NewsRio Ngumoha Q&A: Sleep after Newcastle, No.73 shirt, teammate advice and more
The 17-year-old has made 22 appearances for the Reds so far this season and, of course, became the club’s youngest goalscorer in history when he netted the winner at Newcastle United last August.
Ngumoha recently sat down with Sky Sports to answer questions submitted online by fans, revealing more about his career so far, future aspirations and personality.
Read some of the best bits from the chat below…
On whether he slept after his goal against Newcastle…
To be fair, I did actually get some sleep! We came back late from the game, we came back at 2am or 3am because it is quite far. I remember I was on FaceTime to my friends, everyone was bigging me up! But I did sleep, to be fair. I have watched it back a lot but my mum watches it back all the time.
On if he realised the magnitude of becoming Liverpool’s youngest ever scorer…
No, not really. Just pure emotion, just passion. 100 per cent [my favourite memory so far].
On his first impression when meeting Mohamed Salah…
I was excited. I watched them play [Nottingham] Forest last season at home and then I got an opportunity to train with them a couple of weeks after. Seeing Mo, he has achieved basically everything in football. He’s very friendly as well. Sometimes people forget that they’re just people as well. Obviously they have all the fame but they are just nice people and you learn a lot from them.
On any advice Salah has given him…
Yeah, one time after training he told me the top, top players, along with your ability they also get goals and assists. Obviously he has broken many records, so him saying that to me and saying he knows I’m a good player but to get to the next level just add the goals and assists.
On a player he would have loved to play with…
Neymar. Watching him as a kid on YouTube, seeing him play for Barça and PSG, he’s not just a winger. He’s an attacker, he can play left wing, No.10, right wing. He was just sensational. 100 per cent [I looked up to him].
On what he ‘thinks his ceiling is’…
I’m very confident in myself. Hopefully a Ballon d’Or! I’d also like many club trophies with Liverpool – many Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues. Obviously everyone wants to win that. But just being regarded as one of the best players that’s ever played football. [That belief] comes from me but also my brother. He has showed me real belief from young. I remember when he was younger and he was in college, he used to skip college sometimes to train me. Since then, he just really believed in me and just gives me a lot of confidence, I would say. He teaches me about mentality a lot, to be mentally strong. If you don’t say it then you won’t believe it, you’ve got to manifest it.
On who told him he was going to be in the Liverpool squad for the first time…
One of the first-team coaches. I remember my first time being a sub was against Southampton in the Carabao Cup last season. He just told me, he came up to me and said, ‘You’re going to be on the bench.’ It was crazy. My heart was beating and I was like, ‘Wow, I’m going to be on the bench for Liverpool.’ So young as well. The dream is there. My brother [was the first person I told]. I called my brother and he was excited. And then my mum after. Not really [nerves], just excitement. I wasn’t really nervous.
On his dream shirt number…
Seventy-three holds a special place in my heart, obviously the first number I received. It was just random. But my dream number would be 11. Watching Neymar play for Barcelona and Mo obviously has broken all the records with No.11.
On his best friend in the Liverpool squad…
We have Trey [Nyoni], Hugo [Ekitike], Robbo [Andy Robertson] as well. Everyone really. Robbo is like a mentor almost, he really encourages me. Especially because he’s a left-back and I’m left wing, so he teaches me a lot and I think on the pitch we have a good bond. A real leader. He’s also funny.
On other advice he has received from his teammates…
If I’m in a one-v-one situation they always want me to take on the man. So, I’d probably just say, ‘Don’t shy away, keep being you and keep expressing yourself and help the team.’
On the players at the club making him want to join…
Yeah, 100 per cent. Seeing what they had done. And also the players that came from the Academy and made the step up, all the legends like Steven Gerrard, you have Trent [Alexander-Arnold], you have Robbie Fowler. All of these players, it’s crazy.