Alisson Explains Emotional Reaction To Winner Was Because He Wished His Father Could See It

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has explained that the tearful reaction to his sensational injury-time winner against West Brom was because he wished his father was there to see it.

The Brazilian keeper gave his side three points with a powerful, stoppage-time header. But his crying on the pitch afterwards wasn't just to do with a vital win in Liverpool's battle for the top four.

Alisson explained in a touching post-match interview that it was all connected to the death of his father, Jose Agostinho, who drowned in February in Brazil. The pandemic also meant that Alisson couldn't travel and attend the funeral.

So it was completely understandable that he broke down after the goal, as he hugged his teammates, Liverpool's goalkeeping coach and his manager Jurgen Klopp.

In an incredibly open and moving post-match interview with Sky Sports, Alisson joked that it was "the best goal" he'd ever scored (it is his only career goal).

But he also paid warm tribute the support he had received from across the football world - including from Everton, Chelsea and Man City, as well as Liverpool supporters - after the tragic and unexpected death of his father.

"I'm too emotional, these last months, for everything that happened with me - with my family," he said, speaking eloquently in his second language.

"But football is my life. I play since I remember, as a human being, with my father. I hope he was here to see it, but I'm sure that he's seeing - with God on his side - and celebrating."

The 28-year-old also paid tribute to the fighting spiriting of his Liverpool teammates after they came back from 1-0 down to beat West Brom 2-1, thanks to Mohamed Salah's strike and a remarkable header from the keeper himself.

"Scoring this goal, I'm really, really happy because they fight a lot - we fight a lot together," he added. "And we have a strong goal to achieve the Champions League because we won it once and everything starts with qualification. So I can't be more happy than I am now."

Asked if the celebration was particularly emotional, Alisson replied: "Yeah, I've been away from interviews for a long time - it was difficult, because always when I talk about it [my father passing] I get emotional.

"But I just really want to thank all of you. All the Premier League, all the players I receive letters from; from managers, from teams, from - for example Everton and [Carlo] Ancelotti, all the players.

"Man City, Chelsea, I don't want to be not fair with the others that I don't remember. But I just want to say thank you to everybody.

"The supporters from the team - without you, I could never get through this. Because I'm just away from my family since this thing happened - my mother, I mean - my wife has been amazing; my kids give me energy.

"This is how we feel the love from God. This is how God loves us - through people... I just want to say thank you at this moment."