1. Overview
Alisson Ramses Becker (born October 2, 1992), commonly known as Alisson Becker or simply Alisson, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for English club Liverpool and the Brazil national team. Widely regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation and among the best in the sport's history, he is celebrated for his exceptional positioning, precise ball distribution, and remarkable ability in one-on-one situations.
Alisson began his career at Internacional in 2002, progressing through their youth system before making his senior debut in 2013. During his four years with Internacional's senior side, he made over 100 appearances and secured the Campeonato Gaúcho title in each of his seasons with the club. In July 2016, he transferred to Italian club Roma, where he initially served as a backup before establishing himself as a first-choice goalkeeper, earning the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year award in the 2017-18 season. In July 2018, Alisson made a high-profile move to Liverpool for a record-breaking fee, becoming the most expensive goalkeeper at the time. With Liverpool, he has been instrumental in the club's successes, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Champions League, and FIFA Club World Cup. Individually, he has been recognized with prestigious accolades such as The Best FIFA Goalkeeper and the inaugural Yashin Trophy, both in 2019. He has also twice been selected for the FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11.
Internationally, Alisson represented Brazil at various youth levels before earning his senior international debut in 2015. He has since participated in major tournaments including the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022, and the Copa América in 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024. He played a pivotal role in Brazil's 2019 Copa América triumph, where he was also named the tournament's best goalkeeper.
2. Early Life and Background
Alisson was born on October 2, 1992, in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. His older brother, Muriel Gustavo Becker, is also a professional goalkeeper and also came through the academy at SC Internacional.
Alisson's paternal family has German descent; both his father and grandmother are fluent in German. This heritage is significant enough that Alisson holds a German passport. While playing for Roma, he was given the nickname "The German" by his teammates. In addition to his native Portuguese, Alisson is a polyglot, also speaking Italian, Spanish, and English.
Alisson joined Internacional's academy in 2002 at the age of ten, beginning his journey in professional football.
3. Club Career
Alisson's professional journey spans several clubs, starting with his formative years and senior debut in Brazil, followed by significant periods in Italy and England.
3.1. Internacional
Born in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Alisson joined Internacional's academy in 2002, aged ten. He progressed through the youth ranks and regularly featured with the under-23 side before making his senior debut on February 17, 2013, starting in a 1-1 away draw against Cruzeiro-RS in the Campeonato Gaúcho championship. His Série A debut followed on August 25, 2013, when he started in a 3-3 home draw against Goiás. In his first season, he made six appearances, primarily serving as a backup to his brother Muriel and competing for the second-choice spot with Agenor.
In 2014, Alisson found himself competing for a starting position with Brazilian legend Dida, who had joined Internacional from Grêmio. Alisson earned a starting berth in October and finished the year with 11 league appearances. He became an undisputed starter in 2015, amassing 57 appearances across all competitions. On February 4, 2016, Alisson signed a pre-contract with Italian club Roma, agreeing to a five-year deal for a transfer fee of 7.50 M EUR. He played his final game for Internacional on May 15, 2016, keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 home draw against Chapecoense. During his four years with Internacional's senior side, Alisson made over 100 appearances across all competitions and notably won the Campeonato Gaúcho title in each season from 2013 to 2016.
3.2. Roma
Alisson completed his transfer to Italian Serie A club Roma in July 2016. He made his debut for the club on August 17, 2016, starting in a 1-1 UEFA Champions League draw with Porto, but spent the majority of the 2016-17 season as an understudy to Wojciech Szczęsny. He ultimately made 15 appearances across all competitions that season but did not feature in any league matches.
When Szczęsny departed for Juventus at the start of the following campaign, Alisson assumed the number one jersey. He later indicated that he would have considered leaving Roma if he had not been guaranteed more first-team football. Alisson finally made his Serie A debut on the opening weekend of the 2017-18 Serie A season, starting in a 1-0 win over Atalanta. He then made his first appearance in the Derby della Capitale on November 18, starting in a 2-1 victory over local rivals Lazio.
