After triumphing 2-0 over Tottenham in the prestigious Champions League final, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker made a bold declaration of faith during the trophy presentation.
With tens of millions watching on, the Brazilian player removed his Liverpool jersey to reveal a simple Christian message: “the cross = love.”
A devout believer, in an interview with his former club, Becker said that he steered clear of the many superstitions and rituals that fellow players adhere to for good luck before games. “I’m a Christian so I’m not a superstitious person,” he said, according to Premier News.
Then, when quizzed for any advice he would give budding goalkeepers, he said: “If you want to be a great keeper, you need to work very hard. That’s what I do. You need to be very focused on football and I think faith is important too. If you believe in God, you know you have to do your best on the pitch and put love into everything you do in life.”
There was drama in Madrid Saturday when Tottenham gave away a penalty in the first two minutes, with star player Mo Salah putting Liverpool ahead early on. Far from being an exhilarating affair, the all-English grande final failed to live up to its billing, with Liverpool securing victory with an 87th-minute strike from Divock Origi.