Fabinho (footballer, born 1993) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Fabinho

Fabinho playing for Liverpool in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Fábio Henrique Tavares
Date of birth	(1993-10-23) 23 October 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Campinas, Brazil
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder, centre-back, right-back
Team information
Current team	Al-Ittihad
Number	8
Youth career
0000–2012	Fluminense
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012	Fluminense	0	(0)
2012–2015	Rio Ave	0	(0)
2012–2013	→ Real Madrid Castilla (loan)	30	(2)
2013	→ Real Madrid (loan)	1	(0)
2013–2015	→ Monaco (loan)	62	(1)
2015–2018	Monaco	105	(22)
2018–2023	Liverpool	151	(8)
2023–	Al-Ittihad	51	(3)
International career‡
2015–2016	Brazil U23	3	(0)
2015–	Brazil	29	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Brazil Copa América Runner-up 2021 Brazil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:06, 26 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 December 2022

Fábio Henrique Tavares (born October 23, 1993), known as Fabinho, is a professional footballer from Brazil. He plays as a defensive midfielder for the Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. He also plays for the Brazil national team. Fabinho is a very flexible player. He can also play as a right-back or a centre-back.

Fabinho started his football journey at Fluminense in Brazil. He then moved to Rio Ave in Portugal in 2012. While with Rio Ave, he was loaned out to other clubs. He played for Real Madrid Castilla and even made one appearance for the main Real Madrid team. He spent five years playing for Monaco, where he played 233 games and scored 31 goals. He helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 title in the 2016–17 season.

After his success at Monaco, Fabinho joined Liverpool in 2018. He quickly became a key player for them. In his first season, he helped Liverpool win the UEFA Champions League. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Fabinho played a big part in Liverpool winning the 2019–20 Premier League title. He also won the FA Cup and EFL Cup with Liverpool in the 2021–22 season. The next season, he won the FA Community Shield. Many people give Fabinho credit for Liverpool's great success during those years. In 2023, Fabinho moved to the Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.

Fabinho first played for the Brazil national team in 2015. He was part of their squads for the Copa América tournaments in 2015, 2016, and 2021. Brazil finished second in the 2021 tournament. Fabinho was also chosen for Brazil's team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Brazil reached the quarter-finals in that tournament.

Fabinho's Early Life

Fabinho was born in Campinas, a city in São Paulo, Brazil. His parents are Joao Roberto Tavares and Rosangela Tavares.

Fabinho's Club Career

Starting His Football Journey

Fabinho began his football career at Fluminense in Brazil. He was called up to the main team once in 2012 but did not play. On June 8, 2012, Fabinho signed a six-year contract with Rio Ave, a club in Portugal. When he arrived, his new manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, welcomed him. Fabinho later said that his friend and fellow footballer Deco had told him what to expect in Portugal.

After only one month at Rio Ave, Fabinho joined Real Madrid Castilla on loan on July 19, 2012. This is Real Madrid's reserve team. He made his first professional appearance on August 17, playing a full game for Real Madrid Castilla. On April 28, 2013, he scored his first goal, which was an equalizer in a 3-3 draw. Fabinho made his debut for the main Real Madrid team on May 8, 2013. He played for 14 minutes and helped set up a goal in a big 6-2 win. Experts praised Fabinho for being "assured and polished" in his play.

Time at Monaco

Joining Monaco and First Steps

Fabinho playing for Monaco in 2014.

On July 19, 2013, Fabinho joined Monaco from Rio Ave on a loan deal for one season. Fabinho chose Monaco because he believed he would get to play regularly there. He also knew Monaco was a very important club. He decided this even though coaches at Real Madrid Castilla thought he had a good chance to join their main team. Fabinho wore the number 2 shirt. He played his first game for Monaco on August 10, 2013, helping them win 2-0. He scored his first goal for Monaco on March 26, 2014, in a big 6-0 win in a cup match.

