Liverpool legend Lucas Leiva shared his opinion that the arrival of Jürgen Klopp marked the beginning of something special at the club, long before the German coach turned Liverpool into a winning team.
During a speech celebrating the opening of the first Liverpool FC store in KwaZulu-Natal, located in Gateway in Umhlanga, Lucas compared Klopp's influence on the club. Klopp joined Liverpool in October 2015, and Lucas played under the German manager for two seasons before leaving the club in 2017.
In his decade at Anfield, Lucas witnessed the instability characteristic of part of Liverpool's recent history, playing under five different managers. The Brazilian midfielder, who is now a club ambassador, believes that Klopp brought a different approach to leadership, belief, and identity to the club.
He noted: 'Klopp's arrival was a turning point, and it's not just about his quality as a manager, but also about the leadership and values he brought with him.' Lucas added that during his two years with him, he felt that 'something special was coming, and things were getting better,' and he was glad he could work with him and see a different direction of development.
Lucas's predictions proved correct: during Klopp's time at Liverpool, the team won seven major trophies. These include the UEFA Champions League in 2019, the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in the same year, the Premier League in 2020, as well as the FA Cup and League Cup in 2022, in addition to the Community Shield that same year.
The German coach also transformed Liverpool into one of Europe's leading teams, establishing a winning culture that had been lacking for a long time before his arrival. For Lucas, who joined Liverpool in 2007 and stayed until 2017, Klopp's arrival held particular significance due to the change in management he observed.
Lucas emphasized: 'I played under five managers, which is atypical for Liverpool, but he came, and now the club is bigger than it was before.' Klopp left Liverpool in 2024 after nearly nine years in charge, becoming one of the most successful coaches in the club's history. However, according to Lucas, the roots of this success were visible much earlier, and he witnessed the beginning of the changes as the new manager established his principles and gradually changed the club's course.