Dominik Szoboszlai avoided a question on the heated exchange he had with Curtis Jones after the win over Wrexham, which was filmed from various angles inside the ground.
Footage from Yankee Stadium continues to surface, showing Jones involved in an animated exchange with Szoboszlai and, later, Kostas Tsimikas as the team walked around the ground to applaud supporters.
It is unclear exactly what the post-match incident was about, but there are hints it stemmed from the captain’s armband being passed to Tsimikas instead of Jones after Szoboszlai was subbed off.
The video (below) shows Jones in a heated exchange with Szoboszlai, before Tsimikas is later seen throwing the armband on the floor. The incident went on for several minutes.
Looks like the captains armband was the subject of the argument the other day with Curtis Jones ???? pic.twitter.com/oveXpUQXWA
— anfield social (@anfieldsociaI) July 31, 2026
Szoboszlai was asked about it when he spoke to reporters on Thursday, but he did not answer that part of the question and instead focused on the overarching point about the squad’s leadership.
“A couple of guys left, and maybe we are not the oldest in the team, but we’ve been here a long time,” Szoboszlai said.
“For example, Flo is the same example, Ryan is the same example, Macca if he comes back, Curtis, Alex (Isak), obviously Virgil, Ali, Joey (Gomez).
“So we are all in the same boat, and we want the best for the club and for each other.
“And that means we have a captain, Virgil. We will follow him every [time], what he and the gaffer are saying.
“I think I can talk from everybody’s side that we want to be successful this season.”
Liverpool’s leadership dynamic
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha celebrates with team-mate Curtis Jones (L) after scoring the first goal during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha celebrates with team-mate Curtis Jones (L) after scoring the first goal during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Szoboszlai is in the running to be Liverpool’s next vice-captain after the departure of Andy Robertson, but Jones would have anticipated being handed the armband after he was subbed in the 76th minute.
Since Jurgen Klopp‘s reign, the armband has first gone to players in the leadership group, but if they are no longer on the pitch, the longest-serving player inherits it for the rest of the match.
Jones, of course, has been at the club since he was nine and a first-team player since 2018/19, whereas Tsimikas only joined the club in the summer of 2020.
The footage of the post-match incident has since gone viral, and while it can be disappointing to see, heated exchanges often stem from high standards and expectations.
Jones remains subject to interest from Inter Milan this summer with his future at Anfield not yet assured, but he will be expected to feature when Liverpool wrap up their US pre-season tour against Leeds in Chicago on Sunday.
Football – English Football League Trophy – Northern Group H – Burton Albion FC v Liverpool FC Under-21’s
Football – English Football League Trophy – Northern Group H – Burton Albion FC v Liverpool FC Under-21’s
Football – Pre-Season – Liverpool USA Tour Day 11 – Liverpool Press Conference
CHICAGO, USA - Thursday, July 30, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during a press conference at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of the club's final pre-season friendly of their USA Tour, against Leeds United in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)