Alisson received widespread praise for his performances in the 2017-18 Champions League campaign, where he played a key role in the club reaching the semi-finals. During this run, Roma did not concede a single goal at the Stadio Olimpico in the Champions League until their semi-final match against Liverpool on May 2, 2018. While Roma won that specific match 4-2, they ultimately lost 7-6 on aggregate. Alisson's overall performances throughout the 2017-18 season were highly lauded. He kept a total of 22 clean sheets across the season, with 17 in the league and 5 in the Champions League.
3.3. Liverpool
Alisson's tenure at Liverpool has been marked by significant team and individual achievements, solidifying his reputation as a world-class goalkeeper.
3.3.1. 2018-19 Season
On July 19, 2018, Liverpool confirmed the signing of Alisson for a fee of 66.80 M GBP (72.50 M EUR), making him the most expensive goalkeeper of all time at that point. This record was broken just four weeks later when Chelsea signed Kepa Arrizabalaga for a reported 71.60 M GBP (80.00 M EUR). Alisson initially wore the vacant number 13 shirt for the 2018-19 season.
He made his Liverpool debut on August 12, keeping a clean sheet in a 4-0 victory over West Ham United. He was praised for maintaining three consecutive clean sheets in subsequent wins against Crystal Palace and Brighton. In August, Alisson was shortlisted for the Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season, finishing in second place. With Alisson in goal, Liverpool went on a remarkable 20-game unbeaten run in the league from the start of the season, a streak that saw the Brazilian break Javier Mascherano's record for the longest such streak. He also played a crucial role in Liverpool's Champions League group stage campaign, making a vital late save in their final group game against Napoli, securing a 1-0 win that advanced Liverpool to the knockout stages.
On March 4, 2019, Alisson recorded his 17th Premier League clean sheet of the season, the most by any Premier League goalkeeper in their debut season since former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina in 2006. By the end of the season, Alisson had kept a total of 21 clean sheets in the Premier League, earning him the Premier League Golden Glove award. In the Champions League knockout stages, Alisson was pivotal in Liverpool reaching their second consecutive final. In the second-leg semi-final at home to Barcelona, he made several impressive saves as Liverpool overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit with a dramatic 4-0 home win. In the final on June 1, 2019, Alisson kept a clean sheet as Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-0, making eight saves in the process, to win his first trophy with the club.
3.3.2. 2019-20 Season
Before the start of the 2019-20 season, it was announced that Alisson would wear the number 1 shirt, which had previously been worn by Loris Karius. He started in the 2019 FA Community Shield against Manchester City on August 4; after a 1-1 draw, Manchester City won the title 5-4 on penalties. On August 9, 2019, in the opening match of the 2019-20 Premier League season against newly promoted Norwich at Anfield, Alisson sustained a calf injury in the first half and was replaced by new signing Adrián after 38 minutes. The injury was expected to keep him out for a "few weeks," ruling him out of the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, which Liverpool won 5-4 on penalties against Chelsea after a 2-2 extra-time draw on August 14.
Alisson returned to the matchday squad on October 20, in a 1-1 draw with rivals Manchester United. On November 30, he was sent off for handling the ball outside his designated area in a 2-1 win over Brighton. On December 21, Alisson kept a clean sheet against Flamengo in the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup final, helping Liverpool win the trophy for the first time. On January 19, 2020, Alisson provided a crucial assist for Mohamed Salah's 93rd-minute goal in a 2-0 home win against Manchester United in the league.
On March 6, 2020, Alisson sustained another injury, which meant he missed the following day's Premier League win against AFC Bournemouth and the Champions League round of 16 second-leg loss against Atlético Madrid. These were the final two Liverpool matches before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He ended the 2019-20 Premier League season with a Premier League winner's medal, having made 29 appearances.
