‘Jota was a natural goalscorer always feared by defences’

Diogo Jota, who has died in a car crash aged 28, was a natural goalscorer who played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s successes in recent years as well as in Portugal’s Nations League triumphs.

Jota signed for Liverpool in a £45m deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 2020 after helping Nuno Espirito Santo’s side return to the Premier League.

His composure in front of goal made him a match-winner on many occasions under Jurgen Klopp and then Arne Slot.

Indeed, some judges regarded him as Liverpool’s most natural finisher, despite the presence in the team of one of the greatest players in the club’s history, Mohamed Salah.

When Jota signed, Klopp said: “He is a player who gives us so many options to use. He’s 23 years old, still far away from being kind of a finished article – he has so much potential.

“He has the speed, he can combine with other players, can defend, can press. It gives us real options for different systems.”

Jota brought all this and more to Liverpool.

He was in the Liverpool team that won a domestic cup double of the FA and Carabao Cups in 2022, and despite latterly being troubled by injuries at Anfield, he still made vital contributions last season.

It was trademark Jota when he headed the equaliser seconds after coming on as substitute at Nottingham Forest in January, then scored the winner in the Merseyside derby against Everton in April.

Jota’s strike against their Merseyside rivals encapsulated all the qualities that made him an adored figure among Liverpool fans as they recaptured their old dominance domestically.

He had a lengthy spell on the sidelines last season after sustaining a rib injury against Chelsea early, but when he returned demonstrated his sure touch in front of goal and the priceless knack of being in the right place at the right time.

Salah understandably claimed more headlines, but Jota’s goals were often key and he was a striker always feared by defences because of his finishing prowess.

He began his professional career with Pacos de Ferreira before joining Atletico Madrid in 2016. He spent the 2016-17 season on loan at Porto, where his brother Andre Silva, who also died in the crash, was a youth player.

Jota then came to prominence in England when he joined Wolves, initially on loan, from Atletico in July 2017. The move was made permanent as he showed his class, scoring 44 goals in 131 games at Molineux before the switch to Liverpool.

The forward became a hero at Wolves, scoring 18 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions in 2017-18 as they returned to the top flight as Championship title winners.

He enjoyed his best goalscoring return at Liverpool with 21 goals in 55 games in 2021-22, part of an impressive overall haul of 65 in 182 appearances.

Hugely popular with his team-mates and Liverpool supporters, Jota fitted comfortably into Klopp’s all-action and potent attack and was frequently selected by Slot as his central striker in preference to high-priced number nine Darwin Nunez as the title came to Anfield for the 20th time last season.

Jota was also a force at international level with Portugal, playing his part in their Nations League final against Spain – the second time he claimed the trophy.