“My name is not Fabinho” – Liverpool star opens up on story behind name on the back of his shirt

Liverpool and Brazil midfielder Fabinho has revealed that the name on the back of his shirt isn't his real name.

The Brazilian's real name is Fabio Henrique Tavares, but he goes by 'Fabinho' to everyone in the footballing world. His jersey for Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will bear the same name.

Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, he revealed that this change in name had his mother's approval. He said (h/t official club website):

"My name is not Fabinho. My name is Fabio – Fabio Tavares – but in Brazil we put ‘inho’ in every name, so they started to call me Fabinho and until today I’m Fabinho."

The former Monaco midfielder added:

“I asked my mum when I started my career what she preferred – Fabinho or Fabio – and she said Fabinho, so I stayed with Fabinho."

It's not rare for footballers, especially those who hail from the football-crazy streets of South America, to have a shorter name. It is, after all, hard to imagine a footballer really being named 'Hulk'.

Givanildo Vieira de Sousa was given the moniker due to his resemblance to actor Lou Ferrigno, who played the Incredible Hulk on a TV Show in the 1970s. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, or simply 'Kaka' is another such example.

'Fabinho' is inarguably a sobriquet solely associated with Liverpool's No. 3. The decision to add '-inho' to his name seems to have paid off.

However, he hasn't been in the best of form for Liverpool this campaign. He will hope to redeem himself in the coming weeks after being named in manager Tite's 26-man Brazil squad for Qatar.

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Fabinho recalls his favorite moment in a Liverpool shirt

In the same interview, Fabinho was asked to name his favorite moment since becoming a Liverpool player.

His answer was simple - the moment that followed the Reds' 4-0 UEFA Champions League semi-final win against Barcelona in the 2018-19 campaign. Liverpool trailed 3-0 after the first leg of the tie at Camp Nou.

What followed in the second leg at Anfield was one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport. After the full-time whistle at L4, the entire Reds team - staff included - sang 'You'll Never Walk Alone' in front of the Kop End.

Fabinho said:

"The game against Barcelona [his favorite moment], the second game at Anfield. For me, the game, the result was really special"

He added:

"But the moment after the game between players, staff, and fans was really special, something really special in my career, one of the best experiences in my football career. That’s why it was so special, this game."