Street football, Gerrard, fashion: ten things you should know about Curtis Jones | OneFootball

Born in Liverpool on 30 January 2001, Curtis Jones grew up in Toxteth, where he started playing football from a young age. He joined Liverpool’s youth academy at the age of nine, developing into a technically gifted midfielder with strong attacking instincts, impressive ball-carrying ability and an eye for goal. He came through the ranks at the Reds, making his first-team debut shortly before his 18th birthday in an FA Cup match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 7 January 2019. It was a dream come true for a Scouser like Jones: playing at Anfield in a Liverpool shirt and scoring the first goal of his career in a derby against Everton. Over the years, he became an important part of the Reds’ midfield, making 228 appearances and scoring 22 goals while winning two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups, one Community Shield and the 2019 Club World Cup.

HIS ROOTS: TOXTETH AND STREET FOOTBALL

For Jones, football has always been much more than a passion: every opportunity was a chance to head out onto the streets and play with his friends. It was on the streets of Toxteth, the area where he grew up, that Curtis began to hone his technique. As he has explained, playing on asphalt and concrete was fundamental to his development. The game was fast-paced, with no referees, linesmen or VAR to stop play whenever someone went down, so you had to get back up and carry on. His path to the top is similar to that of another Liverpool icon: like Jones, Robbie Fowler also grew up in Toxteth before joining the Reds’ youth academy. Curtis has always looked to Fowler as a source of inspiration on the football pitch: “He was one of the players I watched most as a kid. We grew up in the same area, and he had a great career, scoring a huge number of goals for Liverpool.”

RUNS IN THE FAMILY

Jones’s father was also a footballer, although not at a professional level. He played purely for the love of the game, on the streets or at the local pitches, just as Curtis did as a child. He was the one who passed on his love of football, as well as his mentality, attitude and ability to adapt to different situations and environments in which to play the game, before Curtis joined Liverpool’s youth academy.

STEVEN GERRARD, IDOL AND MENTOR

For a young Scouser who grew up in the 2000s, Steven Gerrard was a hugely influential figure. The legendary Reds captain was one of the greatest midfielders in English football history and a Liverpool icon, lifting the Champions League trophy in 2005. Curtis has said that Gerrard inspired him as a player before eventually becoming his coach in Liverpool’s youth academy. The experience changed his life and allowed him to build a relationship with Gerrard, who remains an idol and mentor to this day.

ENCOUNTERS WITH INTER

Before becoming a Nerazzurro, Curtis had already crossed paths with Inter twice in a Liverpool shirt, both times in the Champions League. The first meeting came on 8 March 2022 in the second leg of the round of 16, when Inter won 0-1 at Anfield thanks to a spectacular strike from Lautaro Martinez, which Curtis described as one of the best shots he has ever seen in person. The more recent encounter came on 9 December 2025 in Milano, where Liverpool won 0-1. Jones said he was mesmerised by the passion of the Nerazzurri fans that he experienced at San Siro that night. A passion and warmth he will soon be able to experience first-hand as he pulls on the Inter shirt.

CURTIS JONES IN THREE WORDS

When asked to choose three words to describe himself, Curtis Jones said exciting, passionate and winner: qualities that define his style of play on the pitch and sum up the new Nerazzurri midfielder’s love for the game.

HIS FAVOURITE GOAL

Curtis Jones has scored 22 goals for Liverpool, but there is one that holds a special place in his heart. It was his final goal for the Reds, scored on the final day of last season’s Premier League campaign at Anfield against Brentford. The goal helped secure Liverpool’s place in the Champions League and was the perfect way to bid farewell to the stadium and fans who had watched him grow and develop.

A PASSION FOR FASHION

Away from the pitch, Curtis Jones has a particular interest in the world of fashion, which he describes as the feeling of being comfortable in the clothes you wear. It reflects his desire to be creative and express his aesthetic side, while also feeling confident in what he wears.

THE ENGLAND NATIONAL TEAM

Curtis Jones is the sixth English player to wear the Inter shirt, joining a list that includes Gerry Hitchens, Paul Ince and Ashley Young, as well as his current teammates John Stones and Djed Spence. With England, Jones won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2023, while he made his senior international debut in 2024, scoring on his first appearance in a Nations League match against Greece. Jones is deeply committed to representing his country and hopes to play his part in writing important new chapters in the history of the Three Lions.

MUSICAL INTERESTS

Music is also among Curtis Jones’s interests away from the pitch. The English midfielder has spoken about listening to a wide range of artists, mentioning Gunna, one of the most prominent names in the US hip-hop and trap scene, as one of his favourites.

THE NERAZZURRI LEGEND

When it comes to his footballing idols from Inter’s history, Curtis Jones didn't think twice before naming Ronaldo Nazário as the Nerazzurri player he admired most. The English midfielder named the Brazilian as his favourite Inter player, highlighting his extraordinary talent, his Ballon d’Or and the unforgettable moments of magic he produced while representing Inter.