Liverpool smashed the world record for a goalkeeper that had stood for seventeen years when they announced the signing of Alisson on 19 July 2018. The £65 million fee was around double what Juventus had paid Parma for Gianluigi Buffon in 2001. Alisson's former coach at Roma, Roberto Negrisolo, thought Liverpool still had a bargain as he told newspaper Il Romanista after being asked about the hefty price tag: "Let's not joke around. He's worth much more. I don't think many people have realised who Alisson is. This guy is a phenomenon. He is the number one of No.1s. He is the Messi of goalkeepers, because he has the same mentality as Messi. He is a goalkeeper who can define an era. The way he behaves in goal, he reminds me of Dino Zoff. I’d also compare him to Michel Preud’homme, who had the class of someone born to be a goalkeeper. I told Alisson when I met him at Roma’s Trigoria ground that he was born for this. He was already strong when he arrived but has improved even more since he's been in Italy.” This was high praise, indeed, but Alisson didn't probably mind this ringing endorsement.

Alisson comes from a family of goalkeepers. His older brother, Muriel who is five years his senior, played 75 league matches for Internacional, that was also Alisson's first professional club. Their father, Jose, also dabbled in goal and their mother, Magali, was a handball keeper. Even their great-grandfather played in goal! Born in Novo Hamburgo in 1992, Alisson was at Internacional from ten years old until 2016 when he left for Roma. He was second choice for his first season in Rome, appearing only in cup games, much to his disappointment as he had reckoned to be first choice. Roma decided to extend Wojciech Szczesny's loan at Arsenal and he kept Alisson out of the side. However, Alisson became number one in the 2017/18 season and featured for Brazil in the World Cup. Alisson put in some stunning performances in Serie A and the Champions League, where Roma were eventually beaten by Liverpool in the semi-finals. The experience of the Anfield atmosphere was a factor in Alisson choosing the Reds, with Chelsea also having been in the hunt.

The huge fee paid for Allison was justified time and time again throughout the 2018/19 season. There were a few wobbles, including a comical loss of possession at Leicester that led to the Reds clinging on at the end. However, they were countered by several outstanding saves at key moments, such as in the closing stages of the decisive group stage game against Napoli when an equaliser would almost certainly have eliminated the Reds from the competition. Alisson's commanding presence gave confidence to the defence in front of him and he ended the campaign with the Premier League Golden Gloves for keeping 21 clean sheets as well as a Champions League winners medal. Alisson was named UEFA's Goalkeeper of the Year for his performance in the Champions League en route to victory in Madrid.

The 2019/20 season hardly got off to a great start as Alisson suffered a calf injury on the opening day of the Premier League season when the Reds beat Norwich on 9 August 2019. The Brazilian was out for two months and missed Liverpool's European Super Cup win against Chelsea while Adrian was an able deputy. Alisson was injured again in March and was absent as Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League against Atletico Madrid but while football was suspended due to the Coronavirus, Alisson got fit again and featured as Liverpool secured the league title. "We did already something special for this club, but you can see from what every player says inside the dressing room that we want to do more," Ali said at the conclusion of this historic campaign. "This is our desire, we want to win more, win more titles for this club, win more individual awards. We want to be the best team and to be the best we can, the best version of ourselves."

2020/21 was a difficult season all around, with Liverpool's title defence collapsing. Alisson saved his first penalty for the club in a 2-0 win at Chelsea in the second league game. He had brief spells on the sidelines with two separate injuries to the shoulder and hip. He suffered personal tragedy with the death of his father in a swimming accident and was unable to return home for the funeral due to Covid regulations. The season though ended in dramatic fashion, as he went up for an injury time corner away to West Bromwich Albion and headed a winning goal for the Reds – the first goal ever scored by a Reds goalkeeper in competitive play. That moment was vital in ensuring Liverpool’s qualification for the Champions League and after competing with Brazil in the Copa America, Alisson signed a new deal until 2027 on his return to Liverpool.

Alisson excelled again in 2021/22 as Liverpool went close to an unprecedented Quadruple. He kept 20 clean sheets in the league to share the Golden Glove and played every minute of the domestic cup triumphs. He saved Mason Mount's spot kick in the penalty shoot out of the FA Cup final against Chelsea, which enabled Kostas Tsimikas to convert the winning kick. The Reds pushed Manchester City all the way in the Premier League and reached the Champions League final, where they were narrowly beaten by Real Madrid. The following season, 2022/23, was a more difficult one collectively as Liverpool struggled for consistency and finished outside the Champions League places. Alisson, however, was widely regarded as one of the few to maintain a high standard, making a series of crucial saves that kept the Reds competitive in matches. He was voted the club’s Player of the Season by supporters, underlining his importance even in a disappointing campaign. Alisson travelled to the World Cup in Qatar as Brazil’s established number one. Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals as Croatia converted all of their spot-kicks.

Alisson continued to anchor Liverpool from the back in 2023/24. His leadership, distribution and calm presence remained key features, and he passed the landmark of 250 appearances for the club. Injuries restricted him late in the campaign, but he returned for the run-in as Liverpool secured a return to the Champions League. The summer of 2024 brought fresh uncertainty with Klopp’s departure, yet Alisson’s standing was undiminished. Despite speculation over possible interest from Saudi Arabia, he confirmed his commitment to Liverpool and began the 2024/25 season as first-choice goalkeeper under new manager Arne Slot. Alisson once again proved his quality in 2024/25 as Liverpool secured their 20th league title, despite being hampered by intermittent injury problems. His standout moment of the season – and perhaps of his Liverpool career – came in the Champions League round of 16 at Paris Saint-Germain, where he produced a masterclass of goalkeeping. Making nine crucial saves, he kept a clean sheet as Liverpool edged a 1–0 victory, underlining his reputation as one of the world’s top goalkeepers.

Questions were still being asked about Alisson’s long-term future at Liverpool in the summer of 2025 with the arrival of Giorgi Mamadashvili. The former Valencia goalkeeper joined the club with a reputation as one of Europe’s brightest prospects. Alisson, still in his prime, remains committed to the club, but ready for Liverpool to gradually integrate Mamadashvili into cup competitions or rotation in the league. The contrast in style - Alisson’s commanding presence and experience versus the Georgian's agility and shot-stopping reflexes - sets up a potential future transition period.