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The Dutchman has set his sights on an elusive piece of silverware which the Reds are favourites to pick up in December
Georginio Wijnaldum says the Liverpool squad are united in their ambition to win the Club World Cup, with another “opportunity to achieve something big” on the horizon.
The annual tournament will kick off in Qatar on December 11, with the Reds set to enter at the semi-final stage a week later.
Jurgen Klopp’s men gained entry into the competition after winning the 2019 Champions League and will be vying for the trophy alongside champions from the other five FIFA confederations.
Liverpool suffered defeat to Sao Paulo in the final during their only previous appearance in the Club World Cup back in 2005, but they will have another chance to clinch an elusive piece of silverware over the festive period.
The European champions are eager to make more history in the Middle East, according to Wijnaldum, who is looking forward to experiencing the “special competition” for the first time.
“I’m really looking forward to playing in the World Cup for teams because back in the day I saw the Champions League winners play in the competition. What I like the most is that if you win, you get a badge on your shirt,” the Netherlands midfielder told Liverpool’s official website. “That’s something you want to achieve.
“That’s what makes this competition so special. First of all, it’s really difficult to qualify for a tournament like this.
“Second of all, you play against other teams who also had to do a lot of work to come into this competition.
“That’s why we have to enjoy it the most – because you never know if it’s going to be your last time in a competition like this. And, on the other side, if you want to play in this competition as much as possible you need to win the Champions League. It also gives you something in the Champions League.
“If you win the Champions League trophy you can play the World Cup for teams, so it also gives you another reason to want to win the Champions League.
“You go into football to make history and that’s what we want to achieve with the team we’re playing in. We have a good team. We are friends, we work hard for each other. We have a team that when we look back later we can say we achieved things. This will definitely be one of the moments when we look back, we can say we achieved something big.”
Liverpool have played 16 fixtures across all competitions this season, winning 14, with only one defeat and a draw on their record so far.
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Wijnaldum added on the importance of maintaining a winning mentality as the campaign progresses: “It’s really important because it gives you a lot of confidence.
“When you are losing games, pressure will come on the team; when you win games, instead of pressure, confidence will come. It’s always important to win games, or even play good games, because that will help you get more confidence.”
After taking in a well-earned rest over the international break, Liverpool are set to return to Premier League action with a trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
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