Liverpool cult hero Divock Origi has insisted he is happy with the path he has taken, despite now being retired at just 31-years-old.
Origi brought his career to an end last year after a disappointing spell at AC Milan over the last four years.
He joined the Italian giants on a free transfer from Liverpool four years ago but went on to make just 36 appearances in total for them over his four years there.
They sent him out on loan to Nottingham Forest in 2023 before he returned the following year and was placed in the Milan Futuro team for two years before eventually retiring.
31 is young, to say the least, but he insists he has no problems with it.
“A career is a series of snapshots,” he told Het Nieuwsblad.
“My plan was always to make an impact on the team, to live in the moment. Every choice I made was guided by that. And looking back, I’m at peace with the path I’ve taken.”
Liverpool experience
Naturally, the conversation has to turn to Liverpool at some point. Origi joined the Reds in 2014 and went to on to make 175 appearances for the club, scoring 41 and assisting 17, over an eight-year spell at Anfield.
Some of those goals are among the most famous in Liverpool’s storied history too. For example, there was the ‘corner taken quickly’ goal against Barcelona and a strike in the Champions League final with Tottenham.
He was also a Premier League winner with the Reds. And as a result, they will always be his club.
“Liverpool. I associate that club with winning the Champions League and the Premier League,” he added.
“Liverpool also feels like home to me. I’ve become a Liverpool fan. The bond with the supporters is unique. When I first arrived, I lived right in the city center.
“I was immediately introduced to the local values and norms – to that ‘working-class’ attitude. People there still have a genuine passion for their city, their port, their history, and their club…”
Everton dislike
One factor that helped to build that rapport with Liverpool fans was his consistent ability to score goals against Everton.
The striker managed six in Merseyside derbies, with his most famous coming in the 96th minute in December 2018. He came off the bench in the 84th minute in that game before taking advantage of a Jordan Pickford mistake to seal all three points in chaotic fashion.
Origi knows he’s not particularly popular on the Blue half of Merseyside. But he insists he’s had nothing but respect from the Toffees.
“(Laughs heartily) They weren’t exactly thrilled about the six goals I scored in Merseyside derbies,” he admitted.
“But I wasn’t a player who rubbed it in afterwards either. So, I have always been treated with respect. You feel the authenticity and passion in the city.
“You have to be in Liverpool to understand that. Before that I didn’t know what, Liverpool were like, but then again, I’m a supporter. At the end of this month, they will play against Club Brugge. If I want, I will get a ticket. (laughs)
“I still get messages from all over this planet. I regularly hear ‘Corner taken quickly’. Recently in Portugal. I had only just landed when I met a man wearing an LFC cap at the airport. In Japan, South Korea, Germany: it doesn’t matter. I encounter Reds everywhere.”
Klopp got it
The Belgian striker was perhaps fortunate that he was at Liverpool at the same time as Jurgen Klopp. According to Origi, he was the only one who really got what type of player he was.
“I was a player with a specific profile,” he concluded.
“Not a ‘pure’ number nine, but rather a fluid one. A striker who wasn’t afraid to drift wide. You see that type of player more and more these days: Isak, Mbappé, Dembélé… Just look at my time with the Red Devils.
“I preferred a bit more freedom. Jürgen Klopp understood that immediately at Liverpool. Beyond that, Klopp was a true mentor.
“Some players need to be motivated through specific triggers, while others, like me, are motivated through inspiration. He was the absolute best at that. If Klopp were to walk into this room, he’d have everyone figured out within a minute. He always knew exactly the right words to reach each person.”
