Alisson named Liverpool vice-captain but Premier League rules mean he will never wear the armband

Alisson Becker has been confirmed as Liverpool’s vice-captain ahead of the 2025-26 season, but manager Andoni Iraola has explained why the Brazilian goalkeeper will not wear the armband even when captain Virgil van Dijk is absent.

Premier League rules require that only the designated captain may speak to the referee about contentious decisions. Iraola said that arrangement makes it unworkable for a goalkeeper to hold the role in practice, because it would force Alisson to sprint the length of the pitch every time an incident occurred in the opposition penalty area.

“I explained to Alisson that it’s not going to be possible that he wears the armband because with the new rule I think there is a big limitation if a goalkeeper wears the armband,” Iraola said. “If something happens in the opposition box the referee has to explain to the captains what’s happening. I had one season with Neto in Bournemouth and then you have to start every game to say a different player that can act as a captain, and this is not viable.”

Iraola said he was nonetheless keen for Alisson to feel valued within the leadership structure. “I wanted him to feel like we value him,” the manager added. “I had to explain also the decision about the armband to Ali — because he is a goalkeeper and unfortunately they are putting the rules in a way that there is a lot of disadvantages to having a goalkeeper as a captain.”

Dominik Szoboszlai — named the club’s player of the season last campaign — and Joe Gomez, Liverpool’s longest-serving player, were also included in the new leadership group. Szoboszlai is expected to serve as the acting captain in Van Dijk’s absence.

The appointments come after a significant summer of change at Anfield, with both Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah departing the club. Iraola acknowledged the scale of that loss but said he was encouraged by the attitude of the squad during pre-season.

“We lost a lot in terms of experience, high-level players who have performed so well for so many years here,” he said. “But I think it is also a natural thing in clubs. I think we have a lot of young players willing to take those minutes and ready to take those leadership roles. Overall, I am very happy with the attitude of the players in the pre-season.”

Alisson, who joined Liverpool in 2018, has entered the final year of his contract. Iraola takes charge of the club for the first time when Liverpool travel to Newcastle on Sunday.