Alisson Becker has revealed that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola sent him a message of condolence after the sudden death of his father in February 2021.
Jose Becker tragically died after drowning in a lake near his family home. Alisson was unable to attend the funeral in his homeland due to travel restrictions in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
In an emotional piece in The Players’ Tribune, Alisson said that his father’s passing ‘destroyed’ him and he revealed that he required the support of his Liverpool team-mates to get through it.
‘When he died, it destroyed me. I could not even think about football. I had to keep remembering that I even played football, and that we were fighting for the Top 4,’ he wrote.
‘It was even more complicated, because it was right in the middle of the pandemic, and the logistics of getting home were a nightmare.
‘My wife was pregnant with our third child, and Covid was exploding again in Brazil. Her doctor said that it was risky for her to travel, so she had to stay in Liverpool with our kids. That was total anguish for her, because she loved my father so much.
Alisson Becker has revealed that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola sent him a message of condolence after the death of his father in February 2021
The Brazilian’s father, Jose Becker, tragically died after drowning in a lake near his family home
The Manchester City boss was among those who sent their condolences to the Brazilian
‘We always joked that he loved her the most. If we ever had a little disagreement in front of my father, he would always say, ‘I think Natalia is right. She was the daughter he never had. I was going to have to fly to Brazil alone.
‘The following two or three days were a blur. The next thing I remember was all the flowers coming to our house. From Virgil, Andy, Fabinho, Firmino, Thiago…. on and on. All my brothers. Everyone sent us flowers with a note of condolences.
‘And not just from my teammates, but even Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti sent me a condolence letter. It really touched my heart. Every 10 minutes, there was another knock at our door, with a delivery man holding flowers.
‘I don’t think those people can understand how much something small like that means when you’re suffering. It was a reminder that even your biggest rivals recognise the human behind the name on the kit.
‘I’ll never forget, Jurgen called me, and I was feeling so guilty about missing training, because we were outside the Top 4, and we needed every point. But Jurgen told me to take as much time as I needed.’
Following his dad’s death, Alisson missed Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Sheffield United before returning for their final 12 matches as they hunted down a Champions League spot. The stopper was integral to the Reds’ successful attempt and even scored a dramatic winning goal in against West Bromwich Albion in May.
It was an emotional moment for the Brazilian, who was embraced by his team-mates after his heroics. The stopper claimed that if it were not for his colleagues and the club, he would not ‘have been able to deal with that time.’
‘When I returned to training a few days after the funeral, I would think about my father at random times,’ he added.
Alisson credited his team-mates ad the club with helping him get through the difficult time
The stopper also claimed that Jurgen Klopp told him to take as much time as he needed away
‘I would have these flashes and I would start crying. Right there in training. Imagine trying to sort out the wall to stop Trent’s free kick, and you have tears clouding your eyes! It’s hard enough when you’re not crying, man!
‘But my teammates were unbelievable. They never once judged me. They acted like they were all a part of my family and they were in mourning, too. Being able to train again brought me a sense of calm. I always say that I did not ‘choose’ football. You cannot choose what is unconscious, what is already in your bones.’
Alisson has continued to be an integral part of the Reds squad and has now become a two-time Premier League winner following Liverpool’s confirmation as champions last weekend.
