A year of so many incredible firsts for Trent Alexander-Arnold face tough competition from one standout moment in the teenager’s life.
Liverpool’s latest local hero has reflected on the time he lived the dream by meeting the man he is now striving to emulate.
The young right-back’s first experience up close and personal with Steven Gerrard is one he, unsurprisingly, remembers to this day.
“My first poster was Michael Owen, I used to just love how he scored goals,” he told Sky Sports.
“Gradually he got replaced by Steven Gerrard, he’s every local lad’s idol in every single way.”
“He was in the players’ lounge at Anfield and I had tickets. He just seemed like a giant and no one could touch him. I can’t describe how he looked in my eyes at the time. I was speechless.”
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“I still don’t just see him as Steven now. It’s hard to think what he’s done for the club when you sit down and chat to him.”
“When you’re growing up and seeing what he can do on the football pitch it doesn’t seem like he can be normal, it seems like he has to be special off-the-pitch like he was on-the-pitch. But he’s just down to earth, he’s there for advice and it’s hard to describe what that’s like when it comes to your idol.”
Little did he know at that point in his life, he would go on to start the 2016/2017 Premier League season as Liverpool’s starting right-back, as well as scoring a free-kick in the club’s crucial Champions League playoff clash.
His boyhood admiration for one of this club’s greatest ever players makes his own humble, down to earth and determined approach self explanatory.
It’s no over exaggeration to say he has enjoyed an incredible start to his Liverpool career, already staking a claim for a starting spot in the senior team at just the age of 18.
Not only is he gifted technically, but has the perfect attitude to match.