Liverpool star Roberto Firmino was brought to Europe thanks to computer game, Football Manager.

Hoffenheim director of football Lutz Pfannenstiel revealed how he used Football Manager to scout Firmino.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Pfannenstiel revaled how he landed the midfielder.

The conversation was had off air, but presenter Paul Hawksbee then asked how it came about.

Hawksebee said: “Lutz, you were saying with Firmino, you and a colleague found him [on Football Manager], did all the work on it and he went to Hoffenheim for £3.5m quid?"

To which he replied: “Yeah, £3.5m roughly."

The German then admitted he feared that initial pay out could have been too much.

“If you're getting a guy from the second league in Brazil, only 17 – 18-years-old," he added. “Straight away people think he needs to play in the first team directly.

“So people were saying you've paid that amount for a player who hasn't made it yet.

“In the end we sold him for €42m plus [future] payments, so in the end I think we did it right.

“I think it's good scouting, definitely."