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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes former forward Divock Origi accepting a reduced role as he simply wanted to be a part of the club made him a Reds legend.
Origi joined the Premier League giants from Lille in 2015, but was loaned out to Wolfsburg two years later after making only 36 starts for the club. The now 28-year-old returned in 2018 and played a key role in their success over the next four years before departing to AC Milan on a free transfer.
Origi attained cult status during the 2018-19 season, popping up with key goals in the UEFA Champions League semifinal and final as Liverpool won the title. He also netted memorable winners against Everton and Newcastle United in the Premier League during that campaign.
Klopp, however, noted in an episode of Sky Sports' Secrets of Success podcast that the Belgian's attitude was one of the factors that made him a club legend. He added that he repeatedly apologized to Origi for not giving him more time on the pitch.
The German tactician said (as quoted by Empire of the Kop):
“Divock is a very special person. I love him to bits. I’m not sure how often I apologised to him that he’s not playing more. He was a massive part of this team – a massive part of this team – and the team let him feel that. He felt completely comfortably. During the week [in training] one of the most important players we had and during the weekend still, but didn’t play as often as he should have.
“That we had the relationship we had for the long time we worked together was much more up to Divock than to me. I would have understood 1,000% if he would have said at one point ‘Hey boss, it’s a nice spell but it’s not enough, I have to go now’. But he wanted to be part of this incredible club.”
Klopp concluded:
“He didn’t get any special treatment, stuff like this he just took it like it was and that made him a Liverpool legend. He will be remembered here forever. We wish him just the best for the rest of his career.”
Overall, Origi played 175 times for the Reds, scoring 41 goals and laying out 18 assists while averaging a mere 39.7 minutes per appearance. He won the Premier League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup and Carabao Cup with the team.
How has Divock Origi fared since leaving Liverpool?
Divock Origi's struggle for playing time has continued since his departure from Liverpool.
He started just 10 times for AC Milan during the 2022-23 season, adding a further 26 appearances off the bench. In those games, Origi scored twice and provided one assist.
Milan then sent him out on a season-long loan to Nottingham Forest this summer. He hasn't benefitted much from the move, though, featuring in just eight of their 17 Premier League matches and starting only once.
Origi is yet to score or assist for Forest, who are currently five points clear of the drop and recently sacked manager Steve Cooper.
