Philippe Coutinho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho with Brazil in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Philippe Coutinho Correia
Date of birth	(1992-06-12) 12 June 1992 (age 33)
Place of birth	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, left winger
Team information
Current team	Vasco da Gama
Number	10
Youth career
0000–2008	Vasco da Gama
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2013	Inter Milan	28	(3)
2008–2010	→ Vasco da Gama (loan)	36	(4)
2012	→ Espanyol (loan)	16	(5)
2013–2018	Liverpool	152	(41)
2018–2022	Barcelona	76	(17)
2019–2020	→ Bayern Munich (loan)	23	(8)
2022	→ Aston Villa (loan)	19	(5)
2022–2025	Aston Villa	22	(1)
2023–2024	→ Al-Duhail (loan)	16	(3)
2024–2025	→ Vasco da Gama (loan)	31	(5)
2025–	Vasco da Gama	1	(0)
International career
2009	Brazil U17	3	(0)
2011	Brazil U20	7	(3)
2010–2022	Brazil	68	(21)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Brazil Copa América Winner 2019 Brazil FIFA U-20 World Cup Winner 2011 Colombia South American U-17 Championship Winner 2009 Chile
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:30, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

Philippe Coutinho Correia (born 12 June 1992) is a Brazilian professional footballer. He plays as an attacking midfielder or left winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Vasco da Gama. He is known for his amazing vision, great passes, and fantastic dribbling skills. He can also score incredible curling long-range shots.

Coutinho showed incredible talent from a young age. He grew up playing in the youth system of Vasco da Gama. In 2008, he signed with Serie A club Inter Milan. He was loaned back to Vasco for two years, where he became a very important player. He made his debut for Inter Milan in 2010. Later, he was loaned to La Liga club Espanyol in 2012.

In January 2013, Coutinho joined Premier League club Liverpool. He became a star player there. He was even named in the PFA Team of the Year in 2015. Liverpool fans and players voted him their best player in 2015 and 2016. In January 2018, Coutinho moved to Barcelona. He won two La Liga titles with them. He was then loaned to German club Bayern Munich for the 2019–20 season. There, he helped the team win a "treble" of major trophies: the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Champions League. He later went on loan to Aston Villa in January 2022, and then signed with them permanently.

Coutinho first played for the senior Brazil national team in 2010. He was part of the squad for the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario in 2016. He played in his first FIFA World Cup in 2018, scoring two goals. He also helped Brazil win the 2019 Copa América when it was held in their home country.

Early Life and Football Start

Philippe Coutinho was born on June 12, 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is the youngest of three sons. He grew up in a part of Rio called Rocha.

When he was a child, Coutinho was quite shy. He started playing football after watching his older brothers, Cristiano and Leandro, play with their friends. They played on a local concrete pitch. He also played futsal, which is a type of indoor football. He said futsal helped him become a better player. Coutinho became very good at street football, learning to be skillful and creative. A friend's grandmother encouraged him to join a local football academy. Soon, coaches from Vasco da Gama saw him play. He joined their youth team after a trial.

Club Career Journey

Starting at Vasco da Gama

Coutinho was excellent in Vasco da Gama's youth system. He was quickly called up to Brazil's under-14 national team. In July 2008, when he was just 16, he signed with the Italian club Inter Milan for €4 million. However, FIFA rules meant he couldn't move to another country until he was 18. So, he stayed at Vasco on loan for two more years. Even though he was young, he became a regular first-team player. In 2009, he played 12 league games as Vasco won the Série B title. This meant they were promoted to Brazil's top league. In 2010, he played 31 games and scored 5 goals. He was a key player for the team.

Time at Inter Milan

2010–11 Season

Coutinho with Inter Milan in 2011

Coutinho officially moved to Inter Milan in July 2010, after his 18th birthday. The new manager, Rafael Benítez, said Coutinho was "the future of Inter." On August 27, Coutinho made his debut for Inter. He came on as a substitute in a match against Atlético Madrid. He later played a big part in a 3–2 win against Bayern Munich in the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League. This win helped Inter reach the quarter-finals.

