Brazilian professional football player Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira was born on October 2, 1991. He plays for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League as an offensive midfielder or forward.
Firmino played for TSG Hoffenheim for four and a half seasons after beginning his career at Figueirense in 2009. He won the league’s Breakthrough Player title for the 2013–14 Bundesliga season after scoring 16 goals in 33 games. He signed a contract with Liverpool in July 2015. Firmino won the UEFA Champions League in the 2018–19 season. The following season, he won the FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the 2019–20 Premier League title after scoring the game-winning goal in the final.
In the 2021–22 season, he and Liverpool also won the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. In Liverpool, Firmino is considered a cult figure by many. After eight years in England, Firmino ultimately went on a free transfer to Saudi club Al-Ahli in 2023 after deciding not to extend his contract with Liverpool. Two years later, Firmino and Al-Ahli won the AFC Champions League Elite.
In November 2014, Roberto Firmino debuted for Brazil on the international scene. He competed for the country in the Copa América in 2015, 2019, and 2021, winning the competition in 2019. Additionally, he played for the country in the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
Early Life
Roberto Firmino grew up close to the Estadio Rei Pele after being born in Maceió, Alagoas’ Trapiche da Barra neighborhood. He was regarded as “humble” and “football mad” and came from a low-income background. His mother was a homemaker, and his father, Jose, was a street vendor. He has a sister as well. Firmino got a trial at the local club CRB after starting to play for his school team. Firmino joined the CRB young squad at the age of 13. At first, he wore the No. 5 shirt, which is given to the most defensive midfielder in Brazil. He also played as a defender when needed.
Club Career
After beginning at CRB, Firmino joined Figueirense’s youth setup in 2008 at the age of 17. Marcellus Portella, a dentist, found him. He was mostly utilized as a defensive midfielder with the latter.
On October 24, 2009, he made his first-team debut after substituting in at halftime during a 2-1 Série B home loss to Ponte Preta.
On May 8, 2010, Roberto Firmino scored the game-winning goal in an away victory over São Caetano, marking his debut goal. He helped Figueirense FC return to Série A after a two-year hiatus by scoring eight goals in 36 games during the season.
TSG Hoffenheim
In December 2010, Roberto Firmino signed a deal with TSG Hoffenheim that will expire in June 2015. On January 1, 2011, he officially arrived to Hoffenheim. Ernst Tanner, the manager of Hoffenheim, then said that they were “happy to hire a Brazilian talent.” A month after signing, he made his debut as a substitute for Sebastian Rudy in the 75th minute of a Bundesliga loss to Mainz 05.
Lokomotiv Moscow, a Russian team, bid €12 million for Firmino in July 2013. In August 2013, Andreas Beck, the captain of Hoffenheim, praised Firmino’s progress as “outstanding”. Firmino signed a three-year contract extension with the team on March 27, 2014. With 16 goals at the end of the 2013–14 Bundesliga season, he tied for fourth place and was awarded the league’s Breakthrough Player.
Liverpool
Hoffenheim and Firmino reached an agreement on June 23, 2015, enabling him to join Liverpool of the Premier League for up to £29 million after the tournament, provided he had a work permit. Subject to a medical, Liverpool announced the signing the next day. On July 4, the agreement was finalized. On August 9, Roberto Firmino made his debut after taking Jordon Ibe’s place for the last 12 minutes of a 1-0 victory over Stoke City on the road. In Liverpool’s 4-1 victory over Manchester City at the City of Manchester Stadium on November 21, Firmino scored his first goal for the team. This followed Firmino’s transfer to center-forward ahead of Christian Benteke under new boss Jürgen Klopp.
Firmino changed his shirt number to 9 prior to the 2017–18 season, and Mohamed Salah, a recent addition, took his number 11. On August 12, in a 3–3 tie with Watford, Firmino scored his first goal of the new season from a penalty kick. Liverpool won 6–3 overall to advance to the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League group stage after Firmino scored in a 4–2 victory over his old team TSG Hoffenheim in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off on August 23. He scored in a stunning 7-0 Champions League victory over Spartak Moscow on December 6.
Roberto Firmino made a comeback after missing the final weeks of the season due to injury when he started for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur in the 2019 Champions League final on June 1. Firmino was replaced after 60 minutes of play as Liverpool won the game 2-0 to win the championship.
Al Ahli
Firmino signed a contract with Al Ahli, a Saudi Professional League team, on July 4, 2023, that would last until 2026. In his debut competitive match for Al-Ahli, on August 11, 2023, Firmino scored a hat-trick against Al-Hazem.
For the first time in the club’s history, Firmino was a part of the Al-Ahli team that won the 2025 AFC Champions League Elite on May 3, 2025.
Al Sadd
Roberto Firmino agreed to a two-year contract with Al Sadd of the Qatar Stars League on July 24, 2025.
Roberto Firmino International Career
Despite having no “contact with national team manager Dunga,” Firmino claimed that playing for the national team was his “dream.” Firmino was called up to the Brazil national team for the first time on October 23, 2014, for friendly matches against Austria and Turkey. He said, “I’m very happy about the nomination and would especially like to thank the team” . On November 12, he made his debut in a 4–0 victory over Turkey, taking over for fellow rookie Luiz Adriano for the final 17 minutes. Six days later, in the latter game, a 2–1 victory away from home, Firmino scored his first goal.
Firmino was added to Brazil’s 23-man roster for the 2015 Copa América, which was scheduled to take place in Chile, in May 2015. He scored in the Seleção’s 2-1 victory over Venezuela on June 21 to earn them a spot in the knockout round as Group C victors.
He was included in Brazil’s 23-man team for the FIFA World Cup in Russia in May 2018. Firmino entered as a late substitution and scored Brazil’s second goal in a 2-0 victory over Mexico in the round of 16 on July 2.
Firmino was added to Brazil’s 23-man Copa América roster in May 2019. Brazil defeated Peru 3-1 to win their seventh Copa América championship, and Firmino played the entire 90 minutes of the match.
Firmino was included to Brazil’s team in June 2021 for the country’s domestic Copa América. In the final on July 10, he appeared as a substitute in his country’s 1-0 loss to rivals Argentina.
Firmino’s exclusion from Brazil’s 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar caused controversy.
Personal Life
In June 2017, Firmino wed Larissa Pereira in his hometown. Three daughters are theirs. The couple revealed they were expecting a fourth child in November 2022. Firmino speaks German and English in addition to his native Portuguese. Firmino, a Christian, was baptized in 2020 at Liverpool teammate Alisson’s pool.
Firmino’s first name, “Roberto,” has been shortened to “Bobby” by Liverpool players and supporters.
He was arrested for drunk driving in December 2016. In February 2017, he was sentenced at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, where he received a £20,000 fine and a one-year driving license suspension.
Roberto Firmino Faith
Along with his wife Larissa Pereira and pastors Jairo Fernandes and Keila Medeiro, Roberto Firmino established an evangelical church in Maceio, Brazil, three years prior, and in June 2024 he was appointed pastor. The dedication took place in the Manah Church in Maceio, his hometown.
Roberto Firmino Net Worth
Brazilian football player Roberto Firmino is thought to be worth $30 million. He makes $10.4 million a year.
Honours
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 Super Cup: 2019
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2019
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2015–16
Al-Ahli
- AFC Champions League Elite: 2024–25
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
- AFC Champions League Elite Most Valuable Player: 2024–25
Records
- Highest-scoring Brazilian player in Premier League history: 82 goals