3.3.3. 2020-21 Season
On September 20, 2020, Alisson saved a penalty in Liverpool's second league game of the 2020-21 Premier League season, a 2-0 away win over Chelsea. This marked Alisson's first penalty save for Liverpool since joining the club, and it was Jorginho's first missed penalty out of nine attempts for Chelsea across all competitions. On February 7, 2021, Alisson made two errors within three minutes, conceding possession to allow İlkay Gündoğan and Raheem Sterling to score for Manchester City, as Liverpool ultimately lost 4-1.
On May 16, 2021, Alisson scored a dramatic late winner in a 2-1 victory against West Bromwich Albion. With Liverpool vying for a spot in the top four and the score tied at 1-1, Alisson came up for a Liverpool corner in the 95th minute. The corner, taken by Trent Alexander-Arnold, found Alisson, who scored with a header. This historic goal was the first ever scored by a goalkeeper in a competitive match in Liverpool's 129-year history, and Alisson became the sixth goalkeeper to score in the Premier League. This goal was later named Liverpool's Goal of the Season for 2020-21.
3.3.4. 2021-22 Season
On August 4, 2021, prior to the beginning of the 2021-22 Premier League season, Alisson signed a new long-term contract extension, committing to Liverpool until the summer of 2027. On May 15, 2022, Alisson won the FA Cup with Liverpool, defeating rivals Chelsea 6-5 on penalties in the final. Alisson crucially saved a penalty from Mason Mount, allowing Liverpool's Kostas Tsimikas to score the winning penalty in the shootout.
Alisson also earned a runners-up medal in the Champions League as Liverpool lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in the final. Liverpool narrowly missed out on the chance to achieve a historic quadruple, finishing second in the Premier League and the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League, but successfully winning both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup. He also tied with Ederson for the most clean sheets in the Premier League this season, securing his second Premier League Golden Glove award.
3.3.5. 2022-23 Season
On October 16, 2022, Alisson provided an assist for Mohamed Salah's late winning goal in Liverpool's 1-0 victory over rivals Manchester City in the Premier League. With this assist, Alisson became the goalkeeper with the most goal contributions in Premier League history, tallying 3 assists and 1 goal for Liverpool. Three days later, on October 19, Alisson saved a penalty from Jarrod Bowen as Liverpool defeated West Ham United 1-0 in the Premier League. His impressive performances earned him Liverpool's Player of the Month award for October 2022.
Alisson achieved his 100th clean sheet for Liverpool on May 6, 2023, in a 1-0 victory against Brentford. At the end of the 2022-23 season, Liverpool narrowly missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification. Despite this team setback, Alisson was widely praised as one of the best performers in the Premier League that season.
3.3.6. 2023-24 Season and Recent Developments
On August 27, 2023, Alisson made an acrobatic save to deny Miguel Almirón from scoring in a 2-1 victory against Newcastle United, a save that later earned him the Premier League Save of the Month award for August. On October 5, 2024, he sustained an injury during the team's match against Crystal Palace. On November 28, 2024, it was reported that Alisson had extended his contract with his agency, Neis World Sports, ensuring their continued representation for the goalkeeper. Further details regarding the contract extension were not publicly disclosed.
4. International Career
Alisson has been a consistent presence for the Brazil national football team across various age groups and at the senior level.
4.1. Youth and Senior Team Debut
Alisson represented Brazil at both the under-17 and under-20 levels. In 2013, he was part of the Brazil U-23 squad that won the Toulon Tournament.
He was subsequently called up to the senior squad by manager Dunga for the first two matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign against Chile and Venezuela. Alisson made his senior international debut against Venezuela on October 13, 2015, starting in a 3-1 victory at the Castelão.
On May 5, 2016, Alisson was named in Brazil's 23-man squad for the Copa América Centenario. In the team's first match, a goalless draw against Ecuador, he fumbled a Miller Bolaños shot into his own goal that was ultimately disallowed because the ball had gone out of play beforehand. He conceded a total of two goals in three matches as Brazil was eliminated in the group stage of the tournament.
