Simon Mignolet admits he 'hadn't heard of' Liverpool and Belgium striker Divock Origi

Club and country team-mate was an unknown before World Cup

Despite his inexperience at club and international level, Divock Origi is winning admirers for his performances in Brazil (Getty Images)

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has admitted he had never heard of Belgium striker Divock Origi before he was called into Marc Wilmots' World Cup squad.

Brendan Rodgers spent £10m earlier this summer to bring the 19-year-old to Anfield before sending him back on loan to Lille for the whole of the 2014-15 season.

Origi has started just 14 Ligue 1 matches in his young career and scored five goals last season; though he has already scored one in two matches so far this year.

The teenager also scored an 88th-minute winner for Belgium in the World Cup group match against Russia, allowing Wilmots' squad to reach the knock-out stages.

But after seeing the striker up close in the World Cup, Mignolet is excited about what his future will bring.

"He is a very exciting player and a huge prospect, and he will have one more year with Lille," the goalkeeper told the club website.

"I'm sure that after that he'll play very well for Liverpool. He's got a huge future ahead of him. I wish him all the best this season and hopefully we'll see him soon.

"When we arrived with the Belgium squad, nobody had really heard about him to be honest. He played at Lille but had never been called up for the full squad, just the U21s.

Mignolet says Origi will be a star in the future (GETTY IMAGES)

"Because Christian Benteke was unfortunately injured, we needed a striker - he came in and from the first day in training he showed his ability. In the games, he showed what he was all about."