Mohamed Salah has had the biggest influence on Ngumoha’s developing career, with the Egyptian using his final months at Liverpool to challenge the youngster to improve his end product.
The 18-year-old recalled how Salah encouraged him to turn his ability into more goals and assists as he looks to establish himself at Anfield.
“The player who I probably learned the most from is Mohamed Salah, when he was at Liverpool,” Ngumoha said.
“He taught me a lot, especially towards the back end when he knew he was leaving. He helped me a lot.
“Like he always says about looking at his numbers and he was always telling me: ‘Rio, you know you're a good player but to reach the top, you have to add the goals and assists’.
“And it will come naturally but he was just going through little things like that [with me].”
The advice remains particularly relevant for Ngumoha, who has made 35 senior appearances for Liverpool but has scored twice and registered one assist.
He became the youngest scorer in Anfield history when he struck a 100th-minute winner in Liverpool’s 3-2 victory over Newcastle United in August 2025, aged 16 years and 361 days.
“When he first started [talking to me], it was like: ‘Wow! I've been watching you since I was young and you're telling me how to [improve]. Like, you're helping me and you're guiding me.’
“But then over time, I saw him as a very good team-mate and he was helping me a lot, so I can thank him much more.”
Ngumoha has also begun making his mark with England, becoming the third-youngest player to appear in a competitive international for the Three Lions during the 2-0 victory over Czechia.
Only Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney were younger when they reached the milestone.
“I definitely had the confidence to believe I could wear the England shirt at 18.
“Did I think it'd be the first camp? Maybe not. But I definitely knew that I'd be playing one day when I was still pretty young.
“I was ready to go. Once I knew I was coming on, I just had the hunger, the fight, the belief.
“And once I was on the pitch, it was like any game of football really.”
Ngumoha also sees Bellingham and Rooney as examples of players who made an early international impact.
“I think, you know, Jude is 23 and is already probably the best midfielder in the world at this point.
“And he definitely believed that he would play in an England shirt at 17, same as Wayne Rooney, what he did for his club, his country, hopefully I can do the same.
“It's going to be a good journey I think, yes.”