Toulouse youngster Thijs Dallinga has admitted it was a dream for him to score against Liverpool this season, having idolised Luis Suarez during his time at Anfield.
The striker has been speaking to UEFA’s French website about his season so far, which has seen him score 12 goals in 29 games so far after his impressive first season at the club.
Dallinga managed 18 goals in 42 games for the French side last season, a record that put him on the radar in Europe given he is still only 23-years-old.
He’s continued his fine form this season and seems on track to match or better his goal record from last season, something which will surely lead to an interesting summer should it come about.
For now, the focus is on scoring goals and continuing as he continues to develop and learn from new experiences, such as playing in the Europa League.
Toulouse are set to take on Benfica later this month after successfully navigating the group stages in a group alongside Liverpool, Union SG and LASK.
The young striker bagged goals in both games against Liverpool, scoring the solitary goal in the 5-1 defeat at Anfield and then the second goal in the 3-2-win reverse leg. Those are moments he won’t forget in a hurry, admitting that he used to idolise former star Luis Suarez.
“It was a good moment in that game and, of course, it was a dream for me to score at Anfield,” he said.
“You have to realise that two seasons ago, I was still in the Dutch second division. So, it was a very pleasant moment for me. OK, they were much better than us, so they won, but for me it was a great evening.
“I think you can see that after I scored, I had a little moment where I was like, “Wow, is this really happening?” Did I really just score a goal at Anfield? » I was also a little afraid that there would be offside, but in the end, they validated it. So yes, it was a magnificent moment.
“I have always admired (Luis) Suárez,” he added when asked about his footballing ‘idols’.
“He also played for my childhood club, FC Groningen. Since then, I have always followed him and of course he had an incredible career and scored extraordinary goals. So, I think if I have to choose one, it’s Suárez.”
