Liverpool
The mum of LFC viral sensation Isaac says: ‘It’s not just his dreams that came true, mine did too’
Six-year-old Isaac Kearney melted the hearts of millions when he met his Reds’ idols and became an LFC mascot with the video of the ‘miracle’ meeting chalking up 122 million views and 12 million social engagements across the world.
But it wasn’t just the Kirkby schoolboy with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome who saw his dreams come true.
Mum Melissa says:
“Mine did too. We started a TikTok account for Isaac about two years ago to give hope and support to other parents of children with Isaac’s condition and raise awareness of the syndrome; and since the video went global we’ve been inundated with messages from people as far away as America.
“We’re so proud of what Isaac’s achieved. We were told he might never walk and seeing him walk onto the pitch at Anfield with Virgil was unbelievable really, a miracle, and if it helps other families to see our story and feel positive and relieved about their own situations, that’s incredible.”
“We were told there’d be a lot of publicity and it would be big, but we had no idea how big it was going to be. We’ve had people in Brazil, the Netherlands, the US, all over the world, reaching out and saying how Isaac has put things into perspective, that they’re going through a bad time but watching Isaac is keeping them going.
“And that’s amazing.
“There’s been a five-year-high in the number of Google searches relating to Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome so it’s also achieving what we set out to do – and more.”
Isaac went viral when a video went out before Christmas of Mo Salah and Virgil Van Dijk surprising the Liverpool superfan at his school, Northwood Community Primary, and inviting him to the AXA Training Centre where he met the rest of the squad.
On December 1, he was also a mascot at Liverpool’s game against City when they beat the Manchester team 2-0.
Melissa, 33, a phlebotomist at a local GP surgery, says:
“The players were so good with him, down to earth and so genuine.
“Isaac loves Liverpool.
“It started when he used to watch the games and the build up with his dad, and then he started ask when the next match was on.
“Isaac was into playing his guitar so we’d put the Liverpool songs on and he’d learn the words and sing and play along; he’d ask to go on the Anfield tour, or go the shop to buy a new scarf. That was a day out for him.
“He became passionate about LFC and he knew all the players. Ask him at the end of the day what he’s had for dinner at school and he can’t remember. Ask him who’s number 30 for Liverpool and he’ll tell you straight away.
“The teachers even use the players’ numbers to help him engage in maths at school!”
Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome is an extremely rare chromosomal disorder thought to affect around one in 50,000 babies and impacts cognitive and physical development to varying degrees. In Isaac’s case his learning is delayed, and he has low muscle tone which requires constant physiotherapy.
“I had four weeks of my pregnancy to go when Issac was diagnosed and I knew nothing about it,” says Melissa, who also has a daughter, four-year-old Florence with 33-year-old Alan. “I had a quick Google but then thought I can’t do this now.
“When Isaac was born, I started looking into it and for support groups to find out more, but the one I found on Facebook was so centred around doom and gloom that I removed myself from the group.
“I stopped looking and thought I’d see how he developed, and as he started reaching milestones I began to feel more confident and more positive.
“Although I still find it hard to look at photos and videos of Isaac when he was a baby and he had seizures, as he achieved those milestones I realised it didn’t have to be doom and gloom, and I wanted to let other people like us know that.
“It was a young cousin who suggested we start a TikTok account for him to do that, and to show his personality and how he has brought us – brings us – so much joy.
“Every child and adult with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome is different. Some are in wheelchairs, some are non-verbal, others are more physically able, and I worry about giving the wrong message.
“But I think with any situation, having a positive attitude will always have a better outcome. Isaac is such a character, he’s always smiling, and he’s a lovely, happy little boy.”
As Isaac’s LFC video continues to get more views and fans by the day, Melissa and Alan are thrilled at what it’s meant for them and Isaac.
“It’s not every day you get to see your son’s dream come true, and it still doesn’t seem real.
“But having Isaac’s dream come true has made my dream, our dream, come true, helping other families like ours.
“We’ve been invited to America to talk about him and his condition with charities there and we’ve already supported other parents who’ve reached out to us, so who knows what the future holds. I just hope everything works out as well for other families as it has for ours.”
