Diogo Jota: Why the Liverpool star was such a popular figure in the footballing world

Following the tragic passing of Diogo Jota, the football world has come together to remember the Liverpool star's impact on the game.

The news of Jota's death was confirmed on Thursday by multiple media outlets, with his brother Andre Silva also heartbreakingly losing his life.

Tributes have poured in from fans, friends and teammates for the 28-year-old, who had only married his childhood sweetheart weeks prior to the fatal car accident in Spain.

Jota was also father to three children, and it is important to remember that at the centre of this tragedy is a human being beyond the footballer that supporters have come to know him as.

His family and friends will need time and space in order to grieve in the way that they see fit after suffering an unfathomable loss.

The wider footballing world will also grieve for Jota, and they will remember the Portuguese attacker as an incredibly popular figure, with his exploits helping his club and country win major honours.

Here, Sports Mole speaks to David Lynch about why Jota was so beloved, and his impact on the pitch for Liverpool, Portugal and others.

The popular number 20

Jota joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2020, and he donned the number 20 during his time with the Reds.

He was part of the Wolves team that successfully earned promotion to the Premier League in 2017-18, and he helped maintain the club's status in the top flight for two seasons prior to his switch to Anfield.

The Portuguese forward was renowned as an incredibly hard worker, with his selflessness making him a strong fit for legendary boss Jurgen Klopp, but his personality off the pitch also endeared him to fans.

Jota was an avid gamer, and his well-known mastery of the FIFA franchise often made for a humorous insight into his personal life.

Lynch spoke highly of Jota's character, highlighting his warmth as a reason for why so many across the footballing sphere held the attacker in high regard, telling Sports Mole: "The reason that so many millions now are mourning Diogo Jota is because football was a vehicle for us to get to know the man and there was so much to like about the man.

"That's the beauty of it - because of football we got to see not just his brilliant talents but his personality and what a great person he was. That's why everyone's sad because before all this happened, rival fans liked and respected him a lot because he he played the game in the right way with a smile on his face.

"He had a smile on his face and was always working his socks off. People like those kinds of footballers and they like those kinds of people, and Jota was one of those people. You've seen so many tributes from across the football world because through football, people learned about his character and they liked it a lot."

Jota was undoubtedly popular amongst his teammates, and it is clear from the outpouring of emotion since his passing, that his jovial nature will be missed by the wider footballing community.

Legacy

The Liverpool star was part of a golden generation of Portuguese footballers, and he managed to win the UEFA Nations League trophy against Spain in June in what proved to be his final match.

Jota also played a key role in guiding Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2024-25, scoring six goals and providing three assists in the league in under 1,200 minutes.

Perhaps his strike against Ipswich Town on August 17 will prove to be the most significant of his career, as he was the first player to find the back of the net under current manager Arne Slot.

Many believe that the Dutch coach could launch a dynasty at Anfield, and nobody will ever forget Jota's contributions if Slot goes on to experience further success.

Speaking to Sports Mole, Lynch spoke of how Jota will be remembered as a key part of Liverpool's, Portugal's, and Wolves' history, saying: "From Wolves, he was widely viewed as a legend and a big part of what they achieved in those seasons when they came up and did really well in the Premier League and got into Europe.

"Everything was going so perfectly for him and he deserved that joy because he worked incredibly hard to get to the level that he has. He was obviously blessed with immense talent, but it takes a lot to make the most of that and he absolutely did through hard work - everybody talked about him even before this had happened about his application, his professionalism and those aspects of his personality.

"I know retiring numbers is maybe not the right path to take because someone else could come in and do it justice but in this situation it would absolutely for me be the right thing to do. He joined in 2020, didn't he? People talked about the parallels, he joined in 2020, he's a big part of them winning the 20th league title."

The forward scored a total of 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, playing across the forward line while battling for a spot in the XI alongside the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Jota will be remembered

Jota's place in Liverpool's history has already been cemented given he was part of the squad that won the Premier League title in 2024-25, the first league triumph in front of fans since the 1989-90 season.

The Reds finished first in 2019-20 but the club were unable to celebrate in the manner that they would have liked due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, which meant no supporters were inside Anfield when the title was lifted.

To supporters, Jota's performances on the pitch will never be forgotten, and the famous Kop are likely to immortalise his name by singing his song for years to come.

His teammates are certain to also be in mourning, and they will want to honour the attacker in their own way over the next weeks and months.

Lynch explained that Liverpool's pre-season has been pushed back in light of Jota's passing, giving fans and players more time to process the tragedy, when he told Sports Mole: "They've pushed [pre-season] back now from Monday. Obviously, they will have to start that at some point. You do have to move forward, but it doesn't feel right to even think or talk about the football.

"They're not going to be in on the Monday - a few players were scheduled to be in - but Liverpool are just trying to give the players a little bit of time to process it. That is going to be the moment it hits home for them when they're all together. They're all experiencing this tragedy apart from each other at the moment, with their families. 

"It's going to be a very emotional time and there's a pre-season tour to undergo together, and then of course the season starts. They've got to support each other and stick together. Similarly for fans, because I know it's hit a lot of people very hard, but that's when the process begins - the real grieving - and that's not going to be a linear process."

Jota will be dearly missed at Anfield, but fans are sure to honour the forward by singing his famous song in the stands throughout the coming campaigns.

"Oh, he wears the number 20!"

> Click here to listen to the full tribute to Diogo Jota following his and his brother's tragic passing

Written by
Lewis Nolan