Roberto Firmino has been in brilliant Premier League form this season for Liverpool but he struggled as Brazil lost to South American rivals Peru.
Brazil’s 17-game winning streak is over.
Just two months after losing to the Selecao in the final of the Copa America, a plucky Peru exacted some measure of revenge during a Tuesday night friendly in Los Angeles. Luis Abram’s first international goal, powered in past a stranded Ederson with just minutes remaining, consigned Brazil to a defeat which drags them down to earth with a bump just weeks after claiming their first continental trophy in 12 years.
And, not for the first time and probably not for the last, the brunt of the criticism has been directed squarely at Roberto Firmino.
Liverpool’s number nine has started the new season with all manner of tricks and flicks, bamboozling defenders and making Jurgen Klopp’s star-studded attack tick like a vintage Rolex. But Brazil are still yet to see the best of this most enigmatic of forwards.
Firmino has scored just 12 goals in 38 games for his country and, while there is far more to his game than putting the ball in the back of the net, the former Hoffenheim talisman just doesn’t exert the same influence in the famous yellow shirt.
He was far from his best at the Copa America and, after being dragged off following an ineffective 63 minutes against Peru, the critics are sharpening their knives again.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