It’s been a year since Jürgen Klopp brought his unforgettable Liverpool chapter to a close—a decision that shocked fans, left a void in the heart of Anfield, and quietly shifted the rhythm of life for those closest to him. Among them is Ulla Sandrock, Klopp’s wife, who recently opened up about how life has changed since leaving Merseyside behind.
“It Was Never Just Football”
Reflecting on their time in Liverpool, Ulla describes it as more than just a footballing journey. “It was a full life,” she shared. “It wasn’t just about the trophies or the matches—it was about the people, the passion, the city that welcomed us with open arms.”
A New Rhythm
Since their departure, Ulla and Jürgen have embraced a quieter lifestyle—more travel, more time together, and more space to breathe. “We don’t wake up thinking about the next fixture anymore,” she smiled. “Now, we wake up and ask, ‘Where should we go today?’”
But leaving Liverpool wasn’t easy. “It was home,” Ulla said simply. “We built a life there. Leaving was like leaving family.”
A Lasting Connection
Though they now live away from the buzz of the Premier League, the love for Liverpool still runs deep in their hearts. “We still follow the club, still watch the games,” Ulla admitted. “And when Liverpool wins, we still smile like we’re part of it—because in many ways, we always will be.”
What Lies Ahead
Ulla hinted at future plans—some writing, some philanthropy, and above all, peace. “We gave so much of ourselves to football. Now it’s time to enjoy what we’ve built together.”
As the Klopp era remains etched in the annals of Liverpool history, Ulla’s quiet strength reminds us that behind every great leader is often an even greater love—one that now gets to write its next chapter far away from the floodlights of Anfield.
Liverpool are set to appoint Laurie Shaw as their new chief scientist, with the Scot currently on gardening leave after leaving his role as director of football data at the City Football Group.
Liverpool have reportedly poached Laurie Shaw from rivals Manchester City to become the club’s new chief scientist. Shaw joined the City Football Group (CFG) in February 2021, leaving his role as a research scientist and lecturer at Harvard University to start working in football.
The Scot was appointed head of AI at CFG, the multi-club model that owns stakes in a number of teams including City, Girona and Palermo, before becoming director of football data in September 2023.
However, the Liverpool Echo are reporting that he is now set to join Premier League rivals Liverpool after serving a period of gardening leave.
The report states that he is set to work specifically with Liverpool, although owners Fenway Sports Group do have stakes in a number of other sports teams around the world.
Shaw’s new role will see him work under Liverpool’s director of research Will Spearman, with the club’s data department widely viewed as one of the best in football.
Dr Ian Graham spearheaded Liverpool’s analytics department after joining the club in 2012, with Spearman replacing him when he left in 2023. Liverpool’s use of data has been a huge part of their success in recent years and the addition of Shaw will come as a huge boost for the Reds.
Opening up about how analytics helped shape Liverpool’s success, Graham told The Athletic last year: “Mike Gordon, Michael Edwards, myself and the rest of the transfer committee always had the belief the process would pay off if we could get all the parts working properly.
“Our personalities were similar in not caring about the outside noise and sticking to a long-term view. The first guy I ever hired to my team, I told him ‘I’m not going to say this is a job for life; if we’re still here after two years we’re doing well’.
“I think at most clubs with those failures in the first few years, they would have gone in another direction. But Fenway knew the process was working.
“They could see that a department was being created which would give us an edge over other clubs in the future. It was just that the rest of the world couldn’t see it at that time.
“The typical experience of a data person going into a club back in the early 2010s was you come in with some bright ideas straight out of university and some old football guys think, ‘This is all rubbish; we’re not going to listen to this stuff’.
“There was resistance — and there was certainly resistance from Brendan [Rodgers]. Tough as that was, I knew it was a much better position to be in than at most clubs because I had buy-in from the owners and from Michael who was my direct manager.”
Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah is on the verge of signing a new contract at Anfield to extend his stay beyond this summer.
Mohamed Salah took to social media within two hours of the news dropping that Liverpool are increasingly confident he will sign a new contract with the club. As reported by the ECHO on Wednesday evening, the expectation from Liverpool is that a deal will be struck between them and the 32-year-old.
The forward’s current contract expires in the summer and is therefore able to walk away on a free transfer. However, that now appears to be unlikely with Salah having always insisted that he wishes to remain at Anfield beyond this summer.
