Fabinho spent five seasons at Liverpool, becoming a key figure during a transformational period. He helped end the club’s three-decade wait for a title in 2020 and won the Champions League, FA Cup, and Club World Cup while at Anfield. The 2022/23 season brought disappointment with a fifth-place Premier League finish and early exits in cup competitions, which became his final campaign. In 2023, at age 29, he chose to move to Saudi Arabia despite being at his peak. He considered the decision carefully with his family, noting they already had a house there and were prepared to stay long term. He described the move as a new challenge and culture while keeping the ambition to keep winning, and he cited the appeal of a strong contract. He also expressed difficulty leaving and admiration for how special Liverpool felt day to day.
"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."
"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. 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. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. 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."
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
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