Liverpool striker Divock Origi said he always tried to put the team first as he bid an emotional farewell at Anfield on Sunday.
The Reds beat Wolves 3-1 on the final day of the Premier League season, though were denied the title after a Manchester City comeback victory against Aston Villa.
Origi could not be a part of the game after suffering a muscle injury, but was presented with a guard of honour from his team-mates as well as some parting gifts after the win.
The Belgian is out of contract at the end of the season, with reports suggesting he is set to move to Serie A champions Milan.
Speaking to Sky Sports as the players took their end of campaign lap of honour, Origi was full of praise for the club he has played for since 2015.
"Unbelievable years I've had here," he told Sky Sports. "To be able to soak this in with all the fans... I just feel amazing. This goes beyond words.
"It's an unbelievable club. It goes beyond something I could expect. When you experience it, that's when you know how big this club is, how unbelievable the people are, the atmospheres, the Champions League nights... the people, the staff, the players - it's been a joy."
Origi made 107 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, scoring 22 goals, though only 34 of those appearances were starts.
The 27-year-old developed a reputation as a super-sub, scoring some iconic late goals for the Reds against the likes of Everton, Barcelona and even earlier this season in the reverse fixture against Wolves.
"I'm always trying to put the team first and I knew trying to be the best Divock I can be, trying to be the best player I can be and then trying to help the team as much as possible, and trust that the coach will make the right decisions [was me putting the team first]," he added.
"If it depends on me, I want to be on the pitch every single minute but even more than that, I want to win and we have an unbelievable group, we achieved so many great things.
"Hopefully one more important game where we can achieve a bit more, but yeah it's been an honour and a joy."
Origi did not rule himself out of being involved in Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris, but fittingly put the team first.
"We are assessing right now so don't want to say too much, but the focus is now on the team," he said.
Salah, Van Dijk released early in boost for Liverpool ahead of Chelsea clash
Mohamed Salah will return to Liverpool earlier than expected, along with Virgil van Dijk, after he was released from international duty by Egypt on Saturday.
The 32-year-old was on the scoresheet as Egypt defeated Mauritania 2-0 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Friday, and was also expected to feature in the return fixture on Tuesday.
However, in a boost for the Reds, who face fourth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League on October 20, Salah will head back to Merseyside having played just once for his country.
"The technical staff of Egypt's senior football team led by manager Hossam Hassan held a meeting with Mohamed Salah, the captain of the Pharaohs," the Egyptian FA said in a statement.
"It was agreed during the meeting to rest the player from the upcoming match."
Former Liverpool defender Matip confirms retirement after Anfield exit
Former Liverpool defender Joel Matip has confirmed his retirement from professional football.
Matip, who joined Liverpool on a free transfer in 2016, has been without a club since leaving Anfield at the end of last season and has since decided to call time on his 15-year career.
The 33-year-old started out at Schalke, making 258 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit and helping them lift the DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup in 2011.
Matip was among the first signings made by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, joining in the same window as Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Loris Karius.
He helped the Reds return to the Champions League in Klopp's first full campaign in charge, making 29 Premier League appearances and keeping nine clean sheets.
However, his spell with the Reds was marred by repetitive injuries, sustaining 16 different issues across his eight-year spell on Merseyside.
The former Cameroon international's final appearance for Liverpool came in a 4-3 win over Fulham in December 2023 after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the same game.
Matip made 201 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and winning six major honours, which included the Reds' sixth Champions League triumph.
Former Liverpool defender Matip confirms retirement
Former Liverpool defender Joel Matip has confirmed his retirement from professional football.
Matip, who joined Liverpool on a free transfer in 2016, has been without a club since leaving Anfield at the end of last season and has since decided to call time on his 15-year career.
The 33-year-old started his career at Schalke, making 258 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit and helping them lift the DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup in 2011.
Matip was among the first signings made by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, joining in the same window as Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Loris Karius.
He helped the Reds return to the Champions League in Klopp's first full campaign in charge, making 29 Premier League appearances and keeping nine clean sheets.
However, his spell with the Reds was marred by repetitive injuries, sustaining 16 different issues across his eight-year spell on Merseyside.
The former Cameroon international's final appearance for Liverpool came in a 4-3 win over Fulham in December 2023 after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the same game.
Matip made 201 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and winning six major honours, which included the Reds' sixth Champions League triumph.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