On May 8, 2011, Coutinho scored his first goal for Inter. It was a fantastic free kick that curled into the net during a 3–1 win against Fiorentina. His second goal came in November 2011 against Cagliari. He scored after getting a pass from his teammate Ricky Álvarez.

2011–2013: Loan to Espanyol and Return

During the 2011–12 season, Coutinho found it hard to get regular playing time at Inter. So, he joined Spanish club Espanyol on loan on January 30, 2012. He stayed there until the end of the season. He made his debut on February 4 in a 3–3 draw. The next month, he scored two goals in a 5–1 win against Rayo Vallecano. He scored 5 goals in 16 games during his loan. After that, he returned to Inter.

When he came back to Inter, Coutinho still struggled to play regularly. He only made 10 league appearances and scored one goal in the 2012–13 season.

Becoming a Star at Liverpool

2012–13 Season

Coutinho playing for Liverpool in 2013

On January 26, 2013, Premier League club Liverpool agreed to pay £8.5 million to Inter Milan for Coutinho. He had to pass a medical exam and get a work permit. Another club, Southampton, was also interested, but Coutinho wanted to join Liverpool. On January 30, Liverpool officially signed him to a long-term contract. A former director at Liverpool, Damien Comolli, later said that former Inter manager Rafael Benítez had told Liverpool that Coutinho would be "world class."

Coutinho played his first game for Liverpool on February 11, 2013. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 loss. On February 17, he scored his first goal for Liverpool in his first full start. It was a 5–0 home win against Swansea City. In March, he helped Liverpool score two goals in a 4–0 win against Wigan Athletic. He also scored a goal against Southampton and made an assist against Aston Villa. He was named Liverpool's Player of the Month for March.

Towards the end of April 2013, he was named man of the match in Liverpool's 6–0 win over Newcastle United. He made two assists in that game. Coutinho scored Liverpool's last goal of the season against Queens Park Rangers. He finished the 2012–13 season with three goals in 13 league games for Liverpool.

2013–14 Season

Coutinho started the 2013–14 season well. However, he injured his shoulder in September 2013. He returned to the starting team in November. On November 23, Coutinho scored the first goal in the Merseyside derby against Everton in the very first minute. On April 13, 2014, Coutinho scored the winning goal in a 3–2 win against Manchester City. This result put Liverpool seven points ahead in the league. However, Manchester City eventually won the title, and Liverpool finished second.

During this season, Coutinho often played in central midfield. People praised his long and accurate passes, his dribbling, and his creative play. He helped set up goals for strikers Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge. Coutinho played 37 games and scored 5 goals for Liverpool in this season.

2014–15 Season

Coutinho playing for Liverpool in 2015

On August 17, 2014, Coutinho started in Liverpool's first match of the 2014–15 season. He made his first assist of the season in a League Cup win against Swansea City. He helped Dejan Lovren score the winning goal. Coutinho scored his first goal of the season in October in a 3–2 win against Queens Park Rangers.

Coutinho signed a new contract with Liverpool on February 3, 2015. This kept him at the club until June 2020. On April 26, he was the only Liverpool player chosen for the PFA Team of the Year. He was also named Liverpool's Player of the Season on May 19.

2015–16 Season

On August 9, 2015, Coutinho scored the winning goal in the 86th minute. It was a curling shot from 25 yards out against Stoke City. He was sent off in August in a 3–0 loss to West Ham United. On October 31, he scored two goals for Liverpool for the first time. Both were long-range shots in a 3–1 win against Chelsea. In November, he scored in a 4–1 win against Manchester City. This was the first time he scored in three league matches in a row.

