Adrian kept fit by training alone with semi-professional side Union Deportiva Pilas as he waited for the phone to ring. Friends he’d played with for Betis B in the Spanish lower leagues were already out of football.

“I love football at that level,” he says. “The groups with the Andalusian teams are very strong. It might be humble and the crowds might be one or two thousand but the passion of those fans is special. We’d go to places like [the Spanish African enclaves] Ceuta and Melia. Or to Linense [on the border with Gibraltar] or San Fernando in Cadiz. They all wanted to beat us because we were Betis B – it was their game of the season.”

Adrian took his time to rise from Spain’s regional third tier. Serious injury including a ruptured cruciate ligament didn’t help, but at 25 Adrian was a B team goalkeeper – by that point the team’s oldest player.

Adrian got his chance near the start of the 2012-13 when Betis’ goalkeeper Casto was sent off. His team were so bad that day that they lost 4-0 at Andalusian neighbours Malaga. Adrian was named man of the match, kept his place and spent a promising seven months in the first team.

West Ham were attracted to him the following summer and a year after playing for Betis B in front of crowds of 1,200, he was playing for the Hammers. He was signed as the second-choice goalkeeper but made his debut away at Manchester United in front of 76,000. West Ham lost, but Adrian would become the Hammers’ first-choice goalkeeper for the best part of four years and 150 games.

By 2018-19 he’d lost his place and his contract wasn’t renewed but he carried on training alone just in case.

“I wanted to be ready if the opportunity came to sign for a club,” he says. “There was some interest and even a few offers, but then I had a call to say that Liverpool were interested. I was told that they had sold Simon [Mignolet] and that they wanted me. I told my agent not to talk to the other clubs as I wanted to play for the team I’d watched win the Champions League. Talks moved quickly and Liverpool sent me an offer. Within two days I’d agreed to it, went to take my medical and passed it.”

The reputation of Spanish goalkeepers is high.

“Casillas, Victor Valdes, David de Gea and Kepa in recent years, it’s a very high level,” he says. “We’re modern goalkeepers who can play with our feet and support the team. I had an excellent goalkeeping coach at Betis, Jose Ramon Esnaola – he won his only trophy in football stopping penalties in a cup final.”

Adrian started training with Liverpool’s first team.

Adrian was bought as the understudy to Alisson, the Brazilian who’d kept 21 clean sheets in the league last season. A calf injury to Alisson in the opening league game at Norwich saw Adrian brought off the bench in the first half.

“He was unlucky with that injury but that happens in football – I know from my own experiences,” he says. “I played and then five days later played in the Uefa Super Cup final in Istanbul, a city where Liverpool had a great history. Eighty per cent of the fans wore red. It was very hot out there and the game went to extra time and then penalties. It’s not easy to adapt straight away at a new club, but I had no choice.”

Liverpool won on penalties against Chelsea, with Adrian making the key save from Tammy Abraham as they won 7-6.

“Incredible,” he says. “It was like a dream, but I felt in control at all times. We celebrated like crazy and then I slept with the trophy in my room, covered by a Spanish flag.”

Klopp called him “Rocky” on TV, which the Spaniard loved. It was Adrian’s first major trophy in football and he’s enjoying living in Liverpool.

“It’s very different to London, football is bigger deal here,” he says. “There are similarities with my home city of Seville, with two big teams. Our ambition is to win the Premier League this season.”

Liverpool have won all five of their games so far, with Adrian five times victorious. A year which started badly has already gone beyond his wildest expectations.