Those who see him on a daily basis at Liverpool describe him as highly competitive with a clear desire to excel.
Szoboszlai is regularly among the first to arrive at training and it’s no surprise he’s high up in terms of the club’s running and physical stats. No Liverpool player has covered more distance this season.
In a recent video on Liverpool‘s channels, Milos Kerkez – who plays with him for club and country – said Szoboszlai would be a 400m runner if he wasn’t a footballer.
“He could jog from Liverpool to Hungary and not get tired,” joked left-back Kerkez.
Szoboszlai is a man determined in his own right, but Salah’s high standards are understood to have a big influence on him. Away from football, the pair enjoy playing backgammon and often hang out together at each other’s houses.
When he was described as “disrespectful” last month by Barnsley boss Conor Hourihane for attempting a backheel in his own box that led to a mistake and goal for the League One side, Szoboszlai spoke up to defend himself.
Privately, manager Arne Slot had a word too.
Szoboszlai’s prime years are ahead of him. He was handed the national team captaincy at 22 and Liverpool view him as a future skipper, just like Gerrard.
With vice-captain Robertson expected to depart this summer and Van Dijk’s deal expiring in 2027, the possibility is certainly there.
Asked if Szoboszlai has the attributes to be a future leader, Slot said: “Yes, but he is still young. He has a lot of attributes already, especially when it comes to leading by example. There is still a step to make in terms of leadership, being vocal and a voice in the dressing room if I compare him to Virgil, which is completely normal.
“Virgil is 34 and has seen [James] Milner, [Jordan] Henderson and these players, so it’s really good for Dominik that he sees Virgil. That would be the next step for him; to be as vocal and as loud as Virgil but that comes wih time.
“But for all the other things, he has a lot to become a very influential player for Liverpool and you could call that a leader.”
