Lucas Leiva is a smiling figure, enjoying representing Liverpool FC as a former player. But one place he won’t be able to wear the shirt is on the pitch for the Legends team.
—EXCLUSIVE from Hong Kong
Taking time out of a busy day, Lucas grins as he looks down the camera. Outside the window is Hong Kong, a place Liverpool are making their home for the week.
As part of the Reds’ travelling pre-season tour, the Brazilian is greeted by adoring crowds like an understated rockstar on every day of the trip.
A year into his struggling Liverpool career, the notion of him being held in such high regard would have seemed implausible.
While the midfielder’s character was never in doubt, he was an under-appreciated player in his early years at Liverpool.
“It’s my third pre-season as a former player. Time flies but it’s always the same feeling, really proud to represent the club now as a former player,” Lucas tells This Is Anfield.
“I do some work more in Asia here so it’s great. It’s always a pleasure to come and be around and connected with Liverpool.”
The character and affability which helped Lucas to cult-hero status were on show as he sits down with us, three years after his retirement from football, to discuss his career and life after football.
Forced retirement and Liverpool Legends
It has been two years since Lucas announced his retirement, a decision forced upon him after boyhood club Gremio discovered a heart condition when the midfielder reported for pre-season in 2023.
Now 38, Lucas reflects: “I’m good. Of course, I had a difficult retirement but yeah, you know, just enjoy taking my time, studying a lot to understand the next step.”
One of those next steps, though, won’t be playing for the Liverpool Legends in charity games.
Thankfully he doesn’t rule out an Anfield return completely: “Unfortunately, I cannot play anymore, but if they need an assistant manager – because I know Kenny is the manager – so if he needs an assistant manager, I probably can be involved!”
Despite no longer being able to play football properly, Lucas keeps himself busy in retirement and has stayed in shape.
“Less stress, I would say,” Lucas chuckles when asked for his secret to his glow.
“Only 40 minutes, 30 minutes light training. I try to keep my weight, but it’s very hard. But no, of course we are enjoying [life].
“And it’s true, it’s less stress for sure, because we had that pressure to perform and everything, so just enjoy my retirement now and have time with the family and enjoy things like this.
“Tours like this are really enjoyable. It’s hard work but very enjoyable.”
At the beginning of his time at Anfield, Lucas sometimes found himself a scapegoat as many questioned why Rafa Benitez needed to play two defensive midfielders at once.
As time went on, the Brazilian began to win supporters over with his work ethic and developing confidence.
Four years after his arrival, he won the 2010/11 Liverpool Player of the Season award in a team that had struggled due to Roy Hodgson’s management, Steven Gerrard‘s injuries and Fernando Torres’ exit midway through the campaign.
Things took an upward turn when Sir Kenny Dalglish was appointed manager and Lucas won his only trophy at Liverpool the next year: the 2012 League Cup.
He wasn’t however involved in the latter stages of the competition after suffering an ACL injury during the quarter-final tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool felt his absence in the second half of the season and lost 11 of 19 league matches before he returned the following August.
Lucas didn’t quite return to his previous best, but his work rate and professionalism, coupled with a calm head on the pitch, were the reasons why five Liverpool managers held him in high regard.
Jurgen Klopp’s influence on Lucas
The Brazilian’s final coach on Merseyside was Jurgen Klopp, and while Lucas left before the silverware arrived, the German didn’t forget his contribution upon the announcement of his former player’s retirement at Gremio.
“What a guy and what a career,” Klopp said in a video message.
“We have a few Brazilians here, but [you are] probably the only real Scouser of all the Brazilians that play here at Liverpool. Yes, that’s you.
“I really want to congratulate you for a fantastic career and I want to congratulate you for being a fantastic guy – a sensational person.
“You helped me, you helped us from the first day when we arrived here.”
Lucas is similarly effusive in his praise of Klopp: “He’s a manager [from whom] I learned a lot. Of course, he came towards already a late stage of my career – not very late but I was 28.
“So I learned a lot with him. He was a man that was very honest, very straightforward and the relationship that we created is really good.
“I think his man-management is unique. I think, you know, he is fantastic and that’s why he was so successful, because he could have the team really going behind him and supporting him.
“That’s why I think he was so successful.”
While Lucas didn’t ultimately get to experience that success on the pitch, he was a part of the squad of players that built towards the end goal.
He left a real mark on the club and won perhaps a greater honour than trophies: the hearts of Liverpool supporters.
* You can follow all Liverpool’s pre-season friendlies live with All Red Video, the new video offering from the club that replaces LFCTV. Purchase All Red Video here.
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