The news about the breakthrough in negotiations dropped around 5pm on Wednesday, and at 6.45pm, Salah took to X to post two pictures of himself. The first was of him smiling in the gym, and the other featured the forward and team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai at the coffee bar at the club’s AXA Training Centre.
No caption was included on the post, but Salah has long spoken of his desire to remain a Liverpool player beyond this summer. And back in January, Reds boss Arne Slot said the club are keen for Salah to extend his stay.
https://x.com/MoSalah/status/1910026262304718982?t=X5zZ8Vo_o48RxZB23wdziA&s=19
He said: “It would be a surprise if anyone said they didn’t want Mo Salah. He has done so well for so many years, that everyone probably wants him.
“He has done so well without my advice so he can keep doing what is best for his career, even without my advice. My advice to him would be different to the one [of Al Faisal].
“Everybody wants him, including us. We, of course, want him to extend as well.
“That is clear. But I am not surprised someone wants him.
“He has done so many smart things in his career, so he will make the right decision for himself and hopefully for us as well.”
Providing an update on his future in January, Salah said: “It’s my last year in the club so you want to do something special for the city, that is the thing in my head.” Asked if he really believed this campaign would be his last hurrah, he continued: “So far, yeah, it is the last six months.
“There is nothing, no progress there. We are far away from any progress so we just need to wait and see.”
Before he continued: “I think the thing in my head is, ‘OK, if this is your last six months or last year, what do you want to see in the future?’ Do you want to look back and say, ‘Oh, I was concerned about the contract or stressed?’
“Or do you just want to say, ‘OK, I had an unbelievable season.’ So that is in my head now, if I feel a kind of distraction I just remind myself, ‘You want to look back and say, ‘I had an unbelievable season,’ so that’s what I want to do.”
Liverpool are closing in on fresh contract terms with Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk
The news that almost all Liverpool fans will have been craving for the last number of months arrived on Thursday with widespread reports claiming key pair Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were closing in on new deals at the club.
Salah and Van Dijk, along with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, are all out of contract at Anfield at the end of the season. Alexander-Arnold has been strongly tipped to join Real Madrid as a free agent ahead of next campaign. However, Salah and Van Dijk are now both set to stay with a number of reports on Thursday claiming Liverpool were increasingly confident of finalising fresh terms with the pair.
The news can provide the Reds with a major boost heading into the final seven games of the campaign as they look to rack up the required points to confirm themselves as Premier League champions.
Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk new contract lengths
David Ornstein of The Athletic provided more detailed information on the contract situation of Salah and Van Dijk, as he revealed that the pair are poised to both sign new two-year deals. It would keep them at the club until the summer of 2027.
He wrote on X: “Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk closing in on signing new 2yr [sic] contracts with Liverpool. Both players into final months of existing deals but breakthrough found in negotiations & fresh terms set to extend key pair at Liverpool until summer 2027.”
While Liverpool look closer to signing Salah and Van Dijk on new deals, Alexander-Arnold appears no closer to remaining with his boyhood club as he continues to be pursued by Real Madrid. All three players have been free to speak to foreign clubs since January 1 and agree a pre-contract ahead of next season.
Speaking last week after a 3-2 loss to Fulham, Van Dijk said of his contract, stating: “There is progress, yeah. I don’t know [if I’ll stay], we’ll see. Listen, these are internal discussions and we’ll see. I love the club, I love the fans and they were there for us again and we wanted to reward them.”
How important are Salah and Van Dijk to Liverpool?
While the pair are entering the latter years of their respective careers, there is no doubting the quality that both men still possess. Salah turns 33 and Van Dijk will be 34 by the time next season rolls around but neither of the duo have shown signs of droppinf off this season. Van Dijk has played the most out of any Liverpool player in all competitions with Salah right behind him in the minutes played rankings.
Salah has scored a remarkable 32 goals and provided 22 assists in all competitions. His goal tally is double that of Liverpool’s second best goalscorer Cody Gakpo. Van Dijk has provided an assured presence in the heart of the Liverpool defence this season as he looks to become only the second player to captain the club to a league title in the Premier League era.
