Few have a greater pedigree in the game than Thiago Alcantara, so when he says football in Liverpool is different to other places, it carries some weight.
Despite his career ultimately being severely hampered by injuries, signing Thiago was a major coup for Liverpool when they bought him from Bayern for £25 million in 2020.
This was arguably the best midfielder in the world and he wanted the Reds. Usually, Liverpool went for younger players, but this opportunity couldn’t be turned down.
Thiago felt that a Jurgen Klopp-inspired Liverpool, who had just won the league, was the right place for him.
“You know that my roots are Brazilian, so a while ago I came to Europe and played for Barcelona, Bayern, Spain, Germany,” he explained on That Peter Crouch Podcast.
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, May 14, 2022: Liverpool's Thiago Alcântara celebrates after the FA Cup Final between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium. The game ended in a goal-less draw, Liverpool won 6-5 on penalties. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“You have this kind of European culture about Spain with tactics and the transition, and suddenly here, not in England but in Liverpool, you have this mix between the style of England that is challenges, there is a rhythm, there are duels, all these kind of things.
“But also the South American behaviour of football, it’s pretty like a religion here in Liverpool.
“So I’ve got that mix here and that’s why it I felt it was the right place for me.”
Liverpool can attract the very best and the culture is a part of that. Players like Thiago want to buy into Liverpool and everything that goes with it.
For a man who has played for two of European football’s other behemoths, Barcelona and Bayern, his fondness for Liverpool is an indication of the club’s standing.
Thiago’s theory on English club failures in Champions League
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo is challenged by Paris Saint-Germain's Marcos Aoás Corrêa 'Marquinhos' (R) during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Given that the Premier League is considered the best division in Europe for its strength and depth, English teams have fared relatively poorly in Europe over the last 15 years.
Since 2012, Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea (behind closed doors) have all lifted the European Cup, but English clubs’ appearances in the latter stages have been far fewer than their major rivals in Spain.
Thiago spoke about his coaching ambitions and offered some insight into why he feels English clubs might be failing on the biggest stage.
The current Barcelona assistant coach said: “I think I’m more like the teaching way, so it is the coaching way, and I think these tactical aspects are for myself, to teach others how to play.
“But then we have to encourage the young players to enjoy and compromise themselves to the game, but you have to play in this state of flow.
“Spain is very tactical; you have to do this, this and that – and players are losing their freedom I think.”
Former Reds striker Crouch then expanded on this, asking if Thiago feels players in the Premier League are lacking responsibility on the pitch.
The ex-Barca, Bayern Munich and Liverpool man agreed, adding: “I think in very specific moments, tactics or set-pieces are great.
LISBON, PORTUGAL - Sunday, August 23, 2020: FC Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara celebrates with the European Cup trophy as Bayern win it for the sixth time after the UEFA Champions League Final between FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain at the Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. FC Bayern Munich won 1-0. (Credit: ©UEFA)
“But then the moment of great matches when you face the best players on Earth, they are the best players because one-on-one they eat you.
“So when you lose that from a player – that natural kid you have inside [who wants to] challenge someone and win him.
“We are losing that and I think that’s why some big teams are struggling in the Champions League quarters, semi-finals or final, because they lose these kind of things in that big moment.”
In the last 13 years, just seven of 26 Champions League final places on offer have been taken by Premier League clubs.
This season, Liverpool, Man City, Newcastle and Chelsea were all comprehensively beaten by the quarter-final stage, with only Arsenal left after scraping past Sporting into the semis.