On January 5, 2016, Coutinho got a hamstring injury. This kept him out for five weeks. He returned on February 9 and scored a goal against West Ham United in the 2015–16 FA Cup. In the 2016 League Cup final on February 28, Coutinho scored an equalizing goal against Manchester City. However, Liverpool lost in the penalty shoot-out. On March 17, Coutinho scored Liverpool's goal in a 1–1 draw with Manchester United. This helped Liverpool reach the quarter-finals of the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League. He also played in Liverpool's 3–1 loss to Sevilla in the 2016 Europa League final.

2016–17 Season

Coutinho scored twice in Liverpool's first game of the 2016–17 Premier League season. It was a 4–3 win against Arsenal. His first goal was a curling free kick from 30 yards. He was voted man of the match for three games in a row. After 11 league matches, Liverpool reached the top of the table. Coutinho played a very important role in this. On November 26, Coutinho injured his ankle ligaments. He missed six weeks of play.

In January 2017, Coutinho signed a new five-year contract with Liverpool. This contract did not have a release clause. He was named man of the match on April 1, 2017, in a 3–1 win over Everton. He scored and assisted a goal in that game. Coutinho became the Brazilian player with the most goals in Premier League history. He scored his 30th Premier League goal in a win against Stoke City.

2017–18 Season

Coutinho playing for Liverpool in 2017

In August 2017, Liverpool turned down a £72 million offer from Barcelona for Coutinho. He then asked to leave the club. Barcelona made two more offers, but Liverpool rejected them. Coutinho made his first appearance of the 2017–18 season for Liverpool on September 13. He came on as a substitute in a Champions League match. He scored his first goal of the 2017–18 Premier League season on September 23. It was in a 3–2 win against Leicester City.

On December 6, Coutinho was the captain for Liverpool for the first time. This was in a 7–0 home win against Spartak Moscow in the Champions League. He scored his first hat-trick for the club in this game. His second goal was his 50th goal for Liverpool in all competitions. Later that month, he scored in a 4–0 win over AFC Bournemouth. On December 26, he captained Liverpool in his 200th game for the club. He scored once and made an assist in a 5–0 win over Swansea City.

Coutinho played his last game for Liverpool on December 30, 2017. He played well in a 2–1 win against Leicester City. He left Liverpool having scored 12 goals and made nine assists in 20 games during the 2017–18 season.

Moving to Barcelona

2018–2019: Winning Titles

Coutinho playing for Barcelona in 2018

On January 6, 2018, Liverpool confirmed that they had agreed to transfer Coutinho to Barcelona. The transfer fee was reported to be around £105 million, potentially rising to £142 million. During his medical exam, it was found he had a thigh injury. This meant he would be out for three weeks. Coutinho made his debut on January 25 in a cup match against Espanyol. He came on as a substitute. On February 8, he scored his first Barcelona goal against Valencia. He scored just four minutes after coming on as a substitute.

On October 28, 2018, Coutinho scored his first goal in El Clásico (a big match against Real Madrid). Barcelona won 5–1. He scored his first Champions League goal with Barcelona on October 4 in a 4–2 win against Tottenham Hotspur. On April 16, 2019, Coutinho scored a goal in a 3–0 win over Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals. He celebrated by putting his fingers in his ears. This was a response to some criticism from fans. Former Barcelona player Rivaldo said it "was not a good gesture." However, Coutinho won his second La Liga title with Barcelona in the 2018–19 season. He played 54 games and scored 11 goals that season.

2019–2021: Loan to Bayern Munich and Return

On August 19, 2019, Coutinho joined German club Bayern Munich on loan for the 2019–20 season. Bayern paid a loan fee and Coutinho's wages. He made his debut on August 24. On September 21, he scored his first goal for Bayern in a 4–0 win. Coutinho said he was happy at Bayern Munich. He scored his first hat-trick for Bayern Munich on December 14 in a 6–1 win. On August 14, 2020, Coutinho came on as a substitute in a Champions League quarter-final match against his parent club, Barcelona. He assisted a goal and then scored two goals himself. Bayern won the match 8–2. Coutinho also played as a substitute in the 2020 Champions League final. Bayern beat Paris Saint-Germain 1–0. This win completed Bayern's second "treble" of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League titles.

