Roberto Firmino: an Ode to Footballing Joy
When all is said and done, when all the trophies and points are tallied up in May or June, the real reason why we watch football is joy and entertainment. Like the arenas of Ancient Rome, football provides fans primal release from the drudgery of everyday life, it is escapism, the chance to live your dreams vicariously through those 22 men on the pitch. For all the prizes on offer, for all the attainable glory, the highest pinnacle of the beautiful game, is that moment you fell in love with the sport, and the subsequent moments when you are reminded why. Football is about the special eruption of irrepressible joy that we feel deep within our being when that logic defying strike, that sumptuous pass or that feathered touch unfolds before our eyes and engulfs us to our core. Every time we watch football we hope to witness these moments, we desire to be reminded of why we fell in love with the game. We want to be entertained. Recently Roberto Firmino provided me with a glorious samba inspired reminder, of the fact that sometimes it truly is the split seconds from within a 90 minute contest that can inspire so much joy and entertainment.
Roberto Firmino is perhaps the rarest and most unique gem of a football player, he seamlessly blends the talent and unpredictability of a Ronaldinho inspired luxury player, with the graft and indispensible grit of a Fernandinho, he is at once both silk and steel, there is a blend of ruthlessness and joy in his game. ‘Bobby’, as he is often affectionately referred to, contributes so much to his team that many Liverpool fans refer to him not just as a cog of Jurgen Klopp’s devastating system, but as the nucleus of the system, as the beating heart of the red machine. Without Firmino there is no terrifying attacking triumvirate that sears itself into the darkest corners of defenders nightmares. Firmino has the special and unique quality of making those who play with him better. At times however with shining stars such as Virgil Van Dijk and Mo Salah as his teammates, it feels like his own skill and ability isn’t lauded enough. In reality he is possibly the most aesthetically enjoyable player Jurgen Klopp has in his armoury, he personifies and encapsulates all that is great about this current Liverpool side. For me Roberto Firmino creates those special moments of footballing joy which remind me why I fell in love with football, more often than possibly any other footballer I have watched don the red shirt.
During the recent 3–1 Anfield dismantling of Arsenal, in typical Firmino fashion ‘Bobby’ produced one of the captivating, inspiring and special snapshots in time I have been referring to. As ever he played football like it was his very last match on planet earth, he ran and ran selflessly with the tenacity of a gazelle fleeing a hungry lion. He covered every blade of grass on the hallowed turf at Anfield as he harried the Arsenal defence into panic stridden errors. Then there it was, in the midst of the Brazilian’s superb performance, a blink and you’d miss the magic moment. The conjurer wearing the number 9 had performed his masterpiece, seemingly freezing time with a flick of his boot, he nonchalantly executed a piece of skill that most players would not dare attempt. Firmino had scooped the ball over the head of the bewildered Dani Ceballos before striking the ball goalwards. Unfortunately Firmino’s shot did not ripple the back of Leno’s goal, and yet despite his profligacy, there it is was again, that indescribable moment of footballing pleasure and enjoyment.
Roberto Firmino is simply put, at times a lunatic on the pitch, a joyful majestic madman, and we should embrace that. After all, there is no genius without a touch of madness, and through his genius and lunacy, he brings us joy. He both reminds us why we watch the ‘beautiful game’ and why we have crowned football with this moniker. From his crazy celebrations, to his 50 Premier League goals (the very first Brazilian to reach this landmark) including all the no looks finishes. Firmino is in a very select group of football players who can make me fly through several emotions in moments, from sitting petrified in astonishment as if I looked upon the face of Medusa one second and then manically grinning and laughing like Gotham’s infamous Joker the next. From his celebrations, his goals and his football, he is Liverpool’s own personification of the Brazilian Jogo Bonito philosophy of heart, honour and joy in football. I do not only forgive the Brazilian his moments of indulgence, I applaud, encourage them and look forward to the next moment Firmino captivates me with his audacity. After all football is entertainment is it not? These audacious moments of mad magic is precisely why football captivates us.
To summarise, I would like to refer you to a piece of commentary exclaimed by Peter Drury during BT Sports coverage of Liverpool’s 5–0 victory over Watford on the unseasonably wintery Anfield evening of 17/03/2018. “That is lovely, that is gorgeous from Firmino, the sheer cheek of it, how dare you score like that in the Premier League”. Salah had scored 4 brilliant goals that evening, putting on masterclass of elite forward play, and yet it was the moment of Firmino magic that stole the show for me. Firmino’s flicked finish is the priceless moment that lives on in my imagination. In similar fashion the sombrero against Arsenal will be the memory of the Arsenal game I recall fondly for years to come. Finally it is worth mentioning that just a week after this moment of magic against the Gunners, Firmino put in another inspirational performance in the 3–0 win at Turf Moor, with a goal, an assist and of course an attempted bicycle kick. Thank you Bobby for reminding me on so many occasions why I love football, long may it continue.
