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Alex Aljoe received praise for his impressive bilingual post-match interview with Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, switching easily between English and Spanish and translating the Colombian’s comments for viewers at home.
Pundits have sometimes been criticized for their post-match interviews in recent years, such as Jürgen Klopp’s repeated attacks on TNT Sports, or Joey Barton’s criticism of presenters including Eniola Aluko and Gabby Logan.
In the aftermath of Liverpool’s 4-0 victory over Xabi Alonso-led Bayer Leverkusen, who moved to the top of the new Champions League, as well as the top of the Premier League, Aljoe epitomized broadcasting talent from the post-match interview.
Diaz scored a hat-trick as Liverpool scored all four goals in the second half against a team led by the man many saw as Klopp’s rightful successor.
Asking the post-match questions on Amazon Prime, Aljoe presented the English video to the camera before turning to Diaz and repeating the questions in his native Spanish, then translating the answer for viewers in English.
She asked about goals, Liverpool’s position, Diaz’s form in a central role and his need to find the match ball, which had seemingly disappeared.
“Yeah, that’s the most important thing now that I go get that ball because I have to keep it in a special place at home,” Diaz said. “I’m so happy with the three points and the victory.”
Asked about the match, Diaz said: “The manager makes it very clear to us exactly what he wants and he makes our positions on the pitch very clear. The most important thing is the three points in this edition of the Champions League, so that we can continue to progress in the competition.
Changing language mid-question to stay engaged with Diaz, it was an interview that impressed viewers. Many post-game interviews can be stilted with players less comfortable speaking a second language, resulting in shorter, less detailed responses.
Social media users widely praised Aljoe’s skill with questions and called for it to be used more often in Sky Sports’ regular coverage, having previously presented on the news channels.
Laura Woods was behind criticism of former manager Barton when he claimed in December 2023 that women were keeping men out of work. The former Premier League footballer was later also summoned to court over some of his comments, including comparing Aluko and fellow pundit Lucy Ward to serial killers Fred and Rose West.
Barton is not alone in his views, however: former England manager Kevin Keegan has said he doesn’t like listening to women’s pundits talk about the men’s national team.
But Aljoe’s interview and language skills demonstrated after Liverpool’s victory largely overshadowed what many male pundits were able to offer, and viewers responded in kind.
