Athlete

I knew Jurgen Klopp from my time in Germany.

I have evolved a lot as a player working with Klopp, who is a very tactical coach.

When I came to Liverpool, in a ??0 million transfer, I was expensive.

Liverpool are one of the greats in Europe, and being able to be part of the history of such a great club is gratifying to me.

Klopp is a fantastic guy. I rate him as an extremely professional coach, perfectionist, and a winning mentality.

I'm not used to doing press conferences, and I don't like giving interviews.

Everyone hears stories about what it means to be a Liverpool player, but, until you live it personally, you cannot really understand it.

I used to finish school and go and play football.

To score my first Selecao goal is a unique emotion.

I pray and listen to music on the way to the stadium. I also bless myself just before kick-off.

I like to relax; of course I do! But when I am inside the pitch, that is it. You have to go on full on from the first minute.

I started out as a defender. I played as a full-back, and then I moved into the centre. I played defence right the way through until the Under-18s. Honestly!

It comes easy to me to run. I picked a lot of it up from Germany. I had four-and-a-half years there, and I learned you have to be on the automatic button. Press it, and you go: you keep running, chasing and working.

I've always been shy; it's just that I transform on the pitch. I'm a different person. Off the pitch, I'm another person. That's how it has to be.

I consider myself to be half-Brazilian and half-German on the pitch.

I remember the first day getting to Hoffenheim. Minus 20! The weather was different; the food was different. It was cold, and I found it difficult, but I am not someone who gives up.

You play in different situations and conditions, and you have to come up with new solutions for the problems. It has made me a more rounded player, who can handle different tactics and positions.

I always try to do a bit more than I am asked.

Which team in the world would not like to have a player of the quality of Coutinho?

Professor Tite has played a big role in the Selecao's ascent. He's a brilliant coach, with a unique way of working, but he's also a marvellous person. He makes everyone feel at ease.