Skills, summit of the world and an Anfield salute – five of the best Roberto Firmino moments

The forward leaves Anfield after making 362 appearances, scoring 111 goals and lifting six major honours, and with a special legacy sealed.

Here are five of the finest Firmino moments for LFC…

THAT skill v Villarreal

This feature would run into many thousands of words if we were to try to capture all of the colourful and creative techniques Firmino treated us to over the years.

There were the no-look goals, the finishing ability off both feet and in the air, his catalogue of unselfish assists and pre-assists, and the exquisite close control – not to mention his variety of celebrations.

But one piece of skill from back in his debut season on Merseyside has perhaps been replayed more than any other as the essence of Firmino’s magic.

Moving on to a ball that was drifting outside the area during Liverpool’s Europa League semi-final against Villarreal at Anfield in May 2016, there seemed little danger for the visitors to consider.

With a glance in one direction, a body swerve in the other and a rapid touch with each foot, though, he bamboozled his marker and escaped into space in the blink of an eye.

Brilliant.

His hat-trick against Arsenal

The first of Firmino’s two hat-tricks for the Reds was delivered as a perfect post-Christmas present in a 5-1 defeat of Arsenal at Anfield in December 2018.

The home team had fallen behind early on in the Premier League encounter but came roaring back – with their No.9 stylishly at the heart of the turnaround.

A close-range tap-in to equalise was flourished by a cheeky no-look conversion, before one of Firmino’s best Liverpool goals just two minutes later.

Moving at pace through the middle of the park, he slalomed through the Gunners defence and a series of challenges before coolly rolling a firm effort into the bottom corner to bag the lead.

The treble was completed midway through the second half as Firmino swept in a penalty kick that added greater gloss to an excellent individual and collective display and clinched him the match ball.

Champions of the world

After heartbreaking near-misses in the League Cup, Europa League, Champions League and Premier League under Jürgen Klopp, 2019 was the year his side turned progress into trophies.

The club’s sixth European Cup was won in Madrid and a fourth UEFA Super Cup for the Reds was nestled alongside it in the silverware cabinet two months later.

Global glory had historically eluded Liverpool, however, with previous attempts to lift the various incarnations of the Club World Cup failing.

But Klopp’s men put paid to that anomaly in December 2019 by overcoming CF Monterrey and then, in the tournament final, Flamengo – with Firmino netting the winner in both games.

The showpiece with Flamengo proved a hard-fought, goalless tussle of endurance that needed extra-time, where Firmino stepped up to settle the contest.

Darting forward to collect Sadio Mane’s pass across the Flamengo box in minute 99, he was composure personified to step inside a defender’s challenge and score the goal that put the Reds on top of the world.

A massive winner at Wolves

There was an unusual Firmino quirk during Liverpool’s relentless title-winning campaign of 2019-20.

All of his Premier League strikes before the season’s pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic came in away matches, including a late winner at Crystal Palace, a brace in the 4-0 success over Leicester City and the decisive goal versus Tottenham Hotspur.

But arguably his most important was delivered in the final minutes of an absorbing, close clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

An early lead for the Reds had been levelled and the hosts were threatening to inflict a first league defeat of the term on Klopp’s charges – until Mohamed Salah and Jordan Henderson worked the ball into Firmino in the box.

Two deft touches opened up space 12 yards from goal for the Brazilian, who then produced an outstanding finish into the top left corner to ensure Liverpool’s momentum towards the championship continued unchecked.

A poignant moment at Anfield

News of Firmino’s intentions to bid farewell to the Reds at the end of 2022-23 emerged in early March and supporters would not have to wait long to show their love.

The No.9 was introduced in the second half of Liverpool’s Premier League rout of Manchester United at Anfield days later and completed the scoring in an unforgettable 7-0 victory.

Teed up by Salah in front of the Kop, Firmino brought the ball under his control and tucked a low finish beyond the goalkeeper that provided the most fitting of conclusions to a very special afternoon.

The emotion of the moment was etched across his face as he raced away in celebration while being mobbed by his teammates and saluted by the home supporters.

Si, Senor.