Dominik Szoboszlai has been touted as a future Liverpool captain, but the midfielder has insisted there is no need for him to join a formal leadership group at present.
Szoboszlai has undoubtedly come to the fore for Liverpool this season, having been left out of many supporters’ ideal XIs over the summer.
He has arguably been Arne Slot‘s most influential player and his performances in a variety of different roles – including as a right-back – while wearing the No. 8 shirt have drawn comparisons with Steven Gerrard.
But while he wears the captain’s armband for Hungary, Szoboszlai is happy to leave the leadership duties to Liverpool’s established group.
“We have enough leaders with Virgil, with Mo, with Robbo, with Ali,” he told ESPN‘s Beth Lundop.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Andrew Robertson of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Liverpool FC and Atletico de Madrid at Anfield on September 17, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
“They have been here longer, some of them seven or eight years here, the captain and vice-captains.
“I just try to do my best on the pitch. If it seems like I am a leader, then I’ll keep doing that on the pitch, not outside the pitch.”
There is a sense that Szoboszlai will grow into that role regardless, particularly with vice-captain Andy Robertson‘s contract due to expire in the summer and both Virgil van Dijk, 34, and Mohamed Salah, 33, entering their mid-30s.
Alexis Mac Allister has already been promoted to Liverpool’s former leadership group and him, Szoboszlai and perhaps the likes of Ibrahima Konate and Curtis Jones seem obvious choices for the new generation.
The strength of Slot’s squad, however, comes in their collective experience and winning nous.
“We are a really close team. Everyone protects each other, we are there for each other. That’s been the most important thing,” Szoboszlai continued.
“When everything works, everyone is happy and it’s all positive, it’s easy to stick together.
“The hardest thing is when you find yourself in a position where we were a few weeks ago. But even then we stuck together and kept on going, believing it would turn for us.”
‘We can only focus on ourselves’
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Wednesday, October 22, 2025: Liverpool team-mates Dominik Szoboszlai (L) and Florian Wirtz after the UEFA Champions League match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool FC at the Waldstadion. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
After back-to-back wins against Aston Villa and Real Madrid, he added: “The most important thing is to keep going like this.
“There is a long way to go. Now it’s all about the Premier League and facing Man City at the weekend. We know how good they are now. We have to focus on that.
“The season is long. If we were seven points clear at this stage nobody would be saying that we had won the league already.
“Last season when we were leading the way, we just stayed calm and kept on going because anything can happen.
“We just need to focus on ourselves, win our games and then let’s see what other teams are doing.”