‘I don’t know if I can put my time at Liverpool into words. Some clubs, you only realise how special they are if you’ve experienced it on a daily basis’ Fabinho on what it meant to pull on a Reds shirt

FFT390.yatq.gettyimages_1397259229 — Fabinho spent five seasons at Anfield (Image credit: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Fabinho spent five seasons at Anfield (Image credit: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

During his five-year career at Liverpool, Fabinho became a key figure in what was a transformational period for the club.

As well as being a cornerstone in the team that finally snapped the Reds’ three-decade wait for a title win in 2020, the Brazilian also won the Champions League, FA Cup and Club World Cup during his stay at Anfield.

But the 2022/23 season would end in disappointing fashion with a fifth-place Premier League finish and early exits in all cup competitions. And that would prove to be Fabinho’s final campaign with the club.

Fabinhio on his Liverpool exit

The former Monaco man opted to swap Merseyside for Saudi Arabia, despite, at 29 years old, being at the peak of his powers. So why?

“I spent five years at Liverpool and when the offer to move to Saudi Arabia came, I thought it over carefully with my family, because we really liked the club and the city,” Fabinho tells FourFourTwo.

FFT390.yatq.gettyimages_2217194303 — Fabinho left Liverpool for Saudi Arabia in 2023 (Image credit: Getty Images)

“We already had a house there and were set up to stay for a long time. But we decided to accept the offer – I came to Saudi Arabia, proud and happy with the story I created at Liverpool.

“It was a new challenge, new place, new culture, but the ambition to keep winning didn’t change at all. Al Ittihad were playing six competitions in that first year I arrived – among them the Club World Cup.

“So I came to be one of the main players for that quest. Of course, the chance to sign a good contract also counted for a lot.”

While the pull of a new challenge clearly appealed to Fabinho, he has often spoken about how hard it was to leave, and still looks back at his time in English football fondly.

“I don’t know if I can put it into words,” he continues. “There are clubs where you only realise how big, how special they are if you’re there and experience it on a daily basis.

FFT390.yatq.gettyimages_1257659021 — Fabinho celebrates with the Premier League trophy in 2020 (Image credit: 2020 Pool)

“Going on pre-season tours to Thailand, Singapore and the USA, seeing stadiums full everywhere, you realise how huge the club is. And in the city, seeing the passion of the fans.

“After playing for Liverpool, my desire now is to always play for a club with a large, passionate fanbase, because what I experienced there was special, and being part of a winning team was beautiful.

“The time I had at Liverpool was unforgettable.”

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For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.

With contributions from

Felipe Rocha