Dominik Szoboszlai has admitted he has "too much ego" and is driven by a desire to prove people wrong, while hinting he is ready to play right-back for Liverpool again this season. The Hungary international was the Reds' standout performer during a difficult campaign that saw Champions League qualification fail to save head coach Arne Slot from dismissal.
Szoboszlai on Position and Motivation
Pressed into emergency duty at right-back due to an injury crisis, Szoboszlai remains open-minded about his role. "I could easily say 'I don’t want to play full-back; either you put me in midfield, or I’m not playing', but I don’t do that because I want to help my team however I can," he said. "It's a team sport. Ultimately, I want to win, no matter where I’m asked to play."
He acknowledged his strong-willed nature: "I have too much ego; the more people try to tell me I won't succeed, the more I take a perverse pleasure in proving them wrong. That's why I have so much love for the people sitting on their sofas talking s**t about me."
Preferred Role and Contract Talks
Despite his versatility, Szoboszlai made clear his preferred position. "Moving from midfield to full-back really isn’t difficult," he explained. "In midfield, you need a panoramic view because the play can come from anywhere, whereas at full-back, it’s pretty binary. But my preferred position is box-to-box midfielder, because I have every option."
Talks are ongoing with Liverpool over an improved long-term contract, with the 25-year-old having two years remaining on his current deal. He outlined his ambitions under new head coach Andoni Iraola: "As a child, I always dreamed of winning the Champions League. But now that I’ve had a taste of it, I absolutely want to win the Premier League again because 2025 was just incredible. I’m convinced we can compete, and I’m hopeful that with the new manager we’ll move in the right direction."
On-Field Philosophy and Team Mentality
In a wide-ranging interview with France Football, Szoboszlai was asked about his contrasting on-field and off-field personas. "Both sides make up Dominik Szoboszlai," he said. "On the pitch, my mindset is all about streamlined efficiency, while off the pitch, I like to add a little extra flair." He dismissed showboating as irrelevant: "Those 'joga bonito' type skills are for show; in my opinion, they have nothing to do with football. Football is too competitive not to do everything possible to win the match."
He highlighted the team-first approach during Liverpool's 2025 Premier League title win: "Our midfield ran the show, but ultimately, who was the superstar? Mo Salah. Because we all did our utmost to put him in the best possible position to make the difference."
Impact of Diogo Jota's Death
Szoboszlai also reflected on the death of Diogo Jota 12 months ago, revealing the squad never collectively discussed the tragedy. "It was incredibly hard for everyone because Diogo Jota was one of those players who always gave everything for the team," he said. "At the start of the season, we used that trauma as motivation, but it was a heavy burden to bear. Personally, I gave it my all because I told myself that was what he would have wanted."
"The thing is, we never actually talked about it among ourselves. Everyone kept their feelings to themselves, and I don't know if that was a good thing because none of us was able to share what we were going through."
