OAKLEY CANNONIER, THE ball boy who shot to fame for his small part in Liverpool’s famous 4-0 Champions League win over Barcelona, has signed his first professional contract with the club.
The 17-year-old striker, who joined as an under-12 from Leeds, was praised for his quick thinking in tossing a ball to Trent Alexander-Arnold which allowed the defender to catch the visitors unawares with a corner swept in by Divock Origi as Jurgen Klopp’s side overturned a 3-0 deficit from the first leg of their semi-final in 2019.
Cannonier, who has represented England at youth level, had his breakthrough year with the under-18s last season and scored the last goal in a Liverpool game played at the club’s former Melwood training ground in November’s victory over Leeds.
#ballboy #liverpool someone give that ballboy a bonus!! pic.twitter.com/8sEAxXiB2N
— THE STANDING MAN (@louismcarr) May 7, 2019
Congratulations, Oakley! ✍️🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 7, 2021
Teenage centre-back Billy Koumetio was also a ball boy on that fateful night at Anfield and last December became the youngest player to represent the Reds in the Champions League.
Alexander-Arnold himself was once deployed in the role during his own academy days.