After his first loan year, he rejoined Monaco for another year on July 2, 2014. On December 9, 2014, he scored a goal in a UEFA Champions League match against Zenit St Petersburg. This goal helped Monaco win 2-0 and finish first in their group.

Winning the Ligue 1 Title

On May 19, 2015, Fabinho officially joined Monaco permanently after two loan seasons. He signed a contract to stay with the club until 2019. On March 20, 2016, Fabinho won a penalty kick and scored it. This helped Monaco win 2-0 against Paris Saint-Germain. It was PSG's first home loss in a long time.

On February 21, 2017, Fabinho set up two goals in a Champions League match against Manchester City. Monaco lost that game 5-3. On March 15, he scored a goal himself in the return match, helping Monaco beat Manchester City 3-1. This win meant Monaco moved on to the next round because of the away goals rule. After Monaco won the Ligue 1 title in 2016–2017, many big clubs, like Manchester United, tried to sign Fabinho. Fabinho and other Monaco players dyed their hair red and white to celebrate their championship win.

Time at Liverpool

Winning the Champions League in 2019

On May 28, 2018, Premier League club Liverpool announced that Fabinho would join them. He signed a long-term contract. The transfer fee was about £39 million. This news came just days after Liverpool lost to Real Madrid in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final. Fabinho became one of the most expensive Brazilian footballers ever. Many thought he would replace Liverpool midfielder Emre Can. Fabinho chose to wear the number 3 shirt. He said he was "really excited" to join "a giant of a team." He felt that Liverpool was "at the start of something really special."

His first game for Liverpool was on September 18, 2018. He came on as a substitute in a Champions League group match against Paris Saint-Germain, which Liverpool won 3-2. He played his first league game on October 20 in a 1-0 win. A week later, he started his first league game and played very well. On December 16, Fabinho made his first assist for Liverpool, helping Sadio Mané score in a 3-1 win against Manchester United. On December 26, Fabinho scored his first goal for Liverpool with a header in a 4-0 win.

On January 7, 2019, Fabinho played as a centre-back in an FA Cup match. He played in this position again on January 12 and received a lot of praise. His manager, Jurgen Klopp, said Fabinho was a "new centre-back option." On May 7, 2019, Fabinho played an amazing game as Liverpool came back from a three-goal deficit to beat Barcelona 4-0 in the Champions League semi-finals. This win sent them to the final. Fabinho made many tackles and won the ball back often. Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher praised Fabinho's "exquisite" tackle on Messi. Fabinho called this game the "biggest match" of his life. On June 1, Fabinho started in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur. He played the whole game as Liverpool won their sixth Champions League title. This was Fabinho's first trophy with the club.

Winning the Super Cup and Premier League

Fabinho playing for Liverpool in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup.

Fabinho played in the 2019 FA Community Shield, where Liverpool finished as runners-up after a penalty shootout. On August 14, 2019, Fabinho played the full game in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea. He scored Liverpool's second penalty in the shootout, helping them win 5-4 after the game ended 2-2. On October 27, fans praised his performance in a 2-1 win against Tottenham. Fabinho scored his first goal of the season on November 10 against Manchester City with a powerful long-range shot in a 3-1 win.

On November 27, 2019, Fabinho got an ankle injury during a Champions League match. He had to leave the game early. The club announced that he would be out until early 2020. On December 21, 2019, Fabinho won the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup after Liverpool beat Flamengo in the final. On June 24, 2020, Fabinho scored another long-range goal from over thirty yards in a win against Crystal Palace. A journalist called him a "complete operator." In the same game, he made a brilliant pass for Mohamed Salah to score. On June 25, 2020, Liverpool won the 2019–20 Premier League title after Manchester City lost to Chelsea. Fabinho played a very important role in Liverpool's Premier League win that season.

