Liverpool recently conducted an in-depth interview with 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha. The youngest goalscorer in the Reds' history, who has already made 44 senior appearances, spoke about his growth since joining Liverpool in September 2024, changes in his on-field position, his relationship with Andoni Iraola and the coaching staff, and the help he has received from senior players like Van Dijk and Salah.
Reporter: You're still so young, but you've already achieved many important milestones in your career. I imagine your most memorable moment so far is probably that goal against Newcastle United in August 2025...
Rio Ngumoha: To be honest, that goal is still fresh in my mind. I remember my mum still watches that goal repeatedly to this day. But I know that memory will stay with me forever, and I will never forget that day.
Reporter: How would you describe your playing style? Because when watching your games, it feels like your style is very creative and inspired...
Rio Ngumoha: I can only say that I am a relatively free player. Of course, I will play as freely as possible within the team's tactical system, playing fearlessly and not overthinking. If I see an opportunity for a one-on-one breakthrough, I will obviously try to break through; if there is no such opportunity, I can also use my teammates. I feel I play relatively freely, without fear. In one word, it's fearless.
Reporter: You are naturally better suited to playing left wing, but currently you often have to play on the right. How easy is it to adapt to a position on the other side?
Rio Ngumoha: I think it's difficult. As you said, I'm more used to playing on the left, but this season I've played more on the right. I think in the first few games, I struggled a bit.
But the manager, all the coaching staff, and my teammates have helped me a lot. Later, I played for England, which also helped me a lot, and I learned a lot from all the wingers.
Now, I also enjoy playing on the right because it gives me an extra skill set, being able to play both on the left and on the right. In today's football world, being unpredictable is very important. I really enjoy playing this way now.
Reporter: Andoni Iraola once said that it's very important for wingers to be versatile. Obviously, the team has quite a few players who can play in the same position. So, for you, is being able to master playing in different positions a big advantage?
Rio Ngumoha: Obviously, I haven't really mastered anything yet, and of course, I'm still learning. I think it's a very important ability to let the manager know that he can play Rio on the left today, or he can play Rio on the right; even if I'm on the bench, he can bring me on to play on the left or on the right. I think that's a very important skill set.
I think for every young player, especially those who come through the academy, you can't just play one position nowadays. You definitely need to master more positions, and you must have stronger versatility now. This is a good thing.
Reporter: What is your relationship with Andoni Iraola like?
Rio Ngumoha: I think our relationship is definitely getting better. Because I feel that sometimes when you're young, the manager might think you're a bit shy or something. But once you start communicating with them, they really get to know you, and that feels good.
I get along very well with the manager and the rest of the coaching staff – Tommy Elphick, Shaun Cooper, Pablo de la Torre. They build great relationships with everyone, and I'm one of them. It's great to work with them every day. They've helped me a lot and continue to help me. So, it feels good.
Reporter: Andoni Iraola once said that he really likes your attitude. Because even though you have a good grasp of some skills and aspects of the game, there are still some areas that need improvement, and he said you've been working hard on them. Can you talk about that?
Rio Ngumoha: As I said, the manager and other coaches have been helping me all the time, whether on or off the ball. For example, my positioning, or tracking back, we'll have some small meetings where they explain these things in more detail. As I said, I'm always eager to learn. Because even though I'm young, I want to get as many starting opportunities as possible.
For example, whether we're losing, or leading 2-0 or 2-1 but the game is still tight, I want to earn the coaching staff's trust, so they know: "Rio can not only help us score goals, but also help us stop the opponent from scoring."
I think in today's football, earning the manager's trust is very important. I'm improving little by little, and that feels good.
Reporter: What aspect do you most want to train or improve on?
Rio Ngumoha: I think it's definitely my performance off the ball. For example, when the opponent's full-back tries to overlap from behind, can I track him back in time and stop him? I think this is an important ability that can earn everyone's trust, and my teammates will trust me more because of it. This way, they will know that even if we are leading and the game is still very tight, when I come on as a substitute, I can not only help the team score goals but also contribute defensively. I think this is very important.
Reporter: You just mentioned teammates and the importance of earning their trust. After the match against Villarreal, I felt that you have a very good relationship and understanding with many of your teammates. I saw Van Dijk even patted your head. Can you talk about your relationship with some of the senior players in the team?
Rio Ngumoha: Van Dijk has helped me a lot. He's the leader of the team. He trusts me, Trey Nyoni, Lewis Koumas, and all the other young players a lot. He treats us as part of the team, and that feels really good. Obviously, we're still young, but to get his respect, especially from what I consider to be the best center-back in Premier League history, is truly incredible.
Reporter: You've obviously also had the chance to play with Salah, who is of course a Liverpool legend. What was that experience like? What did you learn from him?
Rio Ngumoha: Salah has taught me a lot. I think, at first, just by watching him score so many goals and break so many records, you can learn a lot. Then, training with him, you learn even more. When you actually talk to them – because I think people sometimes forget that footballers are just normal people, they are human beings, and you can totally go up and talk to them about anything – once you understand and realize that, you'll find that Salah is really very helpful. He has taught me a lot on and off the pitch, and I will always be grateful to him.
Reporter: Can you give a specific example? What did he say that particularly impressed you?
Rio Ngumoha: I remember one time, he told me something. He obviously knew I had talent, but he told me that if I wanted to reach the highest, highest level, I had to stay alert in the last 20 minutes of the game, always be ahead of everyone else, and move faster than everyone else. Because at that stage of the game, all the defenders are already tired, and that's when it's easiest for you to score goals. You look at how many goals he's scored, especially those goals in the dying minutes of the game. I think that's something very important he taught me.