Alisson Could Be Liverpool’s Captain — But Premier League Rules May Stop Him Wearing the Armband
Alisson Becker has been named one of Andoni Iraola’s vice-captains at Liverpool, alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez. However, despite his leadership role, the Brazilian goalkeeper is unlikely to wear the captain’s armband in most circumstances.
The 33-year-old remains at Anfield for his ninth season after speculation over his future during the summer. With his vast experience and trophy-winning background, Iraola has included Alisson in Liverpool’s leadership group.
Alisson has won every major honour available during his time on Merseyside and is widely regarded as one of the club’s greatest goalkeepers. He could potentially take charge if captain Virgil van Dijk is unavailable, but Premier League rules create a major complication.
Under the “Only the Captain” guidelines introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), only the designated captain is permitted to approach the referee during matches. Because goalkeepers are usually positioned far away from incidents, Liverpool would likely appoint an outfield player to wear the armband instead.
Liverpool reporter James Pearce explained that if Van Dijk is absent, Szoboszlai or Gomez would be expected to take the captaincy rather than Alisson.
However, there is one situation in which Alisson could officially become Liverpool captain. If Van Dijk, Gomez and Szoboszlai were all unavailable, the goalkeeper could be named captain. In that case, the referee would need to be informed before kick-off which outfield player would approach officials on Alisson’s behalf.
The rules are designed to improve communication between referees and captains while reducing player dissent. They require captains to communicate respectfully and prevent teammates from surrounding or interfering with the referee.
Despite these restrictions, goalkeepers can still be appointed captains, as shown by Crystal Palace’s decision to hand the armband to Dean Henderson.