100th Appearance and More Success

Fabinho started for Liverpool in the 2020 FA Community Shield, where he scored in the penalty shootout, but Liverpool lost. During the 2020–21 season, Fabinho often had to play as a centre-back. This was because many of Liverpool's main defenders were injured, including Virgil van Dijk. On September 20, 2020, Fabinho was highly praised for his performance in a 2-0 win against Chelsea. He made more passes and won possession more times than any other player. In a Champions League game on October 21, 2020, Fabinho made an amazing overhead kick clearance off the goal-line. This helped Liverpool keep a clean sheet in their 1-0 win. Fans voted him man of the match. His manager, Jurgen Klopp, said Fabinho "actually" enjoyed playing in that position.

In December 2020, he played his 100th game for Liverpool. On December 30, 2020, Fabinho was named in a football expert's Premier League team of the year. He was the top Liverpool player for tackles and interceptions in Premier League games in 2020. On August 3, 2021, Fabinho signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool until 2026. He received a big pay raise because of his great performances and contributions to Liverpool's success.

Winning More Trophies

On September 12, 2021, Fabinho scored his first goal of the season against Leeds United in a 3-0 win. On January 9, 2022, Fabinho scored his first goals in the FA Cup, scoring two goals in a 4-1 win. On February 13, 2022, Fabinho scored again against Burnley from a corner kick to win the game. This was his fifth goal in seven games. Liverpool won the FA Cup on May 15, 2022, by beating Chelsea in the final. Fabinho was not in the squad for the final due to an injury. Fabinho also won the EFL Cup in the 2021–22 season. He scored a Panenka-style penalty in the shootout against Chelsea in the final on February 27, 2022.

On May 3, 2022, in the Champions League semi-finals, Fabinho scored a goal against Villarreal. This helped Liverpool reach the final. Fabinho earned a runner-up medal in the Champions League after losing the final to Real Madrid. He was also chosen for the Champions League Team of the Season. Fabinho was praised for his role in Liverpool finishing second in the Premier League, just one point behind Manchester City. The 2021–22 season was Fabinho's best for scoring goals at Liverpool. For his great performances, Fabinho was ranked 14th in the 2022 Ballon d'Or award. Liverpool almost won four major trophies that season, but they finished second in the Premier League and Champions League. They did win the EFL Cup and FA Cup.

Winning the Community Shield

Fabinho playing for Liverpool in a pre-season game before the 2022–23 season.

On July 30, 2022, Fabinho started for Liverpool in their 3-1 win over Manchester City in the 2022 FA Community Shield. Fabinho's performances were criticized by some experts during the 2022–23 season. However, he played much better in the final months of the season. Liverpool went unbeaten in their last nine games. Fabinho was praised for his strong and calm performances in May 2023.

On May 28, Fabinho assisted his teammate Roberto Firmino's last goal for Liverpool in a high-scoring draw. At the end of the 2022–23 season, Liverpool just missed out on qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. In the summer of 2023, Al-Ittihad showed interest in signing Fabinho. On July 15, it was reported that he had left Liverpool's training camp. There were some rumors that his transfer might not happen because of rules about dogs in Saudi Arabia, but these rumors were later proven false.

Joining Al-Ittihad

On July 31, 2023, Fabinho officially joined Al-Ittihad on a three-year contract until 2026. The deal was reportedly worth £40 million. Fabinho joined his former manager Nuno Espírito Santo at the club. Many other famous players also joined Al-Ittihad around the same time, including Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante. Liverpool's manager, Jürgen Klopp, said he would "definitely" miss Fabinho. Some journalists later suggested that Fabinho's departure might be a "big regret" for Liverpool.

On August 14, 2023, Fabinho played his first game for Al-Ittihad. They won 3-0, and he was praised for his performance. A Saudi journalist even gave him a large Rolex watch as a thank you gift.

