Liverpool has won the Premier League title and the celebrations can begin. But who has earned themselves a Premier League medal and who might miss out?
There had been some talk that certain players might not reach the threshold to collect a medal. Federico Chiesa, for instance, has barely played since arriving from Juventus last summer.
However, in reality, the Premier League rulebook leaves it mainly up to the winning club to decide how medals are distributed. “The champions are given 40 commemorative medals made of silver, which are 2.25 inches (5.7 centimeters) in diameter,” it reads.
“They can be distributed to the manager, players and officials, as the club see fit, as long as every player who has made at least five Premier League appearances during the title-winning season gets one.
“Additional medals may only be presented with the consent of the Premier League Board, and that will only be granted if more than 39 players have made at least five Premier League appearances during the campaign.”
Heading into the game with Spurs, Liverpool has 21 players who have reached at least the five-game threshold. Chiesa is on four appearances but would still be in line to get a medal even if he doesn’t play another game before the campaign is out as a result.
Viteszlav Jaros, the young goalkeeper who came on at Crystal Palace when Alisson Becker got injured and Caoimhin Kelleher was absent, is on one appearance but could also get one. No other player has made an appearance in the league.
(Image: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
With games to spare and the title already wrapped up, the attention can turn in part to what should be a big summer for Liverpool. Virgil van Dijk is expecting some changes, and looking forward to having a full pre-season.
“Quite exciting? It is very exciting!” he told reporters ahead of the title being officially confirmed. “Like I said, we had this season without a proper pre-season, without proper work behind the scenes on how the manager wants us to attack and defend, and be in possession.
“We do those things in training, but especially in the first part of the season, you don’t have time to work on those things because you work every three or four days. Let’s see what the season ending will look like and then we have a good break for the first time in quite a while. We have to maximize that.”
Players to receive a medal
Alisson Becker, Caoimhin Kelleher, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Jarell Quansah, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott, Mo Salah, Luis, Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo.
