The Liverpool squad were allowed to revive a famous Anfield tradition ahead of their meeting with Norwich on Friday night.
When Jurgen Klopp arrived in 2015, he insisted that only those who had won a trophy with the club could lay their hands on the iconic ‘This is Anfield’ sign as they headed through the tunnel and onto the pitch.
Before Madrid, only skipper Jordan Henderson, a League Cup winner back in 2012, had the right, but now last season’s Champions League heroes have written themselves into the club’s history.
Wijnaldum took the opportunity to perform the ritual just before taking the field ahead of kick-off.
He then posted the image across his social media platforms as a marker of just how special it felt.
Boss wouldn’t let us touch the sign until we won a trophy… now is the time. #ThisIsAnfield 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JxNIKmy1oG
— Gini Wijnaldum (@GWijnaldum) August 11, 2019
We’ve certainly missed seeing the Reds interacting with a little piece of history before each game.
Hopefully, they each derive an additional strength from the tradition, part of the fabric of the glorious venue in which they ply their trade.