Diogo Jota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Diogo Jota

Jota in April 2025
Personal information
Full name	Diogo José Teixeira da Silva
Date of birth	(1996-12-04)4 December 1996
Place of birth	Porto, Portugal
Date of death	3 July 2025(2025-07-03) (aged 28)
Place of death	Cernadilla, Spain
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward, winger
Youth career
2005–2013	Gondomar
2013–2015	Paços de Ferreira
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2016	Paços de Ferreira	41	(14)
2016–2018	Atlético Madrid	0	(0)
2016–2017	→ Porto (loan)	27	(8)
2017–2018	→ Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan)	44	(17)
2018–2020	Wolverhampton Wanderers	67	(16)
2020–2025	Liverpool	123	(47)
Total		302	(102)
International career
2014–2015	Portugal U19	9	(5)
2015–2018	Portugal U21	20	(8)
2016	Portugal U23	1	(1)
2019–2025	Portugal	49	(14)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Portugal UEFA Nations League Winner 2019 Portugal Winner 2025 Germany
Signature
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Diogo José Teixeira da Silva (born December 4, 1996 – died July 3, 2025), known as Diogo Jota, was a Portuguese professional footballer. He played as a forward or winger. Jota was known for his great finishing, speed, dribbling skills, and hard work on the field.

He began his career at Paços de Ferreira in Portugal. In 2016, he signed with La Liga club Atlético Madrid. He then played on loan for FC Porto and EFL Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers. Jota helped Wolves get promoted to the Premier League. He joined them permanently in 2018 and played 131 games, scoring 44 goals.

In 2020, Jota moved to Liverpool for a fee of about £41 million. He played 182 games for Liverpool, scoring 65 goals over five seasons. He helped them win the Premier League title in 2024–25, one FA Cup, and two EFL Cups.

Jota also played for the Portugal youth teams at under-19, under-21, and under-23 levels. He made his debut for the senior national team in November 2019. He was part of the squads for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and two UEFA European Championships (2020 and 2024). He also helped Portugal win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

Sadly, Jota and his brother, André Silva, passed away in a car accident in Cernadilla, Spain, on July 3, 2025.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Paços de Ferreira

Jota was born in Porto, Portugal, on December 4, 1996. He grew up in Gondomar. He played for his local club Gondomar S.C. from age 9 to 17. In 2022, their youth academy was named after him.

He joined Paços de Ferreira's youth team in 2013. He moved up to the main team for the 2014–15 season. Jota played his first senior game on October 19, 2014. He scored his first goals in the Primeira Liga on May 17, 2015. He scored twice in a 3–2 win against Académica de Coimbra. This made him the youngest player to score for the club in the top league.

In 2015, Jota signed a new five-year contract with Paços. His manager, Jorge Simão, even compared him to Cristiano Ronaldo. Jota lived in a club dormitory while at Paços de Ferreira. This helped him focus and learn foreign languages.

Moving to Atlético Madrid and Porto

On March 14, 2016, Jota agreed to a five-year deal with Atlético Madrid. However, he was quickly loaned back to Portugal. He joined Porto on August 26. On October 1, Jota scored three goals in a 4–0 win against Nacional. He also scored his first goal in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League on December 7. This was in a 5–0 home win against Leicester City.

Time with Wolverhampton Wanderers

Joining Wolves and Premier League Promotion

Jota playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018

On July 25, 2017, Jota joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a loan for the season. He scored his first goal on August 15 in a 3–2 win over Hull City. On January 30, 2018, Wolves made his move permanent for about €14 million. He scored a career-high 17 league goals in his first year. Wolves won the EFL Championship and were promoted to the Premier League.

Jota played his first Premier League game on August 11, 2018. He scored his first Premier League goal on December 5 against Chelsea. On January 19, 2019, Jota scored three goals in a 4–3 home win against Leicester City. This was his second career hat-trick. He became only the second Portuguese player to do this in the Premier League, after Cristiano Ronaldo. On March 16, 2019, Jota scored the winning goal against Manchester United in the 2018–19 FA Cup. This helped Wolves reach their first semi-final in the competition since 1997–98.

