Liverpool’s leadership picture for 2026-27 is now settled, and this update, published on 17 September 2026, brings supporters up to date on exactly who stands behind club captain Virgil van Dijk. Head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed the vice-captaincy group following a summer of significant change in the Anfield dressing room.
H2: September update: Iraola settles Liverpool leadership structure
As things stand on 17 September 2026, Van Dijk remains club captain, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez confirmed as his three vice-captains. Iraola set out the structure himself, naming the quartet directly when asked about leadership within the squad.
The update was needed because the dressing room looks different this season. Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate all left Liverpool earlier in the summer, taking with them a combined weight of leadership experience that Iraola has had to replace from within his current squad, as detailed in Iraola’s official leadership announcement.
H2: Iraola confirms three Liverpool vice-captains for 2026-27
Iraola was direct when he named the group responsible for supporting van Dijk this season. Asked to clarify the structure, he said: “Virgil, Alisson, Gomez and Szoboszlai.”
That confirmation matters because all three departures over the summer carried real leadership standing. Robertson had long been one of van Dijk’s closest lieutenants, while Salah and Konate were senior voices in their own right. With those three gone, Iraola has turned to a blend of continuity and fresh responsibility as part of Liverpool’s plans to refresh the squad. He has promoted Szoboszlai and Gomez, while keeping Alisson inside the leadership circle despite the practical limits on his role, which are explained below.
H2: Why Alisson Becker will rarely wear the armband under Iraola
Alisson’s place among the vice-captains does not mean he will regularly captain the side on the pitch. Iraola has been clear that goalkeepers face a specific, practical obstacle when it comes to wearing the armband during matches.
Iraola said he explained to Alisson that it might not be possible for him to wear the armband because of a big limitation on goalkeepers wearing it. The issue centres on how referees need to communicate quickly with the captain during a game, something that is far harder when that player is standing in his own goal.
Iraola has faced this exact situation before. “I had one season with Neto at Bournemouth and then you have to use a different player that can act as a captain and it’s not viable,” he explained, drawing a direct line between his time at Bournemouth and the current setup at Liverpool.
He was keen to stress that the limitation is about logistics, not standing within the squad. Iraola put it this way: “But I wanted to let him know he is valuable, so I explained that Alisson. He is a goalkeeper.” In other words, he told Alisson the decision reflected his position on the pitch, not any lack of trust in him as a leader.
H2: How theiraola liverpool leadership group will operate on the pitch
With Alisson’s role largely symbolic in match-day terms, the practical weight of on-field leadership falls to van Dijk first, with Szoboszlai and Gomez next in line. Both are outfield players who can take the armband when van Dijk is substituted or unavailable, without running into the same referee-communication problem that rules out Alisson.
Iraola’s explanation shows a coach thinking about leadership in practical terms rather than symbolic ones. The group of four gives Liverpool clear cover across defence, midfield and goal, while keeping the day-to-day captaincy duties with players who can realistically fulfil them during a match. Beyond confirming Szoboszlai, Alisson and Gomez as the three vice-captains, Iraola has not set out any further order beyond van Dijk, and nothing in his comments points to a change in that structure for now.
H2: What happens next
For now, the leadership question is settled: van Dijk as captain, with Szoboszlai, Alisson and Gomez as his vice-captains for 2026-27. Iraola’s comments leave little doubt about how he intends to handle the armband on matchdays going forward.
Liverpool’s focus now shifts to results on the pitch, with the side already matching a top-flight milestone within reach in their upcoming fixtures. Supporters can expect the current leadership group to remain unchanged unless Iraola states otherwise, and this page will be updated again if that position shifts.
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