Alisson Named Liverpool Vice-Captain But Cannot Wear Armband

Alisson Becker has been promoted into Liverpool’s official leadership group as vice-captain – yet he still will not wear the armband when Virgil van Dijk is off the pitch.

That is not a slight. It is a rule.

New head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed that Premier League regulations, which restrict discussions with the referee over contentious incidents to the team captain, have forced his hand. With that in mind, he wants an outfield player as the visible leader.

So when Van Dijk is missing, Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to step in as captain, not Alisson, despite the Brazilian’s status and seniority.

Why Alisson can’t wear the armband

Iraola has already laid out the logic to his goalkeeper.

"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," he said.

The problem is simple. If something kicks off in the opposition box, the referee is obliged to explain his decisions to the captains. A goalkeeper sprinting 80 yards every time there is a flashpoint is neither practical nor desirable.

"It would not make sense," Iraola argued in essence, pointing to his previous experience at Bournemouth.

"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."

So Alisson, who joined Liverpool in 2018 and is now into the final year of his contract, gets the title of vice-captain and a firm place in the inner circle – but not the band on his sleeve.

"But I wanted him to feel like we value him," Iraola stressed. "I've had enough time and we will have more time to know each other, but 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."

Szoboszlai and Gomez step up

With Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah gone, Iraola has reshaped Liverpool’s hierarchy.

Dominik Szoboszlai, last season’s player of the year, is poised to be the on-field captain when Van Dijk is absent. Joe Gomez, now the club’s longest-serving player, also joins the leadership group.

It is a clear signal: responsibility is shifting to a younger core, but the dressing room is not being left to drift.

Life after Robertson and Salah

Losing two heavyweights in Robertson and Salah in the same summer would rattle most squads. Iraola accepts the scale of that change but does not see a vacuum.

"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."

The armband may sit on an outfielder’s arm, but the message from Iraola is clear: this is a shared responsibility era, with Alisson still right at the heart of it – even if he has to lead without the strip of fabric to prove it.