The famous Liverpool ball boy who helped Trent Alexander-Arnold take his quick corner in the stunning 2019 Anfield Champions League comeback against Barcelona – now aged 17 – signs his first professional deal at the club
- Oakley Cannonier is a 17-year-old striker rising through Liverpool’s ranks
- Whatever he achieves at Anfield, he already has a place in Liverpool folklore
- Cannonier helped Trent Alexander-Arnold take his quick corner for Divock Origi to score Liverpool’s fourth goal in their remarkable comeback against Barcelona
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.
Origi’s goal was the fourth for Liverpool that night and sent them into the final of the tournament, which they won 2-0 against Tottenham.
Oakley Cannonier, 17, has signed his first ever professional contract with Liverpool
Cannonier already has a place in Liverpool folklore as he was the ballboy who threw Trent Alexander-Arnold the ball for his corner that set up the fourth goal against Barcelona in 2019
Cannonier was alert to the ball going out of play and threw a new one to Alexander-Arnold
On top of being the toast of eagle-eyed Liverpool fans that season, Anfield icon Graeme Souness also credited the-then 14-year-old on the night in 2019 when he was part of Ireland’s Virgin Media’s coverage of the game.
‘Watch this, we will circle him,’ he told viewers. ‘It goes out for a corner. They are following the ball…watch the ballboy here. He is already on the spot.
‘He [Alexander-Arnold] puts it down now. He goes to walk away and he realises there is a few dopes gone to sleep.
‘They have all turned their back on it. That is criminal, criminal for a professional footballer.’
Cannonier poses with Alexander-Arnold, the player who he threw the ball to, back in 2019
Graeme Souness heaped praise on Cannonier’s quick thinking on the night of the game itself
The Liverpool legend didn’t stop there either, calling for the young man to be given two season tickets and a trip to the final for his intervention.
It was reported that Cannonier was told by the club before the match to ensure that balls were thrown quickly back to Liverpool players after going out of play on the night itself.
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.
