to make a formal offer for the £45m-rated left-back.
The Reds already have an early advantage in next season’s Champions League courtesy of not playing in the FIFA Club World Cup. While the likes of Man City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have commitments in the United States this summer, Liverpool are the highest-ranked side in the UEFA coefficients not involved in the tournament and will be afforded a full summer break.
Admittedly, there is a long way to go for the Reds to go if they are to go all the way in the Champions League. And Arne Slot’s men were burnt this season after falling at their first knock-out hurdle to PSG despite topping the inaugural league phase.
But should Szoboszlai and co. help Liverpool go all the way to Budapest, the Reds will no doubt be ‘home favourites’ in any final courtesy of the presence of the Hungary national team captain in their ranks.
Szoboszlai has made it clear he dreams of winning the Champions League. But the opportunity to do so in his native Hungary would make such a prospect all the sweeter.
His 2024/25 season might have only just finished, but Szoboszlai will already be dreaming that his next season can conclude with a fairy-tale ending.