4.2. Major Tournaments
Alisson has been Brazil's primary goalkeeper in several major international competitions, contributing significantly to their campaigns.
4.2.1. 2018 FIFA World Cup
In May 2018, Alisson was selected in the final 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup held in Russia. He was an ever-present figure in Brazil's matches, starting all of them as they advanced to the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Belgium.
4.2.2. 2019 Copa América
In May 2019, Alisson was included by manager Tite in Brazil's 23-man squad for the 2019 Copa América hosted on home soil. Throughout the tournament, he demonstrated exceptional goalkeeping, conceding only one goal in six matches, a record that helped Brazil secure the title. The only instance where Alisson failed to keep a clean sheet was in the 3-1 final victory against Peru on July 7, at the Maracanã Stadium, where he was beaten by a Paolo Guerrero penalty kick. Following the tournament, Alisson was honored with the Best Goalkeeper Award for his outstanding performances.
4.2.3. 2021 Copa América
On June 13, 2021, Alisson started in Brazil's opening match of the 2021 Copa América on home soil, keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Venezuela. He was an unused substitute in his nation's 1-0 defeat to rivals Argentina in the final on July 10, with Ederson starting in his place. Prior to this, on June 15, 2021, Alisson was included in Brazil's 50-man preliminary squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics, though he was not part of the final squad for the tournament.
4.2.4. 2022 FIFA World Cup
On November 7, 2022, Alisson was named in the squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He played in two group stage games and was rested against Cameroon. He started both knockout matches but was substituted in the 80th minute against South Korea. Brazil's World Cup campaign concluded in the quarter-finals with a defeat to Croatia.
4.2.5. 2024 Copa América
In May 2024, Alisson was selected as a member of the Brazil national team squad to participate in the 2024 Copa América.
5. Style of Play
Alisson has garnered significant praise for his exceptional goalkeeping abilities, which include his tactical contributions and overall strengths. He is widely considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
His playing style is characterized by his ability to produce crucial saves and his brilliance in one-on-one situations. He is also highly regarded for his positioning, consistent performances, and effective ball distribution. Alisson cites former Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés as an inspiration due to his ability to play out from the back, and Manuel Neuer for his 'sweeper-keeper' style.
Alisson is known for his speed and timing when rushing off his line, as well as his proficiency in clearing or challenging for the ball with his feet outside the penalty area. He can also get to ground quickly to collect or parry the ball inside the box. Due to his excellent distribution, he is capable of playing the ball out from the back quickly with both his hands and feet, and possesses the ability to launch counter-attacks or accurately pick out midfielders or attackers with his long goal kicks. His skills with the ball at his feet and composure in possession even allow him to take on opponents when put under pressure, enabling his teams to play with a high defensive line.
Despite his height (standing at 6.3 ft (1.93 m)), strength, size, and powerful physique, Alisson is also an agile and athletic goalkeeper. He possesses good reflexes and excellent shot-stopping abilities, along with the capacity to produce spectacular and instinctive reaction saves when necessary. However, he is predominantly known for his efficient style of goalkeeping, which stems from his anticipation, consistency, composure, intelligence, positional sense, and refined goalkeeping technique. These attributes allow him to read the game effectively, cover the goal well, and stop shots without resorting to excessive or histrionic movements. Furthermore, he is noted for his strong handling and effectiveness in dealing with high balls, which enables him to confidently come out, claim crosses, and command his penalty area. His technical footwork when confronting opponents is also highly regarded.
Some sports pundits, based on his statistical performances, consider Alisson the most proficient goalkeeper in the Premier League, and arguably the best in the world, particularly in individual battles against opponents. His playing style has also drawn comparisons with compatriots Júlio César, Muriel, and Cláudio Taffarel in the media. Former Roma goalkeeper coach Roberto Negrisolo praised Alisson by calling him the 'Messi of goalkeepers' due to his 'mentality similar to Messi's'. Negrisolo also compared him to legendary Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff and Belgian goalkeeper Michel Preud'homme. The moniker "The Messi of goalkeepers" has been widely attached to him. He has also been affectionately nicknamed "The Holy Goalie" by teammate Virgil van Dijk due to his strong faith.
