Ten Years a Red: Joe Gomez and the Battle to Belong

Through injuries, triumphs and loyalty beyond measure, Joe Gomez has worn the Liverbird with pride. A decade on, his story is still being written.

There’s something about Joe Gomez that has always stirred a quiet admiration in me. Not the sort of admiration that gets etched onto flags or sung from the Kop, but something deeper, more reflective, and perhaps more personal.

It’s been ten years now since he signed for Liverpool. A fresh faced teenager out of Charlton, unassuming, polite, and with a glint in his eye that hinted at possibility. Back then, few of us could’ve predicted he’d still be here in 2025, Liverpool’s longest serving player, still hungry, still grafting, still trying to prove something not to others, but to himself. In an era of noise and flair, Joe’s story has always been one of quiet resilience.

I remember his debut vividly. Stoke away. A game that arrived with all the trepidation of a stormcloud after that horrible end to the previous season. But Joe, just 18, started at left back, and there was a composure about him that belied the chaos around us. He was tidy, intelligent, and unfazed. It was clear we had a player there. He isn’t only an athlete, but a footballer. He didn’t just cover space, he understood it.

From there, of course, came the early injuries. Harsh ones. The sort that shake a young player’s confidence to its core. I always think back to how cruelly timed it was. He’d only just begun to settle into the club, still learning the ropes of a new city, a new standard, a new way of life. Then bang, season over. You wondered then whether he’d recover from it, whether Liverpool would be a detour on his career path rather than its defining destination.

But he stayed. Not only physically. He stayed mentally. While others might have drifted, Joe dug in. He fought to come back and when he did, it was into a new Liverpool. A Klopp Liverpool. Pressing, charging, roaring. And Joe fitted. My word, did he fit.

That run in 2018-19, when he partnered Van Dijk at the back, was the making of him in my eyes. They complemented each other beautifully. Virgil with his calm authority, Joe with his pace, his recovery runs, his timing. People forget just how good he was then. World class. That’s not a phrase I use lightly. And it wasn’t just the big moments, it was the consistency. The clean sheets. The dominance. The sense that nothing was getting past those two.

But again, just when the path seemed clear, injury struck.

It’s a pattern that has defined Joe’s career, and it’s impossible to talk about his time at Liverpool without acknowledging it. The setbacks have been brutal. Knees, hamstrings, knocks that became more than just physical. And every time, he's had to watch from the sidelines while others flourished.

Yet through it all, he’s never complained. Never sulked. Never gone to the press with his frustrations. He’s just got on with it, done his rehab, got fit again and tried to earn his place back.

There’s an old fashioned humility about that. A sense of duty. He’s never been the loudest in the room, but he’s always been present. Around the squad, lifting others, leading by example. Slot spoke about it recently, how much impact Joe has even when he’s not playing. That matters. Especially in a dressing room where egos can run wild. You need players like Joe Gomez. Honest players. Loyal ones.

He’s had nine major injuries in ten years. That would break some players. But not Joe. He’s still here. Still part of this team. Still contributing.

Last season, in amongst the headlines of title number 20, there he was again. Back in the mix. Not always first choice, not the one making the back pages, but part of the unit. Helping. Assisting. Giving his all. And for all the analysis, the tactical breakdowns, the data, there’s still something to be said for players who just care. Joe cares.

That is what makes this tenth anniversary so poignant.

Ten years. That’s longer than many of the players we still sing about, who left their imprint. But Joe? He’s outlasted three managers, seen an entire squad rebuilt around him, and through it all, kept his head down.

The modern game can be brutal on defenders like him. Not enough YouTube compilations, not enough screaming slide tackles, not enough drama. He goes about his work with subtlety. He blocks a run here, tucks in there, senses danger a fraction before it becomes danger. And because he doesn’t crash through players or launch into aerial duels with exaggerated gestures, it can be easy to overlook.

But watch him closely and you see the value.

You see the way he talks others through the game. You see the trust his teammates place in him. You see the experience. 241 appearances and counting. Nine trophies. Six times captain. And yet he’s still spoken about as if he’s the kid from Charlton.

That’s the paradox of Joe Gomez. Still only 28, still in his peak years, and yet viewed like a veteran of a bygone era. And in many ways, he is. He carries himself with the dignity of a player from another time.

He’s never scored for the club. That’s become a bit of a running joke now. He’s hit the woodwork, come close, but somehow it hasn’t happened. And yet, bizarrely, it feels right. There’s something quite beautiful about that stat. That someone can play nearly 250 games and never once ripple the net, and still be so respected, so admired.

He’s got nine assists, mind you. He’s created more goals than he’s conceded in some seasons. But Joe Gomez’s worth has never been measured in goals. His currency is something more elusive…trust. And he’s earned it.

It’s easy in football to fall for the shine. The new lad. The big signing. The next big thing. But Gomez has stayed. That alone, in this transient game, deserves respect. And now, ten years in, he’s hinted he’s staying on. That he’s still hungry. And I believe him.

He’s had his suitors. Clubs abroad, others in the Premier League. And no one would begrudge him a move. But Liverpool is in him now. You can see it. The way he speaks about the city, the fans, the club. He’s not here to coast. He still wants to compete.

With Jarell Quansah expected to move and question marks around the future of others, Joe’s role is set to grow again. He might not start every game, but his experience will be vital. His presence even more so.

There’s talk of new centre backs arriving this summer. As there should be. But there’s something reassuring about having Joe Gomez in that squad. A player who knows the club, who has seen it all, and who still turns up with the same level of professionalism.

Ten years. That’s 3,653 days. Nearly half of his life spent as a Liverpool player. A Champions League winner. A two-time Premier League winner. A Club World Cup winner. FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Super Cup, Community Shield, he’s got the lot. And yet he still looks like he’s trying to prove himself.

That’s what I admire most about him. The hunger hasn’t gone. The fight hasn’t dulled. Even now, with a CV most players would dream of, he carries himself like a lad who’s just got his first call-up.

He once said that playing for Liverpool still felt like a blessing. And maybe that’s the key to it all. Gratitude. Joe Gomez has never taken this club for granted. And in return, I don’t think this club has ever taken him for granted either.

There are bigger names in our history. More glamorous ones. More vocal ones. But loyalty counts. Commitment counts. And Joe Gomez, through it all, has given us both.

So here’s to Joe. A decade in red. And if the next chapter brings him a goal, well, it’ll be one worth waiting for.