Diogo Jota was quickly praised by Liverpool as a player who is ‘better than (Luis) Figo’ following the shocking death of the Portuguese international on Thursday, which has left the English champions in mourning, SAVANNAH NEWSNOW REPORTS.
The 28-year-old died alongside his younger brother Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain and burst into flames.
Hailing from Porto, Jota emerged from the Pacos de Ferreira academy and went on to spend most of his professional career in the Premier League.
Atletico Madrid acquired Jota in 2016 due to his exceptional talent, but he never played for the Spanish club. Following a loan stint at Porto, Jota joined Wolves in the second tier of English football as part of the first influx of Portuguese talent, facilitated by the club’s ties to super-agent Jorge Mendes.
Jota’s goals were instrumental in Wolves’ swift rise from the Championship to the Europa League quarter-finals in just three seasons, culminating in a £45 million ($62 million) transfer to Liverpool in 2020, despite the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Exceptional player, exceptional boy,” said former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp during Jota’s early days at Anfield. “He has everything that a Liverpool player in this squad needs.” Jota took little time to deliver some return on Liverpool’s investment, becoming the first player in the club’s history to score in his first four home games.
Following the pandemic, when fans returned to the stands, Jota’s popularity surged, with supporters chanting that he was superior to Portuguese legend Figo, a renowned player for Real Madrid and Barcelona. Jota played a crucial role in the team’s League Cup and FA Cup victories in 2021/22, narrowly missing out on the Premier League and Champions League titles, which would have achieved an unprecedented quadruple.
Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, with his final goal helping the Reds win the Merseyside derby against Everton in April, moving them closer to a record 20th English top-flight title.
However, tragedy struck again in Liverpool’s history, overshadowing their triumph. Jota’s last public appearance as a Liverpool player was in the trophy parade, which was marred by a car crashing into the crowd, injuring 109 people.
Fans paid tribute to the victims by laying shirts, scarves, and flowers at Anfield, where a permanent memorial honors the 97 fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.
Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his shock at the passing of his international teammate, saying it ‘makes no sense.’
Ronaldo paid tribute to Jota and his partner on social media, saying ‘Rest in Peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.’ Ronaldo and Jota were part of Portugal’s Nations League-winning team last month, and Jota had married his longtime partner less than two weeks ago.
“Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all team-mates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in his community,” said Portuguese football federation Pedro Proenca.
Outside of football, Jota was renowned for his love of video games and even owned an esports team called Luna Esports. During the pandemic, he emerged victorious in a Premier League FIFA competition, beating his future teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold in the final.
His passing was described by Liverpool as an “unimaginable loss” not just of a star player but as a newlywed husband and father of three.
