As the football world continues to mark the tragic passing of Liverpool star Diogo Jota, several things have become abundantly apparent.
The first is that Jota was a thoroughly lovely human being. That is without dispute.
Liverpool fans knew that already, of course, and his teammates certainly did. But the way in which the world feels to have stopped to honour the 28-year-old has emphasised it once again.
Every tribute hits hard because it reinforces just what a good person Jota was. He was a friend to everyone, and a very, very good one at that.
Secondly, reminders have been everywhere that Liverpool was very much his club. Jota loved the Reds and, looking back, he made sure fans knew that every step of the way.
As memories of Liverpool’s eternal No. 20 continue to float back with added poignancy, one in particular from the day after Liverpool secured the Premier League title in April comes to mind.
Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez hold the Premier League trophy at Anfield on the last day of the 2024/25 season.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Diogo Jota couldn’t take off his Liverpool shirt
Part of the reason fans are so heartbroken by the tragic deaths of Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, is because of the genuine and humble personality of the player.
Jota was as down-to-earth as it is possible for a superstar footballer to be. He would stay up late at night playing video games before a big match. He would go to the races and watch the darts. He could have been any one of us.
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And, on April 28th, one day after Liverpool beat Tottenham to kick off one of Anfield‘s greatest ever parties, Jota demonstrated what it meant to him.
READ MORE: Diogo Jota: Remembering a hugely talented footballer but an even better human being
A report from The Athletic at the time detailed how the Portugal international had been spotted riding his bike along the coast in the Merseyside town of Crosby on the Monday.
But this was not just any old bike ride; Jota was reportedly still ‘proudly wearing’ his ‘Champions 24-25’ home shirt from the day before.
Jota was one of us at heart
At the time this report was published, no one could have known the extra emotion that would become attached to it.
Jota was in the prime of his career and had so much more to look forward to. He should have been able to display that very shirt in his home and look back on it decades into the future.
That he will not would hurt in any circumstance. But that it is such a humble, kind person who has been tragically taken away is cause for absolute despair.
Not every footballer would take a bike ride through town the day after winning the Premier League. Even fewer would do so while still wearing the shirt he won it in.
But that was Diogo. He was one of us from the day he joined until the day he left the earth. He proved it time after time after time.