In 2010, Roberto Firmino was still a complete unknown in Europe and only a promise of Figueirense. On the first day of 2011, however, Hoffenheim announced his signing for €4 million. He became a reality in Germany and two seasons ago he moved to Liverpool, reaching the Brazilian team. The most incredible thing about this trajectory is that the Football Manager game was fundamental for the Reds’ number 11 to be one of the best players in the Premier League today.
The curiosity was revealed by Lutz Pfannenstiel, scout for Hoffenheim, in an interview with the English radio “Talksport”:
– You said about Firmino that you and a colleague discovered him through Football Manager, did all the work there and went to Hoffenheim for €4 million? – asked the announcer.
– Yes, approximately €4 million. You are signing a player from the Second Division in Brazil, who is only 17, 18 years old. Immediately, people thought he had to go straight to the first team. So, they kept saying that I paid this amount for a player who wasn’t ready yet. In the end, we sold it for €42 million plus future payments, so I think in the end we got it right. I think it was a good scouting, definitely – he replied, citing the more than 1,000% appreciation.
Football Manager is a game that allows someone to act as the manager of a football team (in addition to being a coach, he also takes care of a good part of the club’s financial affairs and all its responsibilities). In the virtual world, among various functions, you can hire and sell players from dozens of leagues around the world from a database that seeks to get closer to reality – perhaps that’s why Firmino was found by a German.
Firmino and Coutinho are highlights of the Liverpool of Jürgen Klopp, leader of the Premier League (Photo: Reuters)At Hoffenheim, Firmino played 153 games and scored 49 goals. For Liverpool, that’s 17 goals in 61 matches – apparently not that impressive numbers, but enough with his football to be an undisputed starter in Jürgen Klopp’s team.
– One thing about Brazilian football, congratulations to the national team. If you can win without Roberto Firmino, you must have a wonderful team. And you are the big favorites for the next World Cup. What pressure for Brazil, huh? – said the German coach this Thursday, in reference to the national team’s victory over Peru in the qualifiers in the absence of the striker.
