Who was Diogo Jota: Career, legacy, and the tragic death of Liverpool's finest

Jota made his senior debut for Portuguese football club Pacos de Ferreira at the age of 17. His performances sparked transfer interest from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, who signed him in the summer of 2016. However, he did not play a single game.

Anfield: One of Liverpool's brightest talents Diogo Jota passed away in a car crash at the age of 28 in Spain with his brother Andre Silva. Jota recently got married to Rute Cardoso on June 22, 2025, and has three children. Born in Porto on December 4, 1996, Jota made his senior debut for Portuguese football club Pacos de Ferreira at the age of 17. Jota’s performances sparked transfer interest from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, who signed him in the summer of 2016. However, he did not play a single game for the club. 

Jota was sent on loan to FC Porto, where he played under Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo. He had a wonderful season there, scoring eight goals in 27 matches. Porto finished second to Benfica in the league, losing only twice throughout the campaign. He also scored a goal in the UEFA Champions League that season, against Leicester City. When Nuno left the club to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jota's loan was extended and he followed him. This was a revelation for English football as Jota helped Wolves get promoted to the English Premier League. 

Jota's loan became permanent in 2018 and scored 16 goals in two seasons. He also scored two hattricks in the UEFA Europa League against Besiktas and Espanyol, sparking interest from Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool. 

Jota and Liverpool - An unfinished love story 

At the age of 23 years, a young Diogo Jota signed a deal with one of England's finest clubs. In the 2021-22 season, Jota secured 16 goals and 5 assists in 46 appearances. The 2022-23 season saw him scoring seven times in 26 appearances. Ageing as fine as wine, it was in the 2023-24 season that Jota established himself as a clutch player for Liverpool. He scored 13 goals in just 26 appearances and took the world of football by a storm. In the last season, Jota played for Liverpool 35 times and scored 8 goals and managed to get three assists. Over his time at Liverpool, Jota made a total of182 appearances, scoring 65 goals.

Jota, despite injury concerns, found himself being valuable for Liverpool when the fans least expected it. Some of his most cherished memories include his brace against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semifinal and a crucial goal against Manchester United at Anfield. In a seven-goal Premier League thriller against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, Jota scored a dramatic last-minute winner, prompting one of Peter Drury’s most unforgettable lines. “And now here's Jota... DIOGO JOTA,” exclaimed commentator Peter Drury, his voice rising with the energy of the stadium. “Mayhem, Liverpool threw it away and then they won it all over again. It just makes no sense. A mad, mad game.” 

With Liverpool, Jota won his first English Premier League last season. He won the English FA Cup in 2022, and the English League Cup twice (in 2022 and 2024) with the club. Jota is also a two-time UEFA Nations League winner with Portugal Football Team.

Liverpool devastated

Liverpool Football Club said that the team was devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. “Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss. We will continue to provide them with our full support,” they added.