We hear so much about ‘football family’, that it almost loses its meaning.
Yet for Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker, it is a very real, lived experience, with very real meaning.
Two years ago, his father died in tragic circumstances amidst the horror of the Covid lockdown, and the reaction from everyone at Anfield - and the wider football world - became one of the driving forces of not just his career, but his life.
“I never imagined to go through a moment like that in my life, nobody thinks about losing dad or mum or loved one suddenly or so quick,” he remembers now. “But so many people through the Covid times were losing loved ones, and I think the world was in a place where everybody was ready to show love for people.
“And (it was) not only Liverpool, the boys here were amazing, everybody, the staff, fans, they felt my pain together and they push me forward.“I felt the love and the way they deal with the situation.”
It was no surprise the tight-knit community that Jurgen Klopp has created at Liverpool were not just supportive, but an inspiration to the Brazilian, but the wider ‘football family’ too, showed love.
“They were helping me and my family to go through that and not just here (Anfield) but the football world. I was really touched, I received so many letters from managers, from clubs that I never imagined I would receive.
“Every message supported me to go forward. What helped me most is my faith and the things I believe; it keeps me strong to keep going in my life, to move forward, look forward, live for my children - enough motivation for the really tough moments.
“And of course when I signed a new long-term (contract) at this club, I thought a lot that everybody was there for me and I want to be here for the club as well, keep making history, keep this atmosphere that we have as a family.”
That is why reaching the landmark of 100 cleans sheets for Liverpool last weekend was so important to him - joining as he did, only six other keepers in the club’s entire history who have achieved that significant feat.
But as Liverpool face another huge game with the visit to Leicester on Monday night, in their late burst for a Champions League spot, Alisson wants more, to repay his Anfield family.
“When you see these names that reached this number then you see something special, so I’m really happy to be among them, reaching 100 clean sheets for the team,” he explains.
“But I definitely want to make the next step. 100 is a lot for me now but in comparison to the great goalies in Liverpool’s history it is not even 50 per cent of what they achieved.”
He is referring to Ray Clemence and Bruce Grobbelaar, the two greatest of them all. “They got over 200 clean sheets. I don’t know if I can play as many matches as them. I think Ray had over 600 matches for Liverpool (665).
“But I’m already looking forward to the next 50 or 100 clean sheets, and for the next one in the next match we have. It would be special to be alongside them or to beat them. I admire a lot what the great goalies did, but I’m writing my own story here at Liverpool and I’m focused on that.”
And of course, he wants those clean sheets to mean something…more trophies with his ‘family’.
“In football, players have to go sometime like we see now with Bobby, (Firmino). But players are coming as well and I just hope we can keep this environment…that the club can keep being a family. That we can keep achieving so many things, trophies, that is what I hope for the next years.”
