England-born Zimbabwean teenage star Isaac Mabaya’s latest taste of pre-season action has given him the appetite to keep working hard for more opportunities at Liverpool.
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp handed the 17-year-old England-born Zimbabwean starlet an hour of on-pitch minutes in Wednesday’s 1-0 friendly defeat by Red Bull Salzburg.
Mabaya previously featured against Manchester United and Crystal Palace having travelled to Thailand and Singapore with the Reds’ senior squad.
The versatile defender has also been included in this week’s training camp in Austria and was given a further runout versus Salzburg.
He told the club’s website: “It was definitely a tough game against a good side, but it was good to get the minutes that I got tonight.”
“We had our fair share of chances, but sometimes it just doesn’t go our way.
“Honestly, I loved it. I always love stepping out on the pitch for Liverpool, so I just want to keep getting my opportunities to do that [and] hopefully [I will] in the future.”
On pre-season on the whole so far, he added: “It’s been brilliant playing and training with some of the best players in the world. There’s a lot to learn from all the players.”
After rising through the junior ranks at Liverpool, Mabaya has made a mark in the first team during the on-going preseason and could have even earned a role in the first-team setup for the campaign ahead.
The gifted right-back who can also play in midfield signed his first professional contract with Liverpool FC in September 2021.
Mabaya was born in Preston, England to Zimbabwean parents and first attended the Liverpool Academy at the age of six.
He subsequently broke into the Reds’ U18s side as an Under-16 player during the 2020-21 season which earned him a place in Liverpool’s preseason squad ahead of the new Premier League season.