Liverpool have ten players participating in the imminent Euro 2024 tournament, with three of them captaining their respective nations: Virgil van Dijk for the Netherlands, Andy Robertson for Scotland, and Dominik Szoboszlai for Hungary. Among them, Szoboszlai is set to break a significant record.
Dominik Szoboszlai, who received the captain’s armband in November 2022, is poised to become the youngest captain in the history of the European Championships.
He was selected as captain by Hungary’s manager Marco Rossi and his teammates shortly after turning 22. Hungary, part of Group A alongside Germany, Scotland, and Switzerland, will make their sixth appearance in the European Championships.
Szoboszlai will lead Hungary out at the RheinEnergieStadion against Switzerland on Saturday. If he starts as expected, he will be 23 years, seven months, and 21 days old, making him the youngest captain in Euros history since the tournament’s inception in 1960. Reflecting on this honor, Szoboszlai expressed his gratitude towards Rossi for the trust placed in him and the opportunity to lead the team.
Rossi has given Szoboszlai a free role on the pitch, allowing him to move as he sees fit, which underscores his importance to the team. Rossi stated, “Dominik is recognized as the leader of the team not only because he is the captain but because of his skills and especially his position on the pitch. We are playing a kind of football that is less positional and more relational, and Dominik, together with many others, is free to go where he feels he can go.”
Szoboszlai’s role and freedom on the field are crucial for Hungary’s strategy, making him the team’s talisman and central figure. His leadership and talent will be pivotal as Hungary navigates through the challenging group stage of Euro 2024.