Fabinho's International Career

Fabinho was chosen for Brazil's 23-man squad for the 2015 Copa América in Chile. He made his debut in a warm-up match against Mexico on June 7, 2015. He came on as a substitute in a 2-0 win. Fabinho did not play in the Copa América tournament itself, as Dani Alves played at right-back. Brazil reached the quarter-finals. Fabinho was also selected for Brazil's Copa América Centenario squad in 2016, but he did not play in any of their matches.

In June 2021, he was included in Brazil's squad for the 2021 Copa América held in Brazil.

On November 7, 2022, Fabinho was named in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He mainly served as a backup player but was praised for his performances during the tournament. Brazil was knocked out in the quarter-finals.

Fabinho's Player Profile

How Fabinho Plays Football

Fabinho is often seen as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. Football expert Gary Neville even said, "Fabinho... is the best." He is a strong and quick player who is good at winning the ball back in the middle of the field. He can also quickly pass the ball to start new attacks. Fabinho can also make long passes to wingers. Sometimes, his role as a defensive midfielder means he drops back to play as a third centre-back. This helps cover for Liverpool's fullbacks, Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Jurgen Klopp said that Fabinho was like "insurance" in midfield. He gave Liverpool the freedom to play their attacking style.

Fabinho's ability to see what's happening on the field and understand the game is excellent. Liverpool's assistant coach, Pepijn Lijnders, and his teammates nicknamed him 'The Lighthouse'. This is because he can see everything on the pitch. A sports journalist said Fabinho's understanding of the game sometimes makes it seem like he can predict the future. Fabinho also completes over 90% of his passes. He has also been called "The Hoover" because he is so good at stopping opposing teams' attacks. His teammate Virgil van Dijk called Fabinho "the spine of the team." Fabinho is also known for scoring powerful long-range goals and being a reliable penalty-kick taker. Fabinho has said that Lionel Messi is the toughest opponent he has ever faced.

What People Think of Fabinho

Many famous football figures have praised Fabinho's skills and achievements. These include Michael Owen, Gary Neville, and Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho called him a "champion with Liverpool and a very important player." Former Arsenal player Thierry Henry said that Fabinho's presence on the field "calms everybody down." Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher believes that Fabinho improved the team's quality because he could both win the ball and use it well. Paul Salt from BBC Radio Merseyside said Fabinho has been "a great servant" to Liverpool. The Guardian newspaper has included him in their list of the best 100 male footballers five times.

Fabinho's Personal Life

Fabinho married Rebeca Tavares in 2015. They had been together since 2013. Rebeca was also a professional footballer. She played as an attacker in Spain. She later signed for AS Monaco FF in January 2018 but stopped playing that same year to support Fabinho when he moved to Liverpool. In July 2022, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. Their son, Israel Tavares, was born in January 2023. Fabinho calls his son his "little Scouser," which is a nickname for people from Liverpool. Fabinho's father passed away in 2021.

Fabinho's teammates often call him 'Flaco', which means 'skinny' in Spanish. Another nickname for him is 'Fab'. He chose to use "Fabinho" on his shirt instead of his full name. This was because his coach at Fluminense's Under 20s team used it to tell him apart from another player named Fábio Braga. His mother also suggested he keep "Fabinho" on his shirt. Fabinho likes to spend time with his Brazilian teammates and friends, Alisson and Roberto Firmino, and other Brazilian players like Ederson and Fred. They often visit each other's homes with their families. Fabinho is Christian and is very popular in Liverpool.

Career statistics

Club

International

Honours

Monaco

• Ligue 1: 2016–17
• Coupe de la Ligue runner-up: 2016–17, 2017–18

Liverpool

• Premier League: 2019–20
• FA Cup: 2021–22
• EFL Cup: 2021–22
• FA Community Shield: 2022
• UEFA Champions League: 2018–19; runner-up: 2021–22
• UEFA Super Cup: 2019
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2019

Al-Ittihad

• Saudi Pro League: 2024–25
• King's Cup: 2024–25

Brazil

• Copa América runner-up: 2021

Individual

• UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2021–22

See also

In Spanish: Fabinho Tavares para niños