Football is a game of glory and heartbreak, and sometimes both arrive at the same time. For Milos Kerkez, Liverpool’s young left-back, the past week has been a rollercoaster that shows just how ruthless this sport can be. One moment you are being praised for keeping Bukayo Saka quiet in a Premier League showdown at Anfield, and the next you are waking up to find that 7,830 of your own countrymen have voted you the worst player on the pitch in a heartbreaking international defeat. This is the cruel life of a footballer trying to climb to the very top, and right now, Kerkez is living it in full view of the world.
The 21-year-old defender only joined Liverpool this summer in a high-profile move from Bournemouth. The deal shocked some people because Andrew Robertson, a club legend and one of the best left-backs in Europe over the last five years, was still at the club. But Arne Slot and Liverpool’s new sporting project made it clear: the time had come to start a transition. Kerkez was the one chosen to carry the torch into the future. He was young, fast, aggressive, and fearless. His first weeks in a Liverpool shirt, however, have been a mixture of promise and pain.
Against Arsenal before the international break, Kerkez looked like the player Liverpool thought they were signing. He pressed high, defended with confidence, and supported attacks down the left side with energy. Liverpool won 1-0 that day, and some fans felt Kerkez had finally announced himself at Anfield. But football never gives you too long to celebrate. Just days later, he joined up with the Hungarian national team, hoping to carry that momentum onto the international stage.
Hungary played two games during the break: first against the Republic of Ireland, and then a tough clash with Portugal. Kerkez started both, showing how highly national coach Marco Rossi values him. But it was the Portugal match that changed the conversation. The game was tied at 2-2 going into the final minutes, a thrilling battle in which Hungary had matched one of Europe’s most powerful sides. Then came the disaster.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool’s captain and Kerkez’s club teammate, played a pass into his path near his own box. It looked routine, something Kerkez receives and clears thousands of times in training. But Joao Cancelo read it quicker, darted in, intercepted the ball, and punished the mistake. Portugal scored the winning goal. Hungary lost 3-2. And in the eyes of the fans, Kerkez was guilty.
The anger was immediate. Hungarian outlet *Nemzeti Sport* launched a poll asking fans to rate their national team players. Almost 8,000 supporters voted. Barnabas Varga, the striker who scored, was rated the best with 8.45. At the very bottom, with a painful 4.51, was Milos Kerkez. Even Szoboszlai, who played the poor pass, was spared heavier criticism, rated at 5.43. For Kerkez, it was humiliation. Not only had he been involved in the goal, but now he had been branded the worst of the entire squad by his own people.
The paper added its own insult by rating him 5/10 and calling him “annoyingly easy to tackle.” For a player trying to prove himself, those words sting. For Liverpool fans watching, the worry is obvious: can Kerkez handle the pressure? Can a 21-year-old deal with this level of scrutiny while trying to adapt to the brutal demands of life at Anfield?
But before we judge too quickly, we must remember the bigger picture. This is not the first time a young player has suffered at international level and come back stronger. Kerkez is only at the beginning of his Liverpool career. He is 21, still learning, still adjusting. He has just made the biggest move of his life, from a club where pressure was lighter to one where every mistake makes headlines across the globe. The difference between Bournemouth and Liverpool is night and day. At Bournemouth, an error may go unnoticed. At Liverpool, an error becomes a story for the world.
Kerkez has the qualities to survive this storm. He is known for his strong mentality. Those who watched him at AZ Alkmaar before his Premier League days know that he is tough, aggressive, and determined. He does not hide after mistakes; he fights back. That spirit is exactly what Liverpool need from him now. Burnley awaits at the weekend, and for Kerkez, it is the perfect chance to answer critics with action.
Liverpool’s other summer signings are also under the spotlight. Hugo Ekitike has hit the ground running and already looks like a bargain. Alexander Isak, signed on deadline day, is still waiting for his debut. Florian Wirtz, the jewel from Bayer Leverkusen, is yet to shine. Jeremie Frimpong is injured. The project is still in its early days, and not everyone is firing yet. But that is football. Some settle quickly, others take time.
For Kerkez, time is both his ally and his enemy. At 21, he has years ahead to develop. But at Liverpool, patience is short. The club is fighting for the Premier League title and aiming deep into the Champions League. Every mistake is magnified, every slip becomes a headline. That is the reality he must embrace. The Arsenal game showed what he can be. The Portugal game showed what he must overcome. Both are part of his journey.
The story of Milos Kerkez is not one of failure. It is one of growth. Hungary fans may be frustrated, but they will see his value in time. Liverpool fans may be nervous, but they will remember that even Robertson took time to adapt when he first arrived from Hull City. Nobody becomes a star overnight. It takes persistence, resilience, and courage.
Kerkez must now silence the noise. The poll, the ratings, the criticism—they are just words. What matters is the next 90 minutes in the Premier League. What matters is how he responds. Will he shrink under the pressure, or will he use it as fuel? That is the question that will define him at Liverpool.
For now, he deserves patience. He deserves faith. He deserves the chance to grow into the player Liverpool believe he can become. The road will not be smooth, but the destination could still be glorious.
