An Invite To The Tribe – Minutes With Liverpool’s New Captain Virgil Van Dijk, Diogo Jota, and Kostas Tsimikas

With last year’s visit to the Little Red Dot a roaring commercial success, this year’s return of my beloved Liverpool FC was marked by the same manic activity I personally witnessed in 2022. With the fever pitch at an all-time high following a boisterous welcome at the Ritz Carlton hotel, I was glad to have the opportunity to once again meet some of the Reds’ first team players up close and personal at a Carlsberg Singapore Meet & Greet session! 

Entering the event, we were treated to some (much-needed) free-flow Carlsberg beer. A nice new touch this year was the addition of Carlsberg 0.0% for guests to sample – which I was happy to report, tasted just as smooth as the crowd-favourite original. As I surveyed the area, (non-alcoholic) pint in hand, I was delighted to see mini booths set up for fan events, including in-house caricature artists, an airbrush tattoo booth, and a ‘Win-A-Jersey’ booth, where the winner would have a chance to receive a very special momento – a signed jersey from one of the invited players.

The event’s increase in interactivity and engagement seemed to coincide with what was arguably the theme of the Reds’ visit this year – a new level of intimacy with us global fans. Just days ago, Jurgen Klopp’s obliging autograph signing antics made headlines, a stark contrast from the relative coldness towards adoring fans last year. In the coming days, us fans heard reports of a certain Virgil Van Dijk being perhaps the most accommodating to fan requests, and with the recent news of him being the permanent Reds Captain, it made his appearance at this event, as well as his overall demeanour, a mystery well solved.

Before we knew it, out walked the 3 players that aren’t strangers to my Fantasy Premier League team. The ever-reliable Virgil, the mercurial Diogo Jota, and the Greek Scouser Konstantinos Tsimikas. As they took their seats, flanked by the ever-charming DJ duo of Justin and Vernon of Muttons In The Morning fame, the players got ready for what would be a memorable Q&A.

Questions about the Singapore food they’ve yet to try was interrupted with a shout of ‘Roti prata, 7 kosong!’, with the players obligingly listening to Vernon’s explanation of the local meme. A question about who the players think the Top 3 would be next season was met with visible unease from Virgil and Jota, who both looked at a baffled Kostas as a scapegoat. His answer? 1. Liverpool, 2. Man City, 3. Arsenal. I’d take those results!

Jokes and banter aside, a charismatic Virgil also gave an outlook on the next season – though the Reds are in the secondary Europa League for the upcoming season, the Captain mentioned a familiar refrain to avid viewers of Ted Lasso, “We need to go for it. We must never not believe.”

All-in-all, the dynamics between the assured and diplomatic Van Dijk, the charming everyman Diogo Jota, and the obliviously hilarious Kostas Tsimikas made for some very real laughs, as we were brought into a circle of intimacy between the players that is usually reserved for team environments, such as the dressing room and in their hotels.

And that intimacy didn’t stop there. As I was ushered up to take a group photo with the trio, a ping-pong ball was thrown from the mezzanine level above where the stage was. As security scrambled to find the culprit, we looked up to a massive surprise – the one-and-only Mohamed Salah waving at us. Only after, did we realise that the ball was actually thrown by Andy Robertson as part of his pre-season antics for the Liverpool page. Well, there goes my 5 seconds of fame, as I’m pictured there pointing in awe at the Egyptian.

As we left the event, autographed notebook in hand, I felt a closer part of the squad, having been a part of their moments. That’s huge kudos from the squad to welcome this exceptional level of fan engagement, as well as the organizers and Carlsberg Singapore for creating a very enjoyable and memorable event. And as the partnership with Carlsberg and Liverpool reaches its 31-year, this event reinforced an undeniable fact in my mind – that Liverpool is, probably, the best football club in the world. YNWA!