“I’m very happy and very proud of the team,” said Firmino. “Happy to make history here and able to repay the support of the club, family and friends.

“I’m very grateful and I feel privileged to be given this talent and opportunity. I always do my best to help my teammates and my team. 

“This title is very special because we have never won it, the chance to win and be legends.”

Firmino, who was also named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, had already accumulated six goals and five assists prior to the final and rose to the occasion yet again in the final of the AFC Champions League Elite™ Finals Jeddah 2025.

The 33-year-old laid the pass for Galeno to curl the ball into the top corner in the 35th minute before producing a pinpoint cross seven minutes later for Franck Kessie to nod home.

Having previously won the UEFA Champions League in 2018/19 with England’s Liverpool, Firmino knew for sure exactly when it was his turn to win the Asian equivalent.

“For me, it was the semi-final against Al Hilal (SFC) when (Kalidou) Koulibaly got sent off, I had a feeling then that we could win. 

“We believed and we did a great job. This title win shows us to have a monster mentality. We always believed we could be champions and we have done it.”