Speaking about the defender earlier in the season, Reds boss Arne Slot said: “He deserves every compliment he gets. He’s been outstanding for this club for so many years and since I’ve been working here, he’s been outstanding for me. He wants, like all the others, to make it a great season. I hope I can enjoy working with him for a long time – I don’t think that’s a surprise.”
Liverpool
‘I made a mistake’ – Jurgen Klopp wanted to punch himself after dreadful error he fixed at Liverpool
“I made a mistake.” Those were the candid words of Jurgen Klopp, who once admitted he wanted to punch himself after passing up on Sadio Mane—before eventually making amends by signing him at Liverpool, where the Senegalese forward would go on to become a legend.
Sadio Mane, who turns 33 today, proved to be one of Klopp’s most inspired signings—though it took a second chance for the move to happen. After winning every major trophy with Liverpool, Mane called time on his Anfield career in the summer of 2022 with a £35m switch to Bayern Munich.
Although he won the Bundesliga, his stint in Germany was underwhelming. Injuries hampered his progress, and a dressing room altercation with Leroy Sane didn’t help. Mane scored 12 goals in 38 appearances, starting only 27 times before moving to Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in August 2023.
Despite his struggles abroad, Mane’s Liverpool legacy remains untarnished. He scored 120 goals over six seasons, helping the Reds reclaim their place in Europe’s elite and win six trophies, including the Premier League, Champions League, and FIFA Club World Cup.
Interestingly, Mane could have linked up with Klopp much earlier. The German coach first considered signing him in 2014 while managing Borussia Dortmund, having tracked his rise since the 2012 London Olympics. The two even held talks, but Klopp backed out.
“I made a mistake,” Klopp later confessed. “We met, we talked—but I didn’t feel it at the time. His baseball cap was askew, the blond streak, he looked like a rapper just starting out. I thought, ‘I don’t have time for this’. I got it totally wrong. A few months later I wanted to punch myself.”
“When Michael Edwards mentioned him in 2016, I didn’t need convincing. I just said, ‘Let’s do it.’ It was one of my first big Liverpool decisions, and it felt right.”
Dortmund’s loss was Liverpool’s gain. In fact, Klopp managed to snatch Mane from under Manchester United’s nose.
“I was really close to going to Manchester United,” Mane revealed in an interview with The Telegraph. “Everything was agreed. I had the contract.”
Then came the call from Klopp.
“He said, ‘Sadio, let me explain what happened at Dortmund.’ I told him, ‘It’s okay, it happened. I forgive you.’ Then he said, ‘Now I want you at Liverpool.’ And I said, ‘Okay, let’s focus on the future.’”
After months of injustice, Isaac Kearney and his family have finally found relief after a long and painful battle against online impersonation.
A fake Facebook page titled “Isaac Kearney Fans” had been exploiting his name and image, deceiving people into sending money under false pretenses.
Isaac’s mother, distraught and determined to protect her son, took action by reporting the page to Facebook multiple times. Unfortunately, those reports were met with silence. Facebook refused to take down the page, stating it didn’t violate community standards. One fan even shared how his report was rejected with a similar response. It was disheartening.
After months of injustice, the pain deepened—not just for Isaac’s family, but for loyal fans who watched helplessly as the impersonation continued. That was until Melissa, a passionate fan and advocate, stepped in.
Melissa raised her voice on social media, calling out the injustice and urging fellow fans to take collective action. Her message sparked a movement. Fans rallied, and in a coordinated effort, they flooded Facebook with reports, demanding the removal of the fraudulent page.
Finally, after months of injustice, justice arrived.
Yesterday, Facebook took down the fake page. What the system failed to do, the people accomplished—thanks to unity, persistence, and one courageous voice that refused to stay silent.
To Melissa, to Isaac’s resilient mother, and to every loyal fan who stood up for truth—this victory belongs to you. It proves that even in a world of algorithms and bureaucracy, the human voice still holds power.
Jurgen Klopp will be back in Liverpool in May – and he may well be at Anfield for what could be Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s final game for the Merseyside club.
Jurgen Klopp may well be back at Anfield next month, but the former Liverpool boss will be hoping it’s not the last time he sees Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah representing the Reds.
Klopp is due to make his first visit back to Liverpool since calling time on his near nine-year spell as manager last summer. Having initially taken a break from football, the 57-year-old took up a new role as Red Bull’s head of global soccer in January.
