The trophy returned to the hands of Liverpool and, with it, an entire city took to the streets. The Reds won their 20th English league title, to equal the historic mark of Manchester United.
The celebration came three weeks after their title was made official, and the celebration could not have been more emotional, on Sunday with a full stadium and on Monday with a parade through the city, this time without restrictions. The last time they lifted the Premier League trophy, in 2020, they did so in the silence imposed by the pandemic.
On Monday, tens of thousands of fans flooded the streets of Liverpool to accompany their team on the champions’ parade. The parade crowned weeks of celebration, after the team mathematically secured the title three rounds ago. However, it was not until the 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace last Sunday that they received the trophy and official medals.
LeBron’s emotional message from Los Angeles
Not only did the Reds fans celebrate, but from the other side of the Atlantic, NBA star LeBron James also joined in the euphoria with a special message that surprised the squad.
After the last game, the squad gathered at the Municipal Hotel in the city centre for an end-of-season party. It was there that they watched a video recorded by James, a minority owner of Liverpool through Fenway Sports Group along with his business partner Maverick Carter, and a self-confessed fan of the club for years.
“I want to congratulate the English Premier League champions, who once again bring home another trophy,” said the four-time NBA champion, adding: “You know it’s always special to do it with a group of guys you love. It’s super special.”
LeBron’s message included personal greetings for the locker room leaders: “Shoutout to the captains, Virgil and Mo, shoutout to you brothers. Keep leading, keep striving for greatness and know that you’ll never walk alone. So let’s go, Reds. We love you guys.”
Although LeBron was eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs with the Lakers, the star found a reason to smile thanks to his connection with the new English champions.
The European season will culminate this Saturday with the Champions League final, but at Liverpool there is already a sense of calm. Coach Arne Slot and his players will be on holiday until July 8, when they will return for pre-season training.
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