6. Personal Life
Alisson's personal life is rooted in his family, heritage, and deep religious convictions. His older brother, Muriel, is also a goalkeeper and developed through the same SC Internacional academy.
Alisson's paternal family is of German descent, with both his father and grandmother being fluent German speakers. While playing for Roma, he was affectionately nicknamed "The German." He also holds a German passport. In addition to his native Portuguese, Alisson is multilingual, speaking Italian, Spanish, and English.
In 2015, Alisson married Natália Loewe, who is a doctor from Brazil. They have three children: a daughter named Helena, born on April 29, 2017; a son named Matteo, born on June 14, 2019; and a second son born on May 10, 2021. Alisson and Natália have actively served as advocates for WHO, particularly promoting proactive mental health care.
Alisson is a devout Pentecostal Christian. His strong faith is a significant aspect of his public persona, earning him the nickname "The Holy Goalie" from his teammate Virgil van Dijk. He has been known to host baptisms in his swimming pool, including for fellow footballer Roberto Firmino and the wife of Fenerbahçe player Fred. He famously lifted the Champions League trophy wearing a T-shirt adorned with "† = ❤".
Tragically, on February 24, 2021, Alisson's father, José Agostinho Becker, drowned in a lake near his holiday home in Lavras do Sul, Brazil. Local officials concluded that there was no foul play involved in the incident.
7. Honours and Awards
Alisson Becker has amassed numerous team titles and individual accolades throughout his distinguished club and international career.
Internacional
- Campeonato Gaúcho: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Liverpool
- Premier League: 2019-20
- FA Cup: 2021-22
- EFL Cup: 2021-22
- UEFA Champions League: 2018-19
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2019
Brazil U23
- Toulon Tournament: 2013
Brazil
- Copa América: 2019
Individual
- The Best FIFA Goalkeeper: 2019
- Yashin Trophy: 2019
- IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 2019
- UEFA Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season: 2018-19
- Premier League Golden Glove: 2018-19, 2021-22
- Premier League Save of the Month: August 2023
- FIFA FIFPRO World11: 2019, 2020
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017-18, 2018-19
- Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year: 2017-18
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2017-18
- Globe Soccer Awards Best Goalkeeper of the Year: 2018, 2019
- Copa América Golden Glove: 2019
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2019
- IFFHS Men's World Team: 2019
- Samba Gold: 2019
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2019
- Liverpool Goal of the Season: 2020-21
- PFA Team of the Year: 2021-22 Premier League
8. Career Statistics
8.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | State league (Campeonato Gaúcho) | National cup (Copa do Brasil, Coppa Italia, FA Cup) | League cup (EFL Cup) | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Internacional | 2013 | Série A | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2014 | Série A | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 14 | 0 | ||||
| 2015 | Série A | 26 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 12 | 0 | - | 57 | 0 | |||
| 2016 | Série A | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |||
| Total | 44 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 101 | 0 | |||
| Roma | 2016-17 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | - | 11 | 0 | - | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2017-18 | Serie A | 37 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 12 | 0 | - | 49 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 37 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | - | 23 | 0 | - | 64 | 0 | |||||
| Liverpool | 2018-19 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | - | 51 | 0 | ||
| 2019-20 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | Premier League | 33 | 1 | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 1 | ||
| 2021-22 | Premier League | 36 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | - | 54 | 0 | |||
| 2022-23 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | ||
| 2023-24 | Premier League | 28 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2024-25 | Premier League | 20 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 25 | 0 | |||
| Total | 221 | 1 | - | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 288 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 302 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 87 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 453 | 1 | ||
8.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2015 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 71 | 0 | |