'The Big Interview' with Rio Ngumoha: Fearless approach, versatility and guidance

The 18-year-old, who is the Reds' youngest-ever goalscorer and has 44 senior appearances to his name, sat down for an extended chat about his burgeoning career.

Ngumoha discussed his growth as a player since arriving on Merseyside in September 2024 and aims for the future, while also touching on his relationship with teammates and coaches. 

Here are the best bits from the wide-ranging conversation…

You're so young and you've got so many massive milestones in your career that you've sort of already hit and ticked off. I imagine your best moment so far is probably that goal against Newcastle United [in August 2025]...

That goal, it's still in my mind, to be fair. I remember my mum, she still to this day can't stop watching it. But I know that memory will always be in my head and I'll never forget that day.

How would you describe your style of play? Because watching you, it looks like you've just got so much flair...

I'll just say I'm just like a free player, try to play with as much freedom as I can within the structure, of course, and be fearless and don't really think too much. Just if I see a one-v-one then obviously try to take it on. But if not, I can use my teammates. I just say I play freely with no fear. I'll say just fearless.

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Rio magic ✨

You're naturally a left-sided winger, but you're having to play a lot on the right at the moment. How easy is it to adapt to the other side?

I think it's difficult. Like you said, I'm more used to playing on the left and this season I'm playing more on the right. I think the first couple of games I've been struggling. But the gaffer and all the coaching staff and all the players, they helped me a lot. Then when I went away with England as well, that really helped – I learnt a lot from all the wingers. Now I'm enjoying playing on the right as well because it's another toolset to be [able to] play on the left and the right. It's important in world football to be unpredictable and stuff. I'm enjoying myself right now.

Andoni Iraola said that it was important that his wingers were versatile. Obviously there's quite a few different players that play in the same position. So for you to sort of master that, is that like a big tick?

Obviously I haven't mastered anything yet, of course. I'm still learning. I think definitely knowing that the manager can say, 'We can play Rio left today' or 'We could play Rio on the right' or whether I'm on the bench and 'We can bring Rio on on the left and the right', I just think that's a really big toolset to have. I think for every young player, especially coming through academies, you can't just have one position. You definitely have to have a lot more now. You have to be a lot more versatile. It's good.

Andoni Iraola, what sort of relationship do you have with him?

I think it's definitely grown. Because I think sometimes when you're young, managers might think that you're a bit shy and stuff. But once you start speaking and once I start speaking to them, they really understand you, which is nice. I think me and the gaffer and all the other coaching staff – Tommy [Elphick], Coops [Shaun Cooper], Pablo [de la Torre] – they have a great relationship with everyone and me as well. It's just enjoyable to work with them every day. They help me a lot and they've been helping me a lot. So, it's good.

Andoni said that he loves your attitude because, although you've mastered some elements that you're doing really well at, there's bits that he wants you to improve on and he says that you are constantly working on that. Can you talk to us about that side of it? 

Like I say, with the gaffer and all the other coaches, they've really been helping me off the ball and on the ball. So it might be like my movement or tracking back and we'll just have these little meetings and they just go into more detail and stuff. Like I say, I'm always eager to learn. Because even though I'm young, I want to be starting as many games as I can. For example, if we're losing or we're winning 2-0 or 2-1 and the game's tight, I just want their trust, 'Rio can also help us score a goal but also stop a goal as well.' So, I think that's important now in football to gain the manager's trust. Slowly and slowly I'm improving, which is nice.

What's the main thing that you want to work on or improve?

I think definitely off the ball – whether it's a full-back making runs in behind and I stop him. I think that's the one big thing that I can do to gain everyone's trust, even the teammates, so they know if we're winning and it's a tight game and I come on, yeah I can score but I can also help. I think that's very important.

You mention your teammates and sort of gaining their trust. It felt like after the game against Villarreal that you have a really good relationship and bond with a lot of them. I saw Virgil van Dijk tapping you on the head. Talk to me about your relationship with some of the senior players in the squad...

Virg is very helpful. He's the leader in the team. He very much puts his trust in me, Trey [Nyoni], [Lewis] Koumas, all the young players as well. He sees us like we're one of them, which is very nice. Obviously we're young but just to have that respect from, for me, the best centre-back in Premier League history is crazy.

You obviously got to play with Mo Salah, who is, of course, a Liverpool legend. What was that like and what did you learn from him?

Mo taught me a lot. I think at the start, just watching him score all of his goals, all the records that he's broken, you learn a lot. Then you train, then you learn a lot. And when you speak to them – because I think also people forget that footballers are just normal people, they're human beings, so you can come and speak to them about anything – I think once you understand and recognise that, Mo is just really helpful. He taught me a lot of things on the pitch but also off the pitch and I'll always thank him for that.

Can you give us an example of what he said?

There was one instance I remember. He was just saying, obviously he knows that I'm talented, but to reach the top, top level, in the last 20 minutes of the game you just have to stay alive, be ahead of everyone, be quicker than everyone and that's where you get the most goals really – when all the defenders are tired. You see how many goals he scored, especially in the dying moments of games. I think that's one big thing he taught me.