Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola hailed 18-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha as an "elite" talent following his impressive rise for club and country. The manager outlined how the AXA Training Centre staff are developing the teenager while also praising hat-trick hero Bradley Barcola.
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola praised teenage winger Rio Ngumoha following a stunning start to the 2026-27 campaign. The former Chelsea academy product starred in midweek as the Reds secured a breathless 6-3 Champions League victory over LASK in Austria.
The 18-year-old also made history late last month by becoming England's third-youngest competitive player behind Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney during a 2-0 win over Czechia.
Iraola described Ngumoha's rapid international breakthrough as an extraordinary achievement for a player who only turned 18 in late August.
Addressing the media, Iraola highlighted Ngumoha's supreme dribbling ability while outlining key areas for off-the-ball improvement. "I think he knows that he is elite at certain things," Iraola said. "If you want to put someone one versus one then Rio is one of the best players you would choose."
"There are areas he has to improve, especially without the ball. He has to get used to the demands of the Premier League in terms of duels."
"Body wise he is becoming stronger and I think he is in a good place," Iraola added. "For us it is a privilege to have Rio in the team because he has just become 18."
Iraola emphasized that Liverpool are taking careful steps to ensure the winger fulfils his sky-high potential at Anfield. "He has already played some minutes with the national team and that is not something normal," Iraola noted. "Normally you start playing with the national team when you are 20-something."
"We have to help him because luckily for us he is not the finished product. He can still improve because he is still 18 and I hope we can help him with these processes."
The Basque coach also commended striker Bradley Barcola following his midweek hat-trick against LASK, stating: "In the case of Bradley it’s a matter of him getting into his rhythm. The more he plays the better he will become."
With both Ngumoha and Barcola delivering standout performances in Europe, Iraola possesses rich attacking options across his frontline.
Liverpool will look to build on their midweek scoring spree when they travel to face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Reds head coach will evaluate his squad carefully as they aim to secure three crucial Premier League points in West London.