Diogo Jota was a regular at a coffee shop in Wolverhampton during his time with Wolves, and the owner has shared her fond memories of the late Liverpool star
Coffee shop owner Monica Ferreira with Diogo Jota and Ruben Neves
Coffee shop owner Monica Ferreira has shed light on Diogo Jota's kindness
(Image: Monica Ferreira)
Liverpool star Diogo Jota has been described as a 'humble' person who 'never said no to fans' by the owner of a coffee shop he frequented during his time with Wolves. The 28-year-old died in a tragic car accident on Thursday along with his brother, Andre Silva.
News of Jota's fatal accident in Zamora province, Spain, caused a somber silence to fall over the sport. Jota played 182 times for the Reds, winning a Premier League title, an FA Cup and two League Cups on Merseyside, where he was adored by fans.
Grieving has continued as tributes pour in for the late Portugal forward, and a former owner of a Wolverhampton coffee shop who knew Jota and his wife Rute Cardoso, mother of his three children, very well, has spoken fondly of the admirable human he was.
Monica Ferreira, who lived in the city for about six years and operated Aromas De Portugal, recalled how Wolves' Portuguese cohort loved the venue. Jota often visited with his partner, having joined the club in 2018 before leaving for Anfield two years later.
"I opened my coffee shop and he was one of the first customers," Ferreira told the Mirror. "Myself, I don't know too much about football, so I didn't know him in the first place. My husband, when he saw him, recognised him.
"He was a normal customer. He was very polite, very humble as well, like everyone knows. And he was very nice with everyone. After his first visit to the coffee shop, he was a regular. Every time he could come to the coffee shop, he was coming with his wife.
Portuguese shop Aromas de Portugal, often visited by Diogo Jota
Portuguese shop Aromas de Portugal was a favourite spot of Jota's
"We did some dinners with Ruben Neves [former Wolves and current Al-Hilal midfielder] as well. They were very friendly. Really nice people. Everyone is devastated with the news."
Ferreira shared how Jota was always swamped by adoring fans who looked up to him for how he lit up at Molineux, yet he remained approachable, never turning down a request for a photo or signature.
"Everyone was going to the coffee shop to see if they could meet the players there," she said. "To have some autographs, some photos, that kind of stuff. Every time Diogo had a fan from Wolves coming to him, he was the first person to say yes to a photograph, to a signature. He never said no.
"Even when he was with his wife, sometimes I closed the coffee shop so they could have some dinner, the Wolves players. But every time I had people at the door knocking because they want some photos. And every time, they were very nice with the fans."
Ferreira also recounted where she was when she heard the tragic news of Jota's passing, noting that it was so soon after she had congratulated him and his wife on their recent wedding on June 22, just 11 days before his death.
"It was my husband who called me. He said something like, 'Do you know who passed away?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'It was Diogo,'" she added.
A well-wisher leaves a photographa at a memorial for Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota, set up at the Gondomar Sport Clube stadium, where the late footballer began his career
A memorial has been set up in Jota's hometown of Gondomar
"I didn't believe it, to be honest. I couldn't believe it. He was such a nice person with a heart in the right place. It was really, really shocking. And because he was married just a few days before, and his wife was posting some photos. We had some friends in common as well.
"I just had put literally a like on one of the photos from the marriage, from his wedding. And I was just sending a text to her. And when I found out, it was the following day. So we were really, really surprised."
The owner of Jota's favoured shop, who sold the venue before moving home to Portugal, is aiming to attend the late Liverpool star's funeral, and admits she expects a brilliant turnout from people who wish to honour him.
"His wife is devastated," continued Ferreira. "She needs a lot of people to be with her. They're going to need a lot of support. His wife, their parents, because they lost two kids. It's really hard.
"I'm not sure what's going to happen [at the funeral], if it's going to be a lot of people or not, but I believe so. He was someone that everyone loved here in Portugal, especially here in the north of the country.
"Because they are from Gondomar, next to Porto. So here people are a little more friendly, more warm with each other. So I believe there's going to be a lot of people there.
"I just want to respect them the most I can. I'm not a friend that talks with them every day. But I met them and they're really nice people. They didn't deserve this kind of things. He was a great human being."