Dominik Szoboszlai admits he has “too much ego,” with the Liverpool midfielder explaining that proving doubters wrong has driven him throughout his career.
Szoboszlai was by far and away Liverpool’s best player in the campaign just gone, but the No. 8 has also divided opinion at times due to his outspoken confidence.
Rightly or wrongly, it is a narrative which has fed into the debate over whether Szoboszlai should inherit the vice-captaincy from Andy Robertson this summer.
He is one of the most convincing candidates, however, and his outlook may in fact work in his favour – as he summed up in an expansive interview with L’Equipe.
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Sunday, September 21, 2025: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai looks on during the Premier League 2 match between Liverpool FC Under-21's and Manchester United FC Under-21's at the Liverpool Academy. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“Every time I reached one level, I immediately set my sights on the next one: from Salzburg to Leipzig, from Leipzig to Liverpool,” Szoboszlai explained.
“The journey wasn’t easy. When I joined Salzburg and entered the Red Bull system, I came from Hungarian football, which wasn’t nearly as international.
“I arrived alone, speaking neither German nor even English.
“And nobody is there to help you – quite the opposite. You’re the new kid, and the players competing for your position aren’t going to do you any favours. They don’t want you to improve.
SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - Tuesday, December 10, 2019: Liverpool's Andy Robertson (L) and FC Salzburg's Dominik Szoboszlai during the final UEFA Champions League Group E match between FC Salzburg and Liverpool FC at the Red Bull Arena. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“That’s one of the hardest realities of elite football: your team-mate is also your first rival.
“But there was never a moment when I lost heart. I don’t say that to boast. I simply have too much ego.
“The more people try to tell me I won’t make it, the more satisfaction I get from proving them wrong.
“That’s my fuel. That’s why I actually have a lot of love for the people sitting on their sofas talking nonsense about me!”
Much of Szoboszlai’s ultra-competitive mindset can be traced back to his upbringing under his father Zsolt, who was also his first coach.
“If only you knew. It was very tough,” he reflected.
“He was my father, but he was also my coach, so our entire relationship revolved around football. Every day. Every hour. Every minute.
“He was much harder on me than he was on the other kids, almost as if he wanted to make an example of me. I thought it was incredibly unfair.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 25, 2025: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai with the trophy, as the team celebrate becoming Champions for the 20th time, after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“When I was 12, I kept asking myself, ‘why always me?’ – just like Mario Balotelli.
“It wasn’t until I was about 20 that I understood he’d done it all for my own good and for my success. But it’s still something that’s difficult for me.”
Asked if he was now at peace with his father’s coaching, Szoboszlai said: “I have to. I don’t really have a choice because I can’t change it.
“Thankfully I achieved my goal of reaching the highest level, and that helps me accept everything that happened.”