Coutinho returned to Barcelona after his loan. On October 4, 2020, he scored his first goal of the 2020–21 season in a 1–1 draw. On December 29, he suffered a knee injury. This injury meant he missed the rest of the season.

Time at Aston Villa

On January 7, 2022, Coutinho joined Premier League club Aston Villa on loan. He reunited with his former Liverpool teammate, Steven Gerrard, who was Aston Villa's manager. Coutinho made his debut on January 15. He came on as a substitute and scored the equalizing goal in a 2–2 draw against Manchester United. On May 12, 2022, Coutinho signed permanently for Aston Villa for about £17 million. He signed a four-year contract.

Loan to Al-Duhail

On September 8, 2023, Coutinho joined Qatar Stars League club Al-Duhail on loan for the 2023–24 season. On September 28, 2023, Coutinho scored in his first game in Qatari football. It was a 2–1 win.

Return to Vasco da Gama

On July 10, 2024, Coutinho returned to his boyhood club, Vasco da Gama, on a season-long loan. He left Aston Villa to join Vasco da Gama permanently on July 4, 2025. This was a free transfer after Aston Villa ended his contract.

International Career with Brazil

Coutinho with the Brazil national under-15 team in 2007

Coutinho played for Brazil's youth teams from the under-14 level upwards. He was a key player in the Brazil team that won the 2009 South American U-17 Championship. He scored three goals in that tournament.

The 18-year-old made his debut for the Brazil national team on October 7, 2010. He started in a friendly match against Iran. He was not chosen for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In August 2014, new Brazil manager Dunga called Coutinho up for friendly matches. On March 29, 2015, he started in Brazil's 1–0 win over Chile. Coutinho was part of Brazil's squad for the 2015 Copa América. He scored his first international goal on June 7 in a 2–0 friendly win against Mexico.

In May 2016, Coutinho was in Brazil's squad for the Copa América Centenario. On June 8, he scored three goals (a hat-trick) in a 7–1 win against Haiti. Brazil did not get past the group stage in that tournament. On March 28, 2017, Coutinho scored in a 3–0 win against Paraguay. This win made sure Brazil qualified for the 2018 World Cup.

Coutinho was named in the Brazil squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. On June 17, 2018, he scored in his World Cup debut. It was a curling shot from outside the penalty area in Brazil's 1–1 draw with Switzerland. In the next match against Costa Rica on June 22, he scored the first goal in injury time. Brazil won 2–0, and he was named man of the match. On July 6, he assisted a goal in a 2–1 loss to Belgium. Brazil was knocked out of the World Cup.

In May 2019, Coutinho was in Brazil's squad for the 2019 Copa América. He played his 50th game for Brazil in the first match of the tournament. He scored twice in a 3–0 win over Bolivia. He played in Brazil's 3–1 win over Peru in the final on July 7. This helped Brazil win their first major trophy in 12 years.

Coutinho missed the 2021 Copa América due to a knee injury. He returned to the national team in early 2022 for World Cup qualifiers. He scored against Paraguay and Chile. However, on November 6, it was announced that he had a muscle injury. This injury meant he could not play in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

How Coutinho Plays

Coutinho is seen as a classic Brazilian number 10, which means he is a very creative player. He can play as an attacking midfielder, a second striker, or even as a central midfielder. He can also play as a winger on the side of the field. He is great at setting up goals for his teammates.

Because of his amazing dribbling skills, speed, and quickness, he has been compared to famous players like Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho. His former manager, Mauricio Pochettino, said Coutinho "has a special magic in his feet." Former Brazilian striker Careca also compared Coutinho to Zico because of his creativity. His Liverpool teammates also praised him a lot.

