Rio Ngumoha reveals main Liverpool struggle after stepping up to first team

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From becoming England's third-youngest competitive debutant sitting behind only Wayne Rooney and Jude Bellingham on that exclusive list to fighting for minutes under Andoni Iraola, Ngumoha’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric.Yet, speaking in a candid interview with Rising Ballers, the youngster didn't hide behind media clichés when asked about his biggest obstacle since making the jump to senior football."How fast the games come about. But Ngumoha’s secret weapon isn't just his lightning-fast feet or his ability to leave full-backs stranded on the touchline it’s his mindset.When asked how he went about convincing the senior stars at AXA Training Centre that he belonged in their enviroment the winger’s answer revealed a maturity far beyond his years:"For me, I think the first time I trained with them, I just had to show how fearless I was," he explained.

"Because if you show that you don’t want to make a mistake, then it’s like you have no personality."I think that’s what all the players want to see. They want to see the personality in the young players and I think everyone saw that with me.

So, I think that’s what they like to see."It takes a serious amount of belief to drop your shoulder against senior internationals in your very first session, but that "fearless" attitude is precisely why Iraola has handed him 232 first-team minutes already this campaign a massive jump from the fleeting 20 minutes he accumulated during his entire breakout period last year.The transition from London to Merseyside can sometimes be a culture shock for young players relocating up north. Yet, Ngumoha insists that adjusting to life in Liverpool has been seamless, crediting the local community for making him feel right at home."To be fair, it wasn’t too hard," Ngumoha said regarding his transition."On the pitch, the same way I’ve been playing football at six, I’ve tried to play until now being 18.