Roberto Firmino Biography

Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira is a Brazilian professional footballer who was born on October 2, 1991. He plays forward or attacking midfielder for Liverpool in the Premier League and the Brazil national team. In November 2014, Firmino played his first game for Brazil outside of South America. He played for his country at the Copa América in 2015, 2019, 2021, and the World Cup in 2018.

Achievements

After beginning his career with Figueirense in 2009, he played for Hoffenheim for four and a half seasons. During the 2013–14 Bundesliga season, he scored 16 goals in 33 games and was named the league’s Breakthrough Player. He joined Liverpool in July 2015. Firmino has been praised at Liverpool for his creativity, goals, and work ethic. His manager, Jürgen Klopp, has called him the “engine” of the club’s counter-attacking system. In the 2018–19 season, he won the UEFA Champions League. The following season, he won the 2019–20 Premier League title, Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years.

As an international player

Firmino said playing for the national team was his “dream,” but he hasn’t talked to the national team manager, Dunga. Firmino’s first call-up to the Brazil national football team was on October 23, 2014, for two friendly games against Turkey and Austria. He said, “I’m very happy about the nomination and would especially like to thank the team.” Then, on November 12, he played for the first time in a 4–0 win over Turkey. He replaced Luiz Adriano for the last 17 minutes of the game. Six days later, in the second game, a 2–1 win on the road, Firmino scored his first goal.

In May 2015, Firmino was one of the 23 players Brazil sent to Chile for the 2015 Copa América. On June 21, he scored in Brazil’s 2-1 win over Venezuela, which sent the Selecço to the next round as the Group C winner. In May 2018, he was put on Tite’s final 23-person World Cup team for the tournament in Russia. On July 2, Firmino came on as a late substitute and scored Brazil’s second goal in a 2–0 win over Mexico in the Round of 16.

Firmino played all 90 minutes of the final against Peru, which Brazil won 3–1 to win their ninth Copa América. In June 2021, he was on Brazil’s team for the 2021 Copa América, held in the country. However, he came in as a sub when his country lost the final to rivals Argentina 1-0 on July 10.