Liverpool fans gave Coutinho the nickname "Little Magician" because of his excellent vision and passing. They also called him "The Kid" because of his early talent. Even though he is naturally right-footed, Coutinho can play well with both feet. He can shoot the ball very powerfully from far away. He often scores by curling shots with his right foot from outside the penalty area. He especially likes to cut in from the left side and place the ball into the top corner of the goal. His former Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp, compared him to Alessandro Del Piero because of this. He is also very good at taking free kicks.

Personal Life

When Coutinho moved to Italy at age 18 to join Inter Milan, his parents and his girlfriend, Ainê, went with him. He had met Ainê at a friend's party. When he moved to Espanyol, his parents returned to Brazil. He married Ainê in 2012 in Brazil. They have two daughters and one son. Coutinho has tattoos on his arms that honor his family and his wife. He is a Christian.

In February 2018, Coutinho's Barcelona home was burgled. He had been out to dinner with his family. There was construction work happening at his house, which made it easier for the burglars to get in.

In August 2018, Coutinho received a Portuguese passport through his wife. This meant he was no longer considered a non-EU player in European football.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Coutinho goal

List of international goals scored by Philippe Coutinho

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	7 June 2015	Allianz Parque, São Paulo, Brazil	7	Mexico	1–0	2–0	Friendly
2	8 June 2016	Camping World Stadium, Orlando, United States	16	Haiti	1–0	7–1	Copa América Centenario
3					2–0
4					7–1
5	6 October 2016	Arena das Dunas, Natal, Brazil	20	Bolivia	2–0	5–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
6	10 November 2016	Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil	22	Argentina	1–0	3–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	28 March 2017	Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil	25	Paraguay	1–0	3–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
8	31 August 2017	Arena do Grêmio, Porto Alegre, Brazil	28	Ecuador	2–0	2–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
9	23 March 2018	Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia	33	Russia	2–0	3–0	Friendly
10	10 June 2018	Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria	36	Austria	3–0	3–0	Friendly
11	17 June 2018	Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don, Russia	37	Switzerland	1–0	1–1	2018 FIFA World Cup
12	22 June 2018	Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia	38	Costa Rica	1–0	2–0	2018 FIFA World Cup
13	11 September 2018	FedExField, Landover, United States	43	El Salvador	3–0	5–0	Friendly
14	9 June 2019	Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil	49	Honduras	3–0	7–0	Friendly
15	14 June 2019	Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil	50	Bolivia	1–0	3–0	2019 Copa América
16					2–0
17	19 November 2019	Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	61	South Korea	2–0	3–0	Friendly
18	9 October 2020	Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil	62	Bolivia	5–0	5–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
19	1 February 2022	Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil	65	Paraguay	2–0	4–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
20	24 March 2022	Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	66	Chile	3–0	4–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
21	2 June 2022	Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea	68	South Korea	4–1	5–1	Friendly

Honours and Awards

Coutinho has won many trophies and awards throughout his career:

Vasco da Gama

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série B: 2009

Inter Milan

• Supercoppa Italiana: 2010

Liverpool

• Football League Cup runner-up: 2015–16
• UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2015–16

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2017–18, 2018–19
• Copa del Rey: 2017–18; runner-up: 2018–19
• Supercopa de España: 2018

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 2019–20
• DFB-Pokal: 2019–20
• UEFA Champions League: 2019–20

Brazil Youth Teams

• South American U-17 Championship: 2009 (with Brazil U17)
• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2011 (with Brazil U20)

Brazil National Team

• Copa América: 2019

Individual Awards

• PFA Team of the Year: 2014–15 Premier League
• UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2015–16
• Liverpool Fans' Player of the Season Award: 2014–15, 2015–16
• Liverpool Players' Player of the Season Award: 2014–15, 2015–16
• Liverpool Goal of the Season: 2014–15, 2015–16
• Liverpool Performance of the Season: 2014–15, 2015–16
• Premier League Player of the Year by Northwest Football Awards: 2016
• Samba Gold Award (Samba d'Or): 2016
• Football Supporters' Federation Player of the Year: 2016
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2018
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2018
• Bundesliga Goal of the Month: December 2019

See also

In Spanish: Philippe Coutinho para niños