Following the tragic passing of his father last week, former Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino paid tribute to him in a heartfelt statement.
Jose Roberto Cordeiro de Oliveira was in Dubai with his son during the international break at the time of his death. Firmino is now playing in Saudi Arabia after leaving Liverpool at the end of last season to join Al Ahli on a free transfer.
Oliveira was a regular presence in Anfield during Firmino’s time at the club. He was set to join his son in Saudi Arabia, where the Brazilian striker is based at the moment.
Unfortunately, on the morning of 18 November, Oliveira succumbed to a heart attack and passed away at the age of 62. On Sunday, his son Firmino wrote a touching eulogy for his father, expressing his gratitude to God for the time they had spent together.
What did Roberto Firmino say?
Roberto Firmino’s tribute, posted on Instagram, carried numerous snippets of him and his father in black and white. The caption of the post began with a quote from the Bible, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 timothy 4 : 7.”
Firmino then went on to say, “Father, just like you, speaking in public has never been my forte. I’ve always struggled to put into words my feelings, but it’s NEVER, EVER been this hard.
“After your death, the Holy Spirit brought me back to memory all our beautiful moments since my childhood and how proud of you, Varão, you were such a good person, loved by everyone, a fighter.
“One of the greatest joys the Lord has given me without a doubt was his baptism and so father I carry on because I know soon we will be together. You were proud to wear my shirts, but I was proud to have a father who cheered for me so much.”
Roberto Firmino’s former Liverpool team-mates also chimed in with messages of encouragement, including Andy Robertson, Virgil Van Dijk, Curtis Jones and Alex O’Chamberlain, who responded to the post with a heart emojis.
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