Liverpool supporters are currently celebrating their Premier League title win, but they`re also processing a surprising fact about manager Arne Slot`s actual name.
The Reds secured their first league title in five years with a dominant 5-1 victory over Tottenham on Sunday.
Slot has made history by becoming the first manager since Kenny Dalglish in the 1985-86 season to win the title in his debut season at Anfield.
This victory also brings Liverpool level with Manchester United, both now holding 20 top-flight crowns.
Despite being in awe of Slot`s remarkable achievement, fans are equally astonished to only now be learning that “Arne” is merely a nickname.
His full birth name is actually Arend Martijn Slot.
Arend, a name meaning “Eagle”, is not commonly used even in his native Netherlands.
The name was inherited from his father.
Liverpool fan Paul Senior was among those who decided it was time for this fact about the former Feyenoord boss`s real name to reach a wider audience.
With the title virtually secured for weeks, the biggest surprise for many supporters turned out to be the revelation about Slot`s actual name.
One fan reacted, “Not sure I`ll ever recover.”
Another commented: “Mad when you find out the managers name isn’t actually Arne.”
A third supporter remarked: “I need to sit down.”
And in a humorous comparison to a former Reds goalkeeper, one user posted: “Like finding out Pepe Reina’s name was Jose the whole time.”
Many fans expressed disbelief that they had been unaware of Arne, or rather Arend, for so long.
One person stated: “No way I just found this out.”
Another playfully suggested it was a cunning plan by the manager, who has become an instant legend at Anfield due to his title success.
They wrote: “Disguised his real name as he managed @LFC winning the league. Slick Slot. Love it.”
Marcus Bellamy