Liverpool Football Club means a lot of things to a lot of people, and if there was one video you could show to new signings, it should be the new film ‘Captains’.
A Scouser, a Scot and a Dutchman, three different generations from three different backgrounds and yet all echo and buy into the same message when it comes to representing Liverpool.
Graeme Souness, Steven Gerrard and Virgil van Dijk have a combined 1,443 appearances for the Reds dating back to 1978, and each has donned the armband and led in their own distinct manner.
In Liverpool’s new original film ‘Captains’, the trio sit down together at Anfield and discuss the highs and lows of their careers, and the lasting impact the club has had on each of them.
You can watch ‘Captains’ now on All Red Video here.
What strikes you most, however, is how they carry and represent the football club, and that it has always been more than lacing up your boots and wearing the shirt two times a week.
Van Dijk’s early reflection on his move to the club said it all: “It all starts, I think, with being a Liverpool player is, do you understand the club in terms of what is required to be a Liverpool player?”
Liverpool Captains
Graeme Souness : 1982-1984
Steven Gerrard: 2003-2015
Virgil van Dijk: 2023-Present
It is a pertinent question, and as the film progresses you realise not only the importance of choosing the right custodian for the armband, but how important it is for new players to understand who they are signing for.
“I believe this is an institution that goes beyond being a football club,” Souness said.
The trio are engrossing as they detail their personal experience with their managers, teammates, success stories and hardships, yet one thing about the supporters rang true for them all.
“I think if these fans see you representing them, and putting everything on the line for them, they take to you, and they’ll be with you all the way,” Gerrard said.
It is a message any new player or member of staff should be given when they arrive at the club, as while it may seem blindingly obvious, they will each have examples of what happened to those who did not put it all on the line.
A message for every new signing
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, May 26, 2025: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk with the trophy during an open top bus parade through the city as the Reds celebrate winning the FA Premier League and becoming Champions of England for the 20th time. (Photo by Gary Oakley/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, May 26, 2025: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk with the trophy during an open top bus parade through the city as the Reds celebrate winning the FA Premier League and becoming Champions of England for the 20th time. (Photo by Gary Oakley/Propaganda)
As three of the most successful players in their respective generations, Souness, Gerrard and Van Dijk each command a presence and your attention.
They all have had vastly different experiences as captain of the football club, and watching on felt like being privy to a private conversation; such was the ease at which they went back and forth.
And what you could not help but notice was how Souness and Gerrard longed for just one more match, one more chance to play at Anfield in their prime.
“Enjoy the the last bit,” Gerrard told Van Dijk. “Enjoy the last bit because when it’s gone, trust me. [The Legends games] they’re great, but it’s not like the real thing. The real thing is special.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 31: Liverpool footballers including (left-right) David Hodgson, Bruce Grobbelaar, Graeme Souness and Phil Neal celebrate with the trophy as fans welcome the team back following their victory over AS Roma in the European Cup final in Rome as they embark on an open-top bus tour of the city on May 31, 1984 in Liverpool, England. Trophy parade (Photo by Steve Hale/Popperfoto via Getty Images) 1980s
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 31: Liverpool footballers including (left-right) David Hodgson, Bruce Grobbelaar, Graeme Souness and Phil Neal celebrate with the trophy as fans welcome the team back following their victory over AS Roma in the European Cup final in Rome as they embark on an open-top bus tour of the city on May 31, 1984 in Liverpool, England. Trophy parade (Photo by Steve Hale/Popperfoto via Getty Images) 1980s
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Souness, meanwhile, stressed: “Enjoy where you are right now, son.”
It remains to be seen if Van Dijk plays beyond his final contracted year at the club (let’s hope he does), but it is clear he is not taking any of it for granted.
“The appreciation, the love [from the fans] is like something; I feel like we are one of a kind, in my opinion,” he said when he looked back on the most recent trophy parade.
Liverpool truly is one of a kind, and if there was any material to understand what it means to represent the badge, ‘Captains’ would be the perfect place to start.
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