Isak Names Man City Icon as His Ultimate Teammate

​Liverpool forward Alexander Isak has offered a fascinating insight into the absolute pinnacle of footballing brilliance he has witnessed firsthand, politely sidestepping some of the modern game’s most decorated names.

​Having shared a dressing room with elite talents across top European leagues, the Swedish international acknowledged the towering legacies of Anfield icons Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, alongside Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimović. Yet, when pressed to name the single greatest player he has featured alongside, Isak bypassed them all in favor of Manchester City legend David Silva.

​The pair crossed paths during Isak’s formative spell in La Liga with Real Sociedad, where they combined for 51 appearances. While the physical prowess and match-winning exploits of Salah and Van Dijk have cemented their status as modern-day greats, it was the subtle, metronomic genius of the Spanish playmaker that left the deepest impression on the striker.

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​”Obviously I have played with players like Zlatan, here Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk,” Isak told Sky Sports. “But I think in terms of day-to-day training and seeing the quality, I think David Silva was something really, really special.”

​During their time together in San Sebastián, Silva’s immaculate close control, vision, and elite football IQ proved invaluable to a young Isak. The Spaniard, who collected multiple Premier League titles during a glittering decade with Manchester City before winding down his illustrious career in Spain in 2023, clearly set a benchmark for technical excellence that few can match.

​For Isak, whose time on Merseyside has experienced interruptions due to fitness battles, learning from elite company has been a constant theme. But as the forward looks to recapture the lethal form that made him a talismanic figure at Newcastle United, it is the memory of training alongside Manchester City’s diminutive maestro that remains the ultimate standard in his footballing education.