‘I understand the pressures Alisson has to play under. So much goes on in footballers’ lives, but he kept his performance levels up as Liverpool won the Premier League last season’ David James’ admiration for his Reds successor

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest at Anfield on October 29, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images).

David James made the Liverpool No.1 shirt his own for seven years in the 1990s and got a first-hand look at the demands of the Anfield crowd and the mentality needed to succeed between the sticks for the Reds.

That era of the Spice Boys saw the club come up short in their quest to reclaim the top-flight title, a drought which would end up lasting 30 years before Jurgen Klopp’s side claimed the Premier League title in the Covid-19-hit season of 2019/20.

That title win was built on the back of a defence marshalled by Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson, who last season overtook James’ mark of 277 appearances for the club.

James on his admiration for Alisson

Daivd James in his Liverpool days (Image credit: Getty Images)

James - who was last year ranked at no.5 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best Premier League goalkeepers ever, two places ahead of Allison - believes his successor in the Reds goal is a class act both on and off the pitch.

“There are loads of current players that I admire, but I’ve never met,” James tells FourFourTwo. “I’ve been fortunate enough to meet Alisson, and he’s a lovely bloke.

Alisson claimed a second Premier League winners' medal last season (Image credit: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

“As a player, he has achieved massive things, especially with Liverpool, and he is a goalkeeper, so I understand the pressures he has to play under.

“He’s also had to deal with some difficult stuff off the field and still maintain a high performance. There’s so much that goes on in footballers’ lives that no-one sees, but he kept his performance levels up as Liverpool won the Premier League last season.”

Alisson is now in his eighth season at Liverpool following his £66million move from Roma in 2018, a fee which briefly made him the world’s most expensive ‘keeper until Chelsea spent £71million on Kepa Arrizabalaga later that summer.

The 32-year-old claimed a second Premier League title last season, adding to his Anfield medal haul that also includes the 2019 Champions League, an FA Cup, a League Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

James made 277 appearances for Liverpool (Image credit: Getty Images)

Alisson became the seventh Liverpool goalkeeper to notch up 300 appearances when he started the Reds’ 2025/26 opener against Bournemouth.

Ray Clemence (665), Bruce Grobbelaar (628), Elisha Scott (468), Pepe Reina (394), Tommy Lawrence (390) and Arthur Riley (338) are the other Reds stoppers to hit that particular milestone.

David James was speaking on a day when he joined a walking football team, as part of a Carlsberg campaign