Just before the Covid pandemic closed down the world in March, a young Donegal schoolboy stole its heart.
Daragh Curley wrote a personal letter to Liverpool FC asking them to stop winning games has been left stunned after receiving a letter back from Jurgen Klopp.
Glenswilly schoolboy Daragh penned the letter in late January to the German manager as part of a school project.
But the last thing the 10-year-old Manchester Utd fan was expecting was a lengthy reply from the world-famous manager.
Daragh’s mum Tricia was at their local post office, McFaddens in Glenswilly, when they told her they had a registered letter for her son.
When Daragh opened the letter he found a personally-signed letter from Klopp explaining why millions of Liverpool fans around the world would not like his team to lose games.
In the letter, the Glenswilly National School pupil asked the Liverpool manager to take it easy on other teams.
He wrote “Liverpool are winning too many games. If you win 9 more games then you have the best unbeaten run in English football. Being a United fan that is very sad.
Man Utd fan Daragh Curley and his brother Dylan with his letter from Jurgen Klopp. (North West Newspix)
“So the next time Liverpool plan please make them lose. You should just let the other team score. I hope I have convinced you to not win the league or any other match again.”
Daragh’s dad, well-known local solicitor and self-confessed Man Utd fan Gordon Curley told Donegal Daily he was equally as stunned by the personal letter.
He said “I’m obviously a Man Utd fan but I have to say I really admire Klopp. What I really liked about the letter to Daragh was that it was personal.
“You could tell by the language that he was using German phrases and that it was a personal response.
“Daragh couldn’t believe it and it was great to be able to bring it into the school and show his teachers and all his friends.”
In the letter back to Daragh, Klopp said he noted Daragh did not send him good luck but he was always delighted to hear from young football fans!
However, he wrote “Unfortunately, on this occasion, I cannot grant your request, not through choice anyway. As much as you want Liverpool to lose it is my job to do everything that I can to help Liverpool to win as there are millions of people around the world who want that to happen so I really do not want to let them down.
“Luckily for you, we have lost games in the past and we will lose games in the future because that is football.
“The problem is when you are ten years old you think that things will always be as they are now but if there is one thing I can tell you as 52 years old it is that this most definitely isn’t the case.”
Klopp also praised Daragh for his passion for football and said that was the best thing for him to have.
He added “Having read your letter, though, I think I can safely say that one thing that will not change is your passion for football and for your club. Manchester United are lucky to have you.
“I hope that if we are lucky enough to win more games and maybe even lift some more trophies you will not be too disappointed because although our clubs are great rivals we also share a great respect for one another.
“This, to me, is what football is all about. Take care and good luck, Jurgen.”
The story, which first appeared on Donegal Daily, turned Daragh into an overnight celebrity and he even appeared on the Late Late Show alongside Roy Keane.
He left Roy gobsmacked when he told him he wanted to play rugby rather than soccer.
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