Van Dijk mentality laid bare with firm message to Rio Ngumoha after Liverpool starlet’s heroics
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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has publicly praised 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha following his dramatic winning goal in stoppage time against Newcastle, a strike that secured a 3-2 victory for the Premier League champions on their opening games of the season. Ngumoha, who became Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer on his debut, came off the bench and finished a well-executed team move to cap a thrilling match at St. James’ Park.
Van Dijk described the goal as a “dream debut” for Ngumoha and emphasized the importance of staying humble and continuing to work hard despite the early success. He highlighted Ngumoha’s confidence and praised his finishing ability, noting that for such a young player, scoring at that level is impressive but not coincidental. Van Dijk also acknowledged the difficult atmosphere Liverpool faced due to Newcastle’s anger over Liverpool’s pursuit of their striker Alexander Isak, who was absent from the match.
The game saw Liverpool take a commanding 2-0 lead with goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, but Newcastle fought back despite being down to 10 men after Anthony Gordon’s red card. Goals from Bruno Guimaraes and William Osula brought Newcastle back into contention before Ngumoha’s late winner settled the match.
Van Dijk’s message to Ngumoha was clear: this breakthrough is just the beginning, and the young player must maintain focus and humility as he matures into his role on the team. The captain’s support reflects Liverpool’s encouragement of young talent and his leadership on and off the pitch.
This event follows earlier calls from van Dijk about Liverpool’s squad needs, with the captain previously urging the club to strengthen their forward options after the sales of key attackers. His recent remarks underscore his commitment to Liverpool’s success and development of young players like Ngumoha.
PP