Roberto Firmino facts for kids
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Firmino with Al-Ahli in 2023
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 2 October 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Maceió, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward, attacking midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Al-Ahli | ||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2008 | CRB | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Figueirense | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Figueirense | 38 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2015 | TSG Hoffenheim | 140 | (38) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2023 | Liverpool | 256 | (82) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Al-Ahli | 49 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2021 | Brazil | 55 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:11, 30 January 2025 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||
Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira (born 2 October 1991) is a Brazilian professional footballer. He plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli, where he is the captain.
Firmino started his career with Figueirense in 2009. He then played for TSG Hoffenheim for four and a half seasons. In the 2013–14 Bundesliga season, he scored 16 goals in 33 games. This earned him the award for the league's Breakthrough Player.
In July 2015, Firmino joined Liverpool. With Liverpool, he won the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League in the 2018–19 season. The next season, he helped them win the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, and the 2019–20 Premier League title. He scored the winning goal in the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup final. He also won the FA Cup and EFL Cup with Liverpool in the 2021–22 season. Many fans consider Firmino a "cult hero" at Liverpool.
In 2023, Firmino left Liverpool after eight years in England. He joined Saudi club Al-Ahli. With Al-Ahli, he won the AFC Champions League Elite in 2025.
Firmino first played for the Brazil national team in November 2014. He played for Brazil in the 2015, 2019, and 2021 Copa América tournaments. Brazil won the 2019 edition. He also played for Brazil in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Early Life and Football Start
Firmino was born in Maceió, Brazil. He grew up near the Estadio Rei Pele. He was a very humble kid who loved football. His father was a street vendor, and his mother was a housewife. He also has a sister.
Firmino started playing for his school team. At 13, he joined the youth team of CRB. He often played as a defensive midfielder or even a defender.
Club Career Journey
Starting Out in Brazil
Firmino joined Figueirense's youth team in 2008 when he was 17. A dentist named Marcellus Portella discovered him. At Figueirense, he mostly played as a defensive midfielder.
He played his first game for the senior team on 24 October 2009. He came on as a substitute in a game against Ponte Preta. Firmino scored his first goal on 8 May 2010. It was the winning goal against São Caetano. He scored eight goals in 36 games that season. This helped Figueirense return to Brazil's top league.
Playing in Germany: Hoffenheim
Firmino signed with TSG Hoffenheim in Germany in December 2010. He officially joined them on 1 January 2011. The Hoffenheim manager was happy to sign such a talented Brazilian player. He played his first game a month later in a Bundesliga match against Mainz 05. He scored his first goal for the club on 16 April, which was the only goal in a win against Eintracht Frankfurt.
In July 2013, a Russian club offered a lot of money for Firmino. But Hoffenheim kept him. In March 2014, he signed a new contract with the club. He finished the 2013–14 Bundesliga season with 16 goals. He was named the league's Breakthrough Player.
Becoming a Star at Liverpool
Joining the Premier League
On 23 June 2015, Firmino agreed to join Premier League club Liverpool. The deal was completed on 4 July. He played his first game for Liverpool on 9 August. He came on as a substitute in a 1–0 win against Stoke City. On 21 November, Firmino scored his first goal for Liverpool. It was in a 4–1 win over Manchester City. This happened after the new manager, Jürgen Klopp, started playing Firmino as a central forward.
In 2016, Firmino's performance got much better. Klopp used him as a "false 9" player, meaning he played up front but also dropped back to help the team. He scored two goals in games against Arsenal and Norwich City. His great play earned him Liverpool's Player of the Month award in January. He ended the season as Liverpool's top scorer in the league with 10 goals.
Champions League Success
Before the 2017–18 season, Firmino changed his shirt number to 9. He scored his first goal of the new season on 12 August. It was a penalty in a 3–3 draw with Watford. On 23 August, he scored against his old club, TSG Hoffenheim, in a Champions League play-off game. Liverpool won and qualified for the main tournament. On 6 December, he scored in a huge 7–0 win over Spartak Moscow in the Champions League.
Firmino, along with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, formed a powerful attacking trio. They were sometimes called the "Fab Three." Firmino was Liverpool's joint top scorer in the Champions League with 11 goals. He was also chosen for the Champions League Squad of the Season. The 2017–18 season was his best for Liverpool, as he scored 27 goals in all competitions.
On 29 April 2018, Firmino signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool. He played in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final, but Liverpool lost to Real Madrid.
Winning Major Trophies
Firmino scored his first goal of the 2018–19 season on 1 September against Leicester City. On 15 September, he scored against Tottenham Hotspur. Three days later, he scored the winning goal in the last moments of a Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain. On 29 December, Firmino scored his first hat-trick for Liverpool in a 5–1 win over Arsenal. On 19 January 2019, he scored Liverpool's 1,000th goal at Anfield in the Premier League era.
On 1 June 2019, Firmino started in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool won the match 2–0, claiming the Champions League title.
