InterviewDominik Szoboszlai: Winning the league was our target - it's special to have done it

Arne Slot's squad have delivered the top-flight trophy back to Anfield in impressive style, clinching it with the 5-1 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

Their unassailable lead at the top of the standings sparked mass celebrations among players and fans alike, in acknowledgement of winning England's first division for the 20th time in history.

Szoboszlai recently discussed what it means to be a Premier League champion, the midfield mix that has helped deliver success, and the inspiration of one of his predecessors in the famous No.8 shirt.

Read on for the full interview from the matchday programme versus Arsenal…

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Liverpool: Premier League champions. How does that sound?

Very good, very good! It's good because we worked so hard the whole season to get to this point. Everybody has been involved somehow from the players, the staff, the fans, the city, everybody, so it was a huge moment for everyone when we defeated Tottenham and could celebrate that together. It's been very important to have been calm and focus on the next game and not even think about what Arsenal were doing. You have to focus on yourselves because it's in your own hand and you have to be happy that it is only in your hand and so you don't have to focus on other teams to lose or draw, if you know what I mean? We always looked game by game, and we'll continue to do that because we want to finish the season in a good way too. We have to be focused in every game for 90 minutes.

2025 is going to be a big year for you. What will be the standout moment? Lifting the Premier League title or getting married?

I think the most important part of football is family and your own life, so I'll take the marriage, of course, and then second the Premier League. I would say this is the happiest I have been in my career so far, on and off the pitch. I think I have found the right people around me, not only in football, outside of football too. On the pitch we were looking to win the Premier League. That was always our target, so it's great to have achieved that and I think we are in a good way.

What's this season been like for you?

Unbelievable. There have been ups and downs. Being first in the Champions League group stage but then going out against Paris [Saint-Germain]; going to the Carabao Cup final but then losing against Newcastle [United] too. So, there have certainly been ups and downs and it has been an intense season, but of course winning the Premier League was our ultimate target and it's very special to have done that.

Is the calmness of the way that this Liverpool team plays really suiting you?

I think so but I think there's even more in me that's going to come also. I am more often in the box now and more times I'm able to have a chance to score or give an assist. Maybe there's a little bit more running, but I don't think a lot. You have to work every day to get to your best level and that's my goal as much in these last three games as of course it was since the beginning of the season.

How important do you think the midfield balance that you have has been to Liverpool's success?

It's unbelievable how you can play with these guys and that everybody understands how to play football in the same way as you do. Ryan [Gravenberch] didn't play so much last year and now I think he has the most minutes almost, after Virgil [van Dijk]. You could see in the training sessions last season what he could do and when he came in last year, but I think he needed a little time to settle in the team in the Premier League and to get his rhythm. Also, Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] last year was very good, this year the same. So, yes, I'm very happy to play alongside them.

Is it something that's come naturally between you all or is it something you've had to work at throughout the season?

I think you have to find it and the best positions for each of us. Maybe Ryan played higher last year, now he's a six; Macca played as a six and now he's higher; I was an eight and now I'm a 10. But as a free role the three midfielders, with sometimes Curtis [Jones] too, play next to each other and we understand each other very well so it also works.

Let's talk about Arne Slot as head coach. What changed when he came to Liverpool?

Well, he was a new coach coming in with a new system of playing football, a new idea about playing football. What he had in his head, in his mind, he tried to give everything as soon as possible to the players and see how it worked. And, yes, it looks like it worked! It's unbelievable what he has done and what we have done until now, although personally I think we could have a better season even than this.

How does he connect with the players?

I think he has a good relationship with everybody. Of course, as a manager, it's hard because you always have to choose your first 11 and then you have to choose your five subs and then you still have 20-25 guys in the squad. So, it is never easy for a coach, but I think as a group we can manage it quite well. Like I say, he has a good relationship with everyone, he's honest with everyone and he will tell you if you are in a good way but he will also tell you if you're in a bad way.

What did he do to keep you focused as the title got closer during the last month or so?

I don't think he had to keep us focused. We are professional football players. Everybody is focused on the next game. Everybody knew what we could achieve. And I think as a manager, of course, you have sometimes to give some extra indications and stuff like that. But as a professional, you don't have to be pushed by someone to work every day or to get ready for the weekend.

You are close to Mohamed Salah. Just how good has he been this season?

Yes, unbelievable. It feels like every week he has been breaking another record. As I think Ronaldo said once, he doesn't follow the records, the records follow him. I think Mo could say the same now, because every week he sets another record. There are a lot of players in our team who played a huge role in this season but yes, of course, Mo was one of them.

Talking of Liverpool legends, you have a tattoo on your arm of a Steven Gerrard quote that he gave long before you played for Liverpool. Why?

The quote is just me. 'God gives you talent, but when you don't work and sacrifice and do everything you have to do, it brings nothing.' Probably Steven Gerrard was thinking the same way, but I felt like that's me, you know? Inside I was like, that's how my life works, that's what I'm thinking. That means you have to work every day, every second, every minute towards your goals if you want to achieve something. If you're happy to be where you are now, then it's enough, but if you want to get more and more and more, one more year and one more year and one more year, then you have to be prepared to do all that extra work.