Fabinho

Fabio Henrique Tavares, known as Fabinho, was born on October 23, 1993, in Campinas, Brazil. His professional football journey began in Brazil with Fluminense before he moved to Europe, joining Portuguese side Rio Ave in June 2012. Shortly after, he was loaned to Real Madrid Castilla, making his debut for Real Madrid’s senior team in May 2013 with an assist in his brief appearance. His career then took him to AS Monaco, initially on loan in July 2013, where he quickly became a key player. He solidified his position over several seasons, contributing to AS Monaco’s Ligue 1 title victory in 2016-17. During his time at AS Monaco, he demonstrated his versatility by transitioning from full-back to a central midfield role, where his defensive prowess and tactical intelligence became prominent. He scored 32 goals in 232 appearances for the French club.

In May 2018, Liverpool FC signed Fabinho in a £40m deal. He quickly integrated into Jürgen Klopp’s starting XI, proving instrumental in the club’s success. He secured the Champions League title in 2019, playing the full 90 minutes in the final against Tottenham Hotspur. This was followed by a UEFA Super Cup win in 2019 and the Premier League title in the 2019-20 season, where he made 28 appearances and scored two significant goals. Fabinho’s ability to drop back into central defence when required further highlighted his adaptability, helping Liverpool maintain a competitive edge and secure a third-placed finish in a challenging 2020-21 season.

The 2021-22 season saw Fabinho achieve a personal best of eight goals from midfield across 48 outings as Liverpool pursued a quadruple. He notably converted a ‘Panenka’ penalty in the Carabao Cup final shootout victory over Chelsea, contributing to two domestic cup triumphs that season alongside the FA Cup. He also played a vital role as the team finished as runners-up in both the Premier League and Champions League. Fabinho surpassed 200 appearances for Liverpool during his final season, 2022-23, before his permanent transfer to Al-Ittihad. His international career includes making his senior Brazil national team debut in June 2015 and being part of their squad for the 2021 Copa America.