“A wonderful person… best in the world” – How Liverpool’s No. 1 enraptured ex-Red

Alisson has amassed quite the fanbase whilst at Anfield and one former Liverpool ‘keeper sits among them, proudly describing himself as an “Alisson fanboy.”

The Reds have had a long line of legendary figures between the sticks since the club’s inception, goalkeepers who have proven priceless in the pursuit of silverware.

Ray Clemence, Tommy Lawrence, Bruce Grobbelaar and Elisha Scott are among them, and Alisson is carving out his own legend and making it all look easy as he does so.

The Brazilian has featured 192 times for Liverpool, a tally that is 20 games less than David James played consecutively for the club between 1994 and 1998.

James and Alisson have both donned the No. 1 shirt for Liverpool but experienced different degrees of success on the pitch, but it is off it that holds a lot of value for the former.

And it is the combination of Alisson‘s ability on the pitch and his personality off it that has enraptured James, among countless others.

“Best in the world. I’m a fan,” James told This Is Anfield of Alisson.

“When he gets close [to my clean sheet tally] I hope he moves back to Brazil or something, just so he doesn’t beat me!” he joked.

“I’m an Alisson fanboy.

“The way he plays is fine, he’s the best. Kicks it, catches it, saves it – does what he needs to do.

“But, fortunately, I’ve met him and interviewed him and he’s just such a wonderful person. He’s a bit like Bruce [Grobbelaar] in a way – I don’t know how Liverpool do it [find those characters].

“I like Bruce’s goalkeeping style, therefore you kind of like the person even though you don’t know them. When I joined the club he was as good as the person I thought he’d be.

LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 6, 2022: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Alisson is the same. You look at him play and it’s like ‘wow, what a guy’. He looks like a really nice guy and then you get to meet him and have a chat with him and it’s like, he is!

“I’m a fan!”

You’re certainly not alone there.

But Alisson is only 17 clean sheets away from toppling the Englishman, and sorry David, we’re hoping he doesn’t move back to Brazil anytime soon!