Xherdan Shaqiri talks about his transfer to Liverpool FC on blue Sport and raves about the video call with Jürgen Klopp: "When he calls, with that smile, it's special."
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Xherdan Shaqiri moved to Liverpool FC for 15 million euros in 2018.
- In the football talk show Heimspiel on blue Sport, Shaqiri reveals that Jürgen Klopp called him personally to convince him to make the switch.
- It has always been a dream for him to play for Liverpool, says Shaqiri, describing his time at Liverpool as "wonderful".
"Jürgen Klopp called me and said that he really wanted me," Xherdan Shaqiri recalls in the football talk show Heimspiel on blue Sport about the transfer to Liverpool FC in the summer of 2018.
The then 26-year-old had been relegated from the Premier League with Stoke City shortly beforehand. But Shaqiri had made provisions: "I had a get-out clause in my contract that I could leave for the same price if I was relegated."
"The players wanted to die for him on the pitch"
The Reds paid around 15 million euros for the services of the Swiss international star at the time. A small sum for the big Liverpool FC. "That was at a time when all Premier League clubs were throwing money around. It was very little money for Liverpool," Shaqiri knows.
The move was initiated by then Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp. "He was the one who really wanted me. He called me when I certainly had other options, but the aura of Liverpool FC was always special to me. I really wanted to go there."
The phone call with the iconic coach was impressive. "He told me how he saw me as a player. And of course I asked him what position he saw me in and this and that," Shaqiri recalls: "When Klopp calls you via Face Time, with this sympathy, with this smile, it's special."
That wasn't just the case for him, Shaqiri is certain, saying: "The players wanted to die for him on the pitch."
"What we have achieved is historic"
The geographical proximity to his previous club from Stoke-on-Trent also spoke in favor of the move. He didn't even have to move, Shaqiri reveals and laughs: "I was able to stay in the same house, it was just in the other direction."
The three years at the traditional English club were then "a wonderful time" with many titles. The Premier League triumph (2020) and the Champions League victory the year before were particular highlights.
"What we achieved with this team is historic. The football we played...", enthuses Shaqiri, recalling the legendary Liverpool comeback in the Champions League against Barcelona, in which he played through and scored an important assist. "That semi-final against Barcelona, that was incredible."
"I'm small, I have to go forward!"
The Swiss was able to cope with the fact that he was back on the bench in the final. "I was disappointed not to play in the final. But when you win the Champions League at the end of the day, everyone has contributed," said Shaqiri. "We were able to take the big bus through the city. There were over 500,000 people there, that was really special."
When asked about the fact that he can be found at the center of most of the cheering pictures of Liverpool's triumphs and is often right at the front, Shaqiri laughs: "I'm small, I have to be at the front!"
