Interview'Dicker the kicker': How the LA Chargers star honours LFC in every NFL game

"I chose No.11 for the Chargers because of Mo Salah," he reveals to Liverpoolfc.com.

With that number on his back and front, 'Dicker the kicker' is shining as one of the best in his position in the NFL.

To switch off from the mentally taxing craft of being a placekicker, Dicker proudly admits he follows Liverpool obsessively.

That passion for the Reds was born in Asia, where he grew up idolising the brilliance of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

It's only continued to grow since he moved to the USA in 2011.

Explaining how he became a Red, Dicker says: "My friend Tom, we grew up in Shanghai, China together. His dad and brother were United fans, and his mum and him were Liverpool fans, so I had to jump on with them."

It takes dedication to follow Liverpool as a supporter on the west coast of the US, never mind as an elite athlete.

Dicker, though, always tries to make time for the Reds, even accounting for the Chargers' schedule and the eight-hour time difference.

On the most unusual place he's followed a Liverpool game, the 24-year-old explains: "It's just got to be in my hotel.

"Probably one of those Sunday mornings in the hotel where I wake up and we have a late game in the afternoon. So I'm just sitting there watching alone, yelling.

"The hard thing during the season is watching games, just because we're playing as well. We're either travelling or in a hotel right before our game, so that's tough."

Dicker, making the most of the NFL off-season, recently attended seven football matches in Europe as part of a 12-day visit.

He was in France for Liverpool's Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain before arriving on Merseyside a few days later to take in Anfield for just the second time in his life.

His first ever game in L4 was the meeting with Real Madrid back in February 2023, but he got to see a win for the home side this time when Arne Slot's men overcame Southampton 3-1.

"Incredible, so much fun," he says about visiting his spiritual home.

This latest trip to Liverpool, however, wasn't entirely for pleasure.

Dicker asked to use a pitch at the Kirkby Academy for a kicking session to keep his skills sharp, with the Chargers' spring workouts just around the corner.

Some of the club's Academy players joined him in booting a pigskin after he sat down with them for an engaging question-and-answer session.

The youngsters learned about Dicker's rise in his sport and the difficulty he faced in even finding a home in the NFL, having gone undrafted, through numerous unsuccessful trials and being released by teams.

His day in Kirkby concluded with a behind-the-scenes tour of the AXA Training Centre.

"This is surreal," he finishes. "We're all laughing saying that this is the craziest moment ever. We can't believe we're actually here. This is an amazing opportunity and I'm very blessed to be here.

"It's been an honour. It's very cool to be able to talk to those guys and kind of share my journey, and then hopefully it can help impact others."