Dominik Szoboszlai: A New Leader in Liverpool’s Midfield
Vladimir Smicer knows what it means to leave a mark at Liverpool. Six years at Anfield, 183 appearances, 19 goals and a starring role in the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ have ensured his place in club folklore. At 53, he watches from afar now, but his eye for a midfielder who can run a game clearly hasn’t dimmed.
These days, his gaze keeps landing on Dominik Szoboszlai.
A New Leader in Liverpool’s Midfield
Szoboszlai has grown into an on‑field reference point for Liverpool, a player who can plug gaps all over the pitch yet still carry the swagger of a match-winner. At 25, he has operated across the midfield line, dipped into deeper roles, pushed high into the final third and even filled in at right-back when needed. Wherever he starts, he tends to finish in the thick of it.
His reputation for the spectacular is already well established. The latest entry in his personal highlight reel came in the Carabao Cup against Tottenham, when he stepped up from 30 yards and ripped a dipping, curling strike into the top corner to seal Spurs’ exit. One clean swing, one ruthless finish, and the tie was done.
Those moments of pure technique and nerve have stirred old memories for Smicer, who sees a familiar blend of power and elegance.
Echoes of Pavel Nedved
When Smicer looks at Szoboszlai, he sees shades of Pavel Nedved – the most decorated Czech midfielder of his generation and Ballon d’Or winner in 2003. Nedved, at his peak, was more than just a runner or a shooter. He was a force of nature from midfield, a relentless worker who could hurt you with either foot and dictate the rhythm of a game.
Smicer has drawn that comparison before, but pressed by GOAL to pinpoint the qualities that truly link the two, he went straight to the engine room of their games.
“Dominik Szoboszlai and Pavel Nedved are similar in the physical side of the game. They both have that capacity for running, fighting and taking shots,” he said, speaking in association with Grosvenor Sport.
“Pavel’s work rate was really high and Szobo is the same. He can run, tackle and both players can score goals with their left foot, right foot and what I think they have in common is their leadership qualities too.”
That last word matters. Leadership.
Filling the Void Between the Lines
Liverpool still have Virgil van Dijk marshalling the back line, a towering presence and the obvious captain. But a modern side needs voices in every sector of the pitch, and Smicer believes Szoboszlai is fast becoming that figure in the middle.
“Virgil van Dijk is still a Liverpool player but you need those leaders in every line of your team, and ideally someone in midfield and I think Szobo is becoming that leader in midfield,” Smicer said.
“He was already playing as the leader last year when he was our best player in the team. He just needs to continue working because in a game, he can do anything. He can play the passes, make the plays, score the goals, and that’s what Liverpool need.”
That assessment cuts to the core of Szoboszlai’s importance. He isn’t just a set-piece specialist or a runner from deep. He is being asked to become the beating heart of Liverpool’s midfield, the man who links the lines, sets the tempo and still carries a goal threat.
The consensus around Anfield is clear: his skill set shines brightest when he is allowed to push forward, to live closer to the opposition box, to take responsibility in the final third. The right-back cameos show his versatility; his best work, though, comes when he is free to dictate and damage.
Iraola’s Unbeaten Start and the Road Ahead
All of this is unfolding under new management. Andoni Iraola has taken charge and, so far in the 2026-27 campaign, Liverpool remain unbeaten. The record looks clean; the performances still feel like a work in progress.
There are flashes of what this side might become – Szoboszlai thundering in from distance, the press snapping into place, the lines between defence and attack tightening. Yet there is also a sense that another gear is waiting to be found.
Next up is a trip to Bournemouth on Sunday, the final assignment before the first international break. It offers Iraola another look at how firmly his ideas are taking root, and another stage for Szoboszlai to show he can be more than just Liverpool’s highlight-reel artist.
Smicer has seen one Czech midfielder climb to the very top of the game and collect the Golden Ball. His words carry the weight of that history. The question now is simple: can Szoboszlai turn those echoes of Nedved into a legacy of his own on Merseyside?