On 14 August 2019, Firmino came off the bench in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea. Liverpool won the game after a penalty shoot-out. Firmino set up both goals for Sadio Mané and scored the first penalty. On 31 August, Firmino became the first Brazilian player to score 50 goals in the Premier League.
In December 2019, at the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, Firmino scored the winning goal in the semi-final. He was named man of the match in the final after scoring the winner against Flamengo. Liverpool won the competition for the first time. Firmino also won the 2019–20 Premier League title that season.
Final Years and Departure
On 13 May 2021, he scored two goals in a 4–2 win over Manchester United. On 30 July 2022, Firmino played for Liverpool in their 3–1 win over Manchester City in the 2022 FA Community Shield. Firmino scored his 100th goal for Liverpool on 27 August 2022 in a 9–0 win against AFC Bournemouth. On 5 March 2023, Firmino scored the last goal in Liverpool's historic 7–0 victory against Manchester United.
On 10 March 2023, Liverpool announced that Firmino would leave the club at the end of the season. He decided not to extend his contract. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said he was very grateful for Firmino's impact. Firmino scored a late goal in his last home game for Liverpool at Anfield on 20 May 2023. He also scored in his very last game for Liverpool on 28 May 2023. A mural was painted in Liverpool to honor him. Firmino finished his time at Liverpool as the highest-scoring Brazilian player in the club's history and in the Premier League, with 82 goals.
New Chapter in Saudi Arabia
On 4 July 2023, Firmino joined Saudi Professional League club Al-Ahli. He signed a contract until 2026. On 11 August 2023, Firmino scored three goals in his first game for Al-Ahli against Al-Hazem.
On 3 May 2025, Firmino was part of the Al-Ahli team that won the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite for the first time.
International Career for Brazil
Firmino always dreamed of playing for the national team. On 23 October 2014, he was called up to the Brazil national team for friendly matches. He played his first game on 12 November in a 4–0 win over Turkey. Six days later, he scored his first goal for Brazil in a 2–1 win against Austria.
In May 2015, Firmino was chosen for Brazil's squad for the 2015 Copa América. On 21 June, he scored in a 2–1 win over Venezuela. This helped Brazil qualify for the knockout stage.
In May 2018, he was named in Brazil's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. On 2 July, Firmino scored Brazil's second goal in a 2–0 win over Mexico in the round of 16.
In May 2019, Firmino was included in Brazil's squad for the 2019 Copa América. He played the whole 90 minutes of the 2019 Copa América final against Peru. Brazil won 3–1, lifting their ninth Copa América title.
In June 2021, Firmino was part of Brazil's squad for the 2021 Copa América. He came on as a substitute in the final, where Brazil lost 1–0 to rivals Argentina. Firmino was not included in Brazil's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Playing Style and Skills
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Firmino is known for his great finishing, excellent technical skills, and hard work. At his best, he was considered one of the top strikers in the world.
At Hoffenheim, Firmino mostly played as an attacking midfielder or a second striker. He also played as a forward, winger, or central midfielder. He used his speed, close control, and vision in all these roles. At Liverpool, manager Jürgen Klopp often used him as a "False 9." This means he played as a striker but also dropped deeper to help create chances and defend.
His former teammate, Ryan Babel, described Firmino as a "tricky player." He said Firmino could dribble, shoot well, and make great passes. Babel also noted that Firmino was humble and had a good attitude.
Klopp called Firmino the "engine" of the team. This is because of his energy and how hard he works to win the ball back. If he loses the ball, he fights to get it back right away. This made him a very important player for Liverpool. Famous footballer Thierry Henry called Firmino "the most complete striker in the Premier League" because of his many skills.
Firmino is also famous for his "no-look" goals, where he scores without looking at the goal. One of his well-known goal celebrations, 'the Matador', is even in the FIFA 19 video game.
Personal Life
Firmino married Larissa Pereira in June 2017. They have three daughters and welcomed a fourth child in November 2022. Besides Portuguese, Firmino also speaks English and German. Firmino is a Christian. He was baptized in 2020 in the swimming pool of his Liverpool teammate Alisson.
Liverpool fans and players often call him "Bobby," which is a shorter version of his first name, Roberto. In June 2024, Firmino became a pastor of an evangelical church he helped start in Maceió, Brazil.
Honours and Achievements
Liverpool
- Premier League: 2019–20
- FA Cup: 2021–22
- EFL Cup: 2021–22
- FA Community Shield: 2022
- UEFA Champions League: 2018–19
- UEFA Super Cup: 2019
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2019
Al-Ahli
- AFC Champions League Elite: 2024–25
Brazil
- Copa América: 2019
Individual Awards
- Bundesliga Breakthrough of the Season: 2013–14
- PFA Player of the Month: January 2016
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017–18
- Samba Gold: 2018
- AFC Champions League Elite Most Valuable Player: 2024–25
Records
- Highest-scoring Brazilian player in Premier League history: 82 goals
See also
In Spanish: Roberto Firmino para niños
