Roberto Firmino is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club Liverpool. Over the course of his professional career, Firmino has played for seven different clubs, most notably Inter Milan and Liverpool. He is known for his scoring ability, his skill with the ball at his feet, and the elegance of his overall play.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Firmino was born in Consola, a small town in the state of Bahia in southeastern Brazil. After graduating from high school, he briefly played youth football for Bahia state sides before joining the academy of Brazilian giants Flamengo. While at the academy, he was spotted by a scout from Italian Serie A club Udinese, who signed him for the team’s reserve squad in 2011. Firmino spent the 2011–12 season with the club’s Primavera (under-20) team, impressing with his consistency and scoring eight goals in 15 appearances. An injury to Udinese captain Alessandro Florenzi, who was also his roommate, allowed Firmino to begin his professional career in Serie A. If you are a fan of Roberto Firmino, follow the link below and learn more about him.
Inter Milan and Career Progression
Firmino made his Inter Milan debut in the 2016–17 Serie A season as a starter, appearing in 31 league matches and scoring 17 goals as the club won the Scudetto (Italian football season) for the first time in 18 years. The following season, he was a key player as Inter won the Serie A title for a record-breaking eighth time and the Coppa Italia title. He scored 21 goals in the league to help Inter to the top of the pile.
In the 2018–19 season, Firmino scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists as Inter won the Scudetto and Coppa Italia titles for a record-breaking 11th time. Prior to the start of the season, he stated that this season would be his last in a contract dispute with Inter, who had just won the Scudetto. However, a mutual agreement was reached between the two clubs and he signed a new contract a few weeks later.
Liverpool Career
After spending nearly a year out of football, Firmino returned to football in the summer of 2019 with Liverpool. He made his debut for Liverpool in a friendly against his former club, Inter Milan, and scored a hat trick in the match. On 20 August, he made his Premier League debut in a 4–1 win against Leicester City, and scored a goal in each half to secure a fourth win in four matches for Jürgen Klopp’s team.
On 13 September, he scored the opening goal as Liverpool defeated RB Leipzig 3–0 in the first football match ever played in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Despite this, Leipzig won the game 3–1 as Firmino’s first goal was canceled out by two penalties and an own goal. Leipzig and New York City are currently in dispute over the result of the match, which has caused considerable controversy.
Style and Legacy
Firmino’s style of play is characterized by his aerial ability, excellent body control, and direct football. He is also known for his strength, which allows him to battle for the ball at all costs, as well as his speed on the turn. Firmino is often compared to Brazilian legend Ronaldo due to the latter’s fondness for the former’s style of play, particularly on long balls into the box that he can run onto with his trademark chubby cheeks.
Since making his debut for Flamengo’s senior team at the age of 17, the Brazilian international has become one of the most in-demand players in the world, winning numerous honours. He has represented Brazil on multiple occasions, including at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2017 CONMEBOL Copa America. He scored a hat trick at the latter tournament to help Brazil to a fourth-place finish. He is also a three-time winner of the Bola de Ouro (Golden Ball), having won the award in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Ahead of the 2018 World Cup, FIFA rated him as the third most talented player in the world. If you want to make a bet, we recommend that you get a 1xbet promo code and get bonuses from the bookmaker.
As a result of his great success, numerous top European clubs have been linked with a move for the 28-year-old forward, including Barcelona and Real Madrid. Despite this, he has committed to Inter Milan for the next season, which will hopefully be the last one with the Italian side. He has stated that winning trophies with Inter is what he is most proud of and wants to continue playing in Serie A for the remainder of his career. However, should he continue to perform at such a high level, perhaps a move to a top English club could be on the cards. In 2022, the forward has the opportunity to represent the city of his birth in the upcoming Olympic Games. Should he help his nation to secure a place in the tournament, he could be in for a career revival.