The German will return to Merseyside as the guest speaker at the LFC Foundation gala dinner at Liverpool Cathedral on Friday, May 23. Klopp was made an honorary ambassador for the club upon his exit, having supported the LFC Foundation throughout his time in charge of the club.
He may also make an appearance at Anfield, having been invited to Liverpool’s final game of the season, which takes place just two days later against Crystal Palace. Should the Reds secure the Premier League title over their remaining seven games, as expected, Klopp may well be there to watch his former side lift the trophy in person.
It’s not yet confirmed whether he will accept that invitation, although he has made it clear he will return to watch Liverpool’s celebrations. In any case, it might be his last opportunity to see some of his former charges playing for the club.
The former has revealed this week that “progress” has been made in his discussions with the club, giving some hope that he may extend his stay. Hopefully, both players will take on board Klopp’s advice to them.
Speaking during his unveiling at Red Bull back in January, Klopp made his feelings clear on the futures of all three of his former stars, having first been asked about Salah’s contract saga. “I hope he [Salah] stays,” Klopp said. “He is the biggest striker Liverpool has had in modern times. Obviously there were other good strikers.
Klopp was later asked about Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold: “I am so happy that I am not in charge of that situation and have to answer these questions. Why should I do that now? So, Good luck. From my point of view I would love all of them to extend their contracts. But I don’t know. They haven’t told me. I could text them now and ask.”
With just over a month remaining until the end of the season, Liverpool fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that at least Van Dijk and Salah can be convinced to stay at Anfield. If Klopp’s return next month can help to convince them, then here’s hoping he accepts that invitation.
Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) has failed in its attempt to join forces in Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) venture.
FSG expanded their portfolio in January 2024 when spearheading a consortium to invest an initial $1.5 billion – potentially rising to $3 billion – in the PGA Tour. The Strategic Sport Group (SSG) is made up of sports team owners including FSG and minority stakeholders RedBird Capital Partners, Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta FC), Steven Cohen (New York Mets) and Thomas Ricketts (Chicago Cubs) and created the for-profit entity PGA Tour Enterprises.
SSG took advantage of a fracture in golf to invest. The formations of the PIF-backed LIV saw leading players, including major winners Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau, make the move before John Rahm followed.
There have been discussions since June 2023 about a merger between the PGA and LIV. Talks have been held, with FSG principal owner John Henry reportedly travelling to Saudi Arabia and the Bahamas to meet with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan. US President Donald Trump has discussed the matter with both parties at the White House.
The season’s first major takes place this week, with the Masters kicking off at Augusta on Thursday. Ahead of the famous tournament, the Guardian reports that the PIF has ‘failed in an attempt to persuade the PGA Tour to deliver serious concessions in exchange for a $1.5bn (£1.14bn) investment’.It is suggested that the LIV tour could continue to operate and Al-Rumayyan would become co-chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises alongside Joe Gorder. The PGA deemed ‘neither acceptable’.
Speaking at the Players Championship last month, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said: “We appreciate Yasir’s innovative vision, and we can see a future where we welcome him on to our board and work together to move the global game forward. As part of our negotiations, we believe there’s room to integrate important aspects of LIV Golf into the PGA Tour platform. We’re doing everything that we can to bring the two sides together.
“That said, we will not do so in a way that diminishes the strength of our platform or the very real momentum we have with our fans and our partners. So while we’ve removed some hurdles, others remain. But like our fans, we still share the same sense of urgency to get to a resolution. Our team is fully committed to reunification. The only deal that we would regret is one that compromises the essence of what makes the game of golf and the PGA Tour so exceptional.”
Who do FSG own?
FSG boast an impressive sports portfolio. They have owned Liverpool since their £300 million takeover in 2010. In their time, eight major trophies have been won while Anfield has been expanded to a 61,000 capacity and £50 million spent on the AXA Training Centre.
Iconic MLB team the Boston Red Sox have been under FSG’s control for the past 23 years, while the firm purchased NHL outfit the Pittsburgh Penguins. FSG also own a 50 per cent stake in RFK Racing and bought the franchise Boston Common Golf in the recently-launched TMRW Golf League.
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