Diogo Jota of Liverpool celebrates after scoring
Diogo Jota became a Liverpool fan favourite
When news broke on Thursday morning about the death of Diogo Jota, I could barely believe what I was reading. Only a few days earlier, the Liverpool forward had been celebrating marriage to his long-term partner in the most beautiful-looking ceremony imaginable.
After putting the TV on, Jota's face dominated my screen. At first, I thought must have agreed a deal to sell their Portuguese striker in another part of squad overhaul. Then a headline flashed up.
To say I was dumbfounded by the news I was absorbing is an understatement. First, there was shock, then a moment of denial, then I'm sorry to say, a few tears.
Jota joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 and went on to score 65 goals in 182 appearances in all competitions. His time at Anfield coincided with on-field success and the understated Portuguese star was at the heart of pretty much all of it. An FA Cup and Carabao Cup winner in 2022, he repeated the latter in 2024, before making up for near-misses in the Champions League and Premier League in 2022 by finally clinching the Premier League title in the season just gone.
Jota proved his worth by providing genuine competition to the Reds' formidable attacking trio of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah under Jurgen Klopp. Although he was sometimes used as a left-sided winger, it was his forays as a centre forward that really caught the eye and in doing so endeared him to the Kop.
His knack for a goal when the stakes were high was unmatched, earning him the nickname Jota the Slotter. With movement in the penalty area that few strikers seemed able to replicate, it was no wonder that the Kop took to him straight away.
During the Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Leicester City at Anfield in 2021, Jota had taken some stick from the large away support. But when he scored the winning penalty to put the Reds through to the semi-final, he didn't think twice about celebrating in front of the travelling contingent. That only elevated him further to hero status as far as I was concerned.
Another memorable moment came in a crazy Anfield encounter against Tottenham Hotspur in April, 2023. Liverpool were 3-0 up after just 15 minutes, but somehow managed to throw away their advantage in the second half. When Spurs drew level in injury time via an unorthodox header from Richarlison, the former Everton striker celebrated wildly at the Anfield Road End, throwing his shirt off in jubilation.
But just moments later, Jota was the calmest man in the stadium as he pounced on a poor pass to run into the penalty area and ruthlessly score a 94th-minute winner, sending Anfield into euphoria. It was typical of the man and his unerring ability in front of goal.
One of the things I liked about Jota was that for a centre forward, he was not particularly big, but could make up for that with his incredible movement in the box. Despite his lack of height, he was also exceptionally good in the air.
Such a likeable character was always destined to be a Kop favourite, and his song, with its roots in Argentine football, was one of the most popular to be sung by supporters home and away. He had a number of injury issues that kept him out of the side for sustained periods and Liverpool were sometimes poorer in front of goal in his absence.
One of the reasons he was so popular with supporters is because the Kop trusted him. If there was a goal to be had or an adverse situation to be overturned, the Kop believed in Jota to be the man to make it happen. This wasn't blind faith, it was trust that had been earned.
I've lost count of the number of times I've heard supporters calling for Jota's introduction during matches that weren't going Liverpool's way. He was our footballing superhero who could be called upon the save the day for Liverpool.
But if the average fan loved Jota because of his goal-scoring prowess, that only told half of the story of his universal popularity at the club. The high esteem he was held in by his teammates has never been doubted, but some of the tributes that were paid by his distraught dressing room colleagues on Thursday really hit home.
None more so than the words of Andy Robertson, who in a heartfelt Instagram post wrote: "I could talk about him as a player for hours, but none of that feels like it matters right now. It’s the man. The person. He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real.
"Full of love for the people he cared about. Full of fun."
The Anfield faithful have always regarded grounded individuals like Robertson as the finest examples of what it means to represent the club's values, and his dear friend falls into that same category. He set standards on and off the pitch, but with the minimum of fuss.
That we will never get to see Diogo Jota pull on a Liverpool shirt ever again fills me with huge sadness. But it is nothing compared to the sorrow I feel for his family and friends who now have to find the strength to carry on, not just without Diogo, but also his brother Andre Silva.
In times of bereavement and heartache, many people turn to football as a means of escapism and as a form of therapy to help deal with their troubles. In his own way, Jota will have helped thousands of Liverpool fans and brought them happiness and contentment when they needed it, without even knowing.
Now it is his own poor family who will need the support of others in the coming days, weeks and years as they try to process what has happened. Liverpool's motto, 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is as relevant today as it has always been.
Diogo Jota rightfully earned his place in Liverpool Football Club's history, and his contribution to the cause will never be forgotten by those who were privileged enough to witness it.