Jordan Henderson dons the captain’s armband for Liverpool and has done so since 2015, but who are his current deputies in Jurgen Klopp‘s squad?
The Reds have had a long line of captains throughout their illustrious history, many of whom have been the first to place their hands on a newly won trophy and lift it into the air.
Henderson is no different, but he is the only captain in club history to lift six different trophies – that is some record to have!
And throughout his journey with the armband he has had at least one deputy by his side, now there is a group of six who make up the captaincy group.
Who is in the captain group?
Henderson is the captain and has been since 2015, with James Milner appointed as his vice-captain at the same time – Brendan Rodgers confirmed both decisions.
In 2018, Klopp announced Virgil van Dijk was voted as a backup captain following a player vote.
The same system was then used when the group was expanded to six, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Alisson all added to the fold in 2021.
But we have not yet come across a scenario that has tested the trio’s pecking order for the armband.
What has Klopp said?
After Gini Wijnaldum‘s exit in 2021, the Reds lost a player who was considered their fourth captain and wore the armband a total of 11 times throughout his Liverpool career.
His departure left a vacancy in the group behind Henderson, Milner and Van Dijk, and after seeing injuries move the armband around the squad, the leadership group was extended.
Back in 2021, Klopp explained:
“We had the three who stayed and then the players voted for another three.
“The [main] three are Hendo, Milly and Virg, the next-most votes [were for] Trent, Robbo and Alisson Becker.
“We had a problem last year [2020/21] from time to time that so many players couldn’t play that we had none of the captains available.
“So I thought it made sense to increase the group a little bit. That’s what we did.”
Will the group have changed?
There is certainly a possibility that another vote has taken place, it’s not uncommon in sports that leadership groups are assessed before each and every season.
Klopp has not confirmed this to be the case either way, but with none of the six players named in the group last season having left the club, you suspect they all remain in place for 2022/23.
So far this season, only Henderson, Milner and Van Dijk have donned the armband.
Alisson has led the team twice, Alexander-Arnold has done so once, back in 2020, while Robertson has yet to ever lead the team out from the start of a game.