Firmino Reveals Last Minute Substitution Led to Liverpool Departure

His decision to leave the club was influenced by a coaching decision made during a match against Wolves.

After an eight-year stint at Anfield, where he scored 111 goals and made 75 assists in 392 games, Firmino left in June 2023.

He stated in a new book: "The straw that broke the camel’s back was a match against Wolves, in which I came on as a substitute in the last minute. That was it. Right there, I understood.

"As we say in Brazil, the penny dropped. I knew now. I called my agents. Roger Wittmann and Christian Rapp met with me for a face-to-face talk. We left the living room and went to my room: just me, Christian, Roger and Larissa, no distractions. Christian and Roger were perfectly transparent about everything that was happening and the club’s view of my future.

"It wasn’t a war. It was just a difference in understanding about what I could offer to Liverpool. I reflected a lot and realized that God’s plan was to take me somewhere else. The signs were all there since that conversation with Pastor Daniel in Maceio. I had been stubborn.

"God didn’t want me to stay in Liverpool, but I was insisting. I didn’t listen. But I couldn’t avoid it any more. It was time to accept. I decided it was time to seek another challenge for myself, another purpose. My time at Liverpool had come to an end."