When the travelling Kop spent 15 minutes serenading Roberto Firmino, who was sat in the stands injured while Liverpool were 2-0 up, it was a tribute to someone special. Firmino will wave farewell to fans at Anfield on Saturday and it will signal the end of an era for a player who has been so important to Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp. Ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville described Firmino as “sensational for years” and Liverpool team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold called him “priceless”. He has left a lasting impression and it will be celebrated against Aston Villa this weekend.
During his time at the club, Firmino has helped Liverpool reach four European finals in seven years, winning one of them, while playing a key role in securing their first league title in 30 years. He also won the domestic cup double last season to add to the Club World Cup they won in 2019. Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said it would be “almost impossible to find someone exactly the same” as Firmino and The Anfield Wrap’s John Gibbons believes it is because he “sums up” a Klopp team perfectly.
Firmino is seen as the “cheeky” one in the group, always smiling, always enjoying himself and always producing wacky celebrations – including his trademark karate kick and pretend patch over the eye. He has been an incredible player for this football club and is one of those players that so many young players and kids want to be.
Firmino finishes his Liverpool career as the club’s 17th highest goalscorer with 109 goals and 71 assists in 360 appearances for the club. He formed one of the most feared attacking line-ups in Europe with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, scoring 60% of Liverpool’s Premier League goals during their 44-game unbeaten run between 2019 and 2020. He gave us assists and work-rate too, so could have scored many more, but he was a team player first.
Firmino has had plenty of memorable moments. His extra-time winner over Brazilian champions Flamengo handed Liverpool their first Club World Cup trophy in 2019. He scored the final goal as Liverpool beat rivals Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2018 en route to the final. He scored in both 7-0 wins over Maribor and Spartak Moscow in the Champions League, as well as a crucial goal in a 2-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League in 2016. A memorable Premier League hat-trick against Arsenal in 2018 was followed by a double at Old Trafford in 2021 and another hat-trick at Vicarage Road later that year. He may soon be gone, but Firmino will never be forgotten at Anfield and the next instalment of his career will be watched with interest.