Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira (born 2 October 1991) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli, which he captains, and the Brazil national team. Firmino made his international debut against Turkey in November 2014.
He played for the last 17 minutes of a 4-0 win for the Selecao. At 13, Firmino joined the youth team of CRB. He initially wore the No. 5 shirt, which in Brazil is reserved for the most defensive midfielder. When required, he also played as a defender. He later went on to play for Figueirense, TSG Hoffenheim, Liverpool, and is currently at Al-Ahli.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
| Full Name | Roberto Firminho Barbosa de Oliveira |
| Date of Birth | October 2, 1991 |
| Nationality | BRAZILIAN |
| Birth Place | MACEIO, BRAZIL |
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Current Team(s) | AL-AHLI, BRAZIL |
| Position | FORWARD, WINGER |
| Debut | 2014 |
| Networth | $30 million |
| Agent | ROGER WITTMANN |
EARLY LIFE
Firmino was born on 2 October 1991 in Maceio, Brazil. Although he grew up in a crime-infested city this did not hinder young Firmino from pursuing his passion – football. Firmino was born in the Trapiche da Barra neighborhood of Maceió, Alagoas, and grew up near the Estadio Rei Pele. He grew up in a poor family and was described as being “humble” and “football-mad”.
His father Jose was a street vendor and his mother was a housewife. He joined a local club CRB at a very young age and spent time practising in the notorious neighbourhood before he got openings into the youth setup of the Brazilian second-division club Figueirense.
Also Read: Saudi Pro League: Al-Ahli – Club details, Top Players, History and Future Objectives
CLUB CAREER
Figueirense
Firmino joined Figueirense’s youth setup in 2008, aged 17, after starting out at CRB. Firmino made his first-team debut on 24 October 2009, coming on as a half-time substitute in a 2–1 home loss against Ponte Preta in Série B. He contributed with eight goals in 36 appearances during the season, as Figueirense FC returned to Série A after a two-year absence.
TSG Hoffenheim
Firmino signed with TSG Hoffenheim in December 2010, with the contract running until June 2015. He formally arrived at Hoffenheim on 1 January 2011. He finished the 2013–14 Bundesliga season tied as the fourth-highest scorer with 16 goals and was named the league’s Breakthrough Player.
LIVERPOOL
On 23 June 2015, Hoffenheim and Firmino agreed terms for him to transfer to Premier League club Liverpool for up to £29 million at the conclusion of the tournament. Firmino made his debut on 9 August, replacing Jordon Ibe for the final 12 minutes of a 1–0 win away to Stoke City. Firmino ended the season as Liverpool’s league top scorer with 10 goals.
On 23 August, Firmino scored his first goal of the 2016–17 season, scoring in a 5–0 win over Burton Albion in the second round of the EFL Cup. Firmino finished the season with 11 goals in 35 appearances in the Premier League, and 12 in 41 in all competitions.
At the start of the 2017–18 season, Firmino switched his shirt number to 9, with new signing Mohamed Salah taking his number 11. Firmino scored his first goal of the new season on 12 August, scoring a penalty in a 3–3 draw with Watford. The 2017–18 season was Firmino’s most prolific in his Liverpool career, as he scored 27 goals in all competitions.
On 14 August 2019, Firmino came off the bench in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea in a match that Liverpool won 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out. The game had finished 2–2 after 120 minutes, with Firmino setting up both goals for Sadio Mané, before Firmino scored the first penalty in the shoot-out win.
Firmino also won the 2019–20 Premier League that season. Liverpool came second in the Premier League and the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League but won both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup. Firmino concluded his playing career at Liverpool as the highest-scoring Brazilian player in both the history of Liverpool and the Premier League, with a total of 82 goals.
AL AHLI
On 4 July 2023, Firmino joined Saudi Professional League club Al Ahli, signing a contract until 2026. On 11 August 2023, Firmino scored a hat-trick against Al-Hazem in his first competitive game for Al-Ahli.
INTERNATIONAL CAREER
On 23 October 2014, Firmino received his first call-up to Brazil’s national team for the friendly matches against Turkey and Austria in May 2015, Firmino was included in Brazil’s 23-man squad for the 2015 Copa América to be held in Chile. In May 2018, he was named in Brazil’s 23-man 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 Firmino was controversially not included in Brazil’s squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
RECORDS
- Firmino has scored a total of 168 goals across all leagues and competitions including 82 goals for Liverpool in the premier league.
- He also scored 22 goals for Liverpool in the Champions League.
AWARDS ACHIEVEMENTS
LIVERPOOL
- Premier League: 2019–20
- FA Cup: 2021–22
- EFL Cup: 2021–22; runner-up: 2015–16
- FA Community Shield: 2022
- UEFA Champions League: 2018–19; runner-up: 2017–18, 2021–22
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2015–16
- UEFA Super Cup: 2019
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2019
BRAZIL
- Copa América: 2019; runner-up: 2021
Individual
- Bundesliga Breakthrough of the Season: 2013–14
- PFA Player of the Month: January 2016
- PFA Fans’ Player of the Month: January 2016
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017–18
- Samba Gold: 2018
- Highest-scoring Brazilian player in Premier League history: 82 goals
PERSONAL LIFE
Firmino married Larissa Pereira in his hometown in June 2017. They have four daughters. Firminho is fluent in Portuguese, English, and German languages. Firmino is a Christian and was baptized in 2020 in the swimming pool of Liverpool teammate Alisson Becker. Firmino has been given the nickname “Bobby” by Liverpool supporters and players – a shortening of his first name “Roberto”.
Firmino likes to spend time with his family and his team-mates. Dr Marcellus Portella, the dentist turned football agent, is a trusted advisor to Firmino and his family. Their relationship dates back decades to when the former dental technician first spotted Firmino’s burgeoning football abilities and later took them to Clube de Regatas Brasil.
NET WORTH
Roberto Firmino is a Brazilian football player who has an estimated net worth of $30 million. His annual salary is $10.4 million.
FAMILY
Roberto has a sister named Marcella, his mother Mariana always missed him when he went far away from home to play for various clubs, and his father Jose Roberto always supported him in his pursuits.
PARTNER
He is married to Larissa Pereira and has 4 children together.
HOUSES
Firmino resided in one of the best luxury houses in Mossley Hill. The current worth of the house is around $3.5 million.