Rio Ngumoha believes he can achieve 23-year Liverpool Ballon d’Or feat after Raheem Sterling tip
Today at 10:29 AM
Trent Alexander-Arnold is not the only Liverpool academy star with an eye on winning the Ballon d’Or.
However, Rio Ngumoha has looked to another England international who came through the Reds youth ranks to help his rise to the top.
The 16-year-old is the next talented teenager on the conveyor belt at Anfield after arriving from Chelsea earlier this year.
His time at Stamford Bridge saw him pick the brains of Raheem Sterling, who similarly left London for Liverpool as a youngster.
Speaking on an episode of Inside The Academy, Ngumoha said: “One player who has spoken to me is Raheem Sterling. He has been top.
“I remember one time, he pulled me to the side and told me ‘When you lose the ball, make sure you stay in the game’. Because at the top level, everything happens so fast so you have to be on it to do your thing.
“It made me feel like I can do what he has done. He is telling me that he can see what I am good at, from someone like Raheem, I was like ‘wow.'”
Ngumoha was thought of as one of the best talents produced in recent years at Cobham but found his pathway to the first-team blocked.
Liverpool pounced after his goalscoring heroics in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Wolves U17 Premier League Cup final in April.
Such was the Blues’ fury at his transfer that it took five months before the Reds were able to unveil the forward.
John Terry summed up the feeling at his old club with his glowing endorsement of Ngumoha following confirmation of his move.
The former England captain, who is now an academy coach at Chelsea, wrote: “This boy is and will be a top top player”.
Ngumoha himself is not shy about agreeing with Terry’s verdict despite having yet to play a single senior minute.
He shares Alexander-Arnold’s ambition to win football’s top individual honour, which hasn’t been claimed by a Liverpool player since Michael Owen in 2001.
“I truly believe I can win the Ballon d’Or one day. I want to be regarded as one of the best players to ever play football and be a legend of the game," he said.
“The love for football started when I was four or five. I was watching my brother and I wanted to be like him. I was going to academies from a young age and it was a big thing when so many clubs wanted to sign me.
“I have learned you have to be resilient and believe in yourself. You can have a few bad games but you have to have that belief that you are the best. For me, if I am in bad form I just put it behind me and work hard," Ngumoha added.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot is clearly a fan, with Ngumoha already rubbing shoulders in training with Reds captain Virgil van Dijk.
He was even part of the travelling squad for the 1-0 victory over Girona despite not being able to play in the Champions League.
Ngumoha’s delayed arrival on Merseyside meant he wasn’t registered in Liverpool’s 25-man senior squad (List A).
He’s also ineligible to meet the criteria for List B, having not been at the club for an uninterrupted period of two years.
Ngumoha does have two assists from five outings in the UEFA Youth League and set up another two in his seven U18 Premier League games.
His debut under Slot is just around the corner, but according to the Daily Mail, the Southampton match 'may come too soon'.
Southampton vs Liverpool: How to follow
This Carabao Cup quarter-final clash is set to take place on Wednesday, December 18.
Kick-off at St Mary’s is scheduled for 8pm.
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