Cody Gakpo's new nickname for Ibrahima Konate sums up Liverpool defender's resurgence

Liverpool defender has expressed his immense pride at being named captain of the French national team, leading them to a 3-1 victory over Italy and securing top spot in their Nations League group.

His teammate, , even coined a new nickname for him - "Minister of Defence." It comes as Arne Slot's Reds enjoy a two-week break due to international football commitments.

While many squad members are away with their national teams, others are recuperating and preparing for the demanding festive period by France manager Didier Deschamps, after Kylian Mbappe was left out for the second consecutive break.

Following the match, Konate took to Instagram to share his joy, writing: "A huge honor a great victory to close 2024." Gakpo's playful comment was spotted in the responses to the post.

At Anfield, it's usually Reds captain and Konate's regular defensive partner Virgil van Dijk who garners such praise. However, with the rapid development shown by the Frenchman, concerns over the succession plan at the heart of Slot's defence have certainly been alleviated.

Now that France has wrapped up their international duties, Konate will be returning to the AXA Training Centre this week as Liverpool training resumes. Meanwhile, Gakpo, along with Ryan Gravenberch, still have one more international match for the Netherlands on Tuesday evening before they can return.

After a hard-fought victory over Dominik Szoboszlai's Hungary on Saturday, they are well-positioned to reach the quarter-finals. Dutch skipper Virgil van Dijk has returned to Liverpool on medical grounds though and will be assessed ahead of this weekend's game with Southampton.