Diogo Jota was quickly hailed by the Liverpool support as “better than (Luis) Figo” and the shocking death of the Portuguese international yesterday has left the English champions in mourning.
The 28-year-old died on Thursday alongside his younger brother Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames.
A product of the Pacos de Ferreira academy on the outskirts of his native Porto, Jota made his name and played the majority of his professional career in the Premier League.
His precocious talent caught the eye of Atletico Madrid who snapped him up in 2016 but he never played a game for the Spanish giants.
Instead, after a loan spell at Porto, Jota was among the first wave of Portuguese talent parachuted into England at then second-tier Wolves due to the club’s connections with super-agent Jorge Mendes.
Jota’s goals helped fire Wolves from the Championship to the quarter-finals of the Europa League in just three seasons.
That caught the eye of Liverpool, who splashed out a £45 million ($62 million) transfer fee for the versatile forward even in the midst of the economic meltdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
“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.
Once supporters were back in the stands after the pandemic, Jota’s popularity was reflected in a chant proclaiming him to be better than Portugal legend Figo, who played for Real Madrid and Barcelona during his decorated career.
He was a key part of the side that won the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021⁄22, narrowly missing out on the Premier League and Champions League for what would have been an unprecedented quadruple.
In total, Jota struck 65 times in 182 appearances for the Reds, the last of which won the Merseyside derby against Everton in April to edge Liverpool ever closer to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.
But not for the first time in Liverpool’s rich history, tragedy has struck to overshadow triumph.
Jota’s last public act as a player on Merseyside was taking part in the trophy parade through the city, which will be remembered for a car ploughing into the crowds, injuring 109 people.
Fans began laying shirts, scarves and flowers in tribute at Anfield, where there is a permanent memorial to the 97 fans killed in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 which still leaves a scar on the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo was among those to express his disbelief that his international team-mate has passed.
“It makes no sense,” the five-time Ballon d’Or winner posted on social media. “Rest in Peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.”
Ronaldo and Jota, who won 49 caps for his country, had been part of the Portugal team that won the Nations League last month.
Jota then wed his long-time partner and mother of his three children, Rute Cardoso, 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.
Off the field, Jota was well-known for his passion for video games and even had his own esports team Luna Esports.
During the pandemic, he won a Premier League competition among players on the FIFA game, defeating future team-mate 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.