Final Season with Wolves

On July 25, 2019, Jota scored in a 2–0 win over Crusaders in the Europa League. This was Wolves' first European goal since October 1980. On December 12, 2019, Jota scored three goals in just twelve minutes against Beşiktaş in the Europa League group stage. On February 20, he scored another hat-trick against Espanyol in the same tournament. His last game for Wolves was on August 11, 2020, in the Europa League quarter-final against Sevilla.

Joining Liverpool

First Season and Quick Start

Jota playing for Liverpool in 2021

On September 19, 2020, Jota joined Liverpool on a long-term deal. The transfer fee was reported to be around £41 million. He made his debut five days later in the EFL Cup against Lincoln City. On September 28, he scored in his Premier League debut for Liverpool against Arsenal.

Jota scored Liverpool's 10,000th goal in their history against Midtjylland in the UEFA Champions League. On November 3, he scored three goals in a 5–0 win at Atalanta in the same competition. He was the first player since Robbie Fowler in 1993 to score 7 goals in his first 10 Liverpool games. For his great play in October, Jota was named Liverpool Player of the Month. On December 9, Jota got a leg injury that kept him out for three months. He finished his first season with nine league goals.

Winning Trophies with Liverpool

Jota at the EFL and FA Cup trophies parade on the streets of Liverpool on 29 May 2022, the day after the end of the 2021–22 season

On August 14, 2021, Jota scored Liverpool's first goal of the 2021–22 Premier League season. On October 24, he scored in a 5–0 win against arch rivals Manchester United. On November 3, he scored against his old club Atlético Madrid in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League. This helped Liverpool qualify for the next round. On December 1, he scored in a 4–1 win against Everton in the Merseyside derby.

In the EFL Cup semi-finals, Jota scored both goals in a 2–0 win over Arsenal. This sent Liverpool to the final. On February 27, he scored his penalty in the shoot-out to help Liverpool win their first League Cup since 2012. On May 14, in the 2022 FA Cup final, Jota came on as a substitute. Liverpool won the final after a penalty shoot-out, and Jota scored his penalty. On May 28, Jota played in the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final, where Liverpool lost to Real Madrid.

Injuries and Comebacks

Jota had a hamstring injury before the 2022–23 season. On August 2, 2022, he signed a new long-term deal with Liverpool. He returned from injury on September 3. On October 12, Jota came off the bench against Rangers and gave three assists. On October 16, he got a calf injury that kept him out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He returned on February 13, 2023.

After not scoring for a while, Jota scored two goals on April 17, 2023, in a 6–1 win over Leeds United. On April 30, Jota scored a dramatic late winning goal in Liverpool's 4–3 home win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Winning Another League Cup

Jota started the new season on August 19, scoring in a 3–1 win against Bournemouth. In January 2024, Jota played a big role when Mohamed Salah was away. He scored five goals and assisted two others. This earned him the Premier League Player of the Month award for January. On February 17, he got a knee injury that kept him out for two months. He returned on April 11 but suffered another injury on April 21. This made him miss the rest of the 2023–24 season.

Premier League Title in 2025

On August 17, 2024, Jota scored Liverpool's first goal under new coach Arne Slot. On October 5, Jota made his 100th start for the club and scored the only goal against Crystal Palace. On April 2, 2025, Jota scored the winning goal against Everton in the Merseyside derby. This was his last goal ever. On April 27, Liverpool won the 2024–25 Premier League title. This was Jota's fourth and final trophy with the club.

Playing for Portugal

Youth Teams

Jota started playing for Portugal at under-19 level. He scored his first goal on May 29, 2015. He played his first game for the under-21 team on November 17, 2015, when he was not yet 19. On May 25, 2018, he scored two goals for the under-21s against Italy.

Senior National Team

In March 2019, Jota was called up to the senior national team for the first time. He was part of the team that won the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals in June, but he did not play. On November 14, he made his debut for Portugal. He came on as a substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo in a 6–0 win against Lithuania. He scored his first international goal on September 5, 2020, in a 4–1 win over Croatia.

Jota was chosen for Portugal's squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. He scored in a 4–2 loss to Germany. He played in all games until Portugal was knocked out by Belgium. On October 18, 2022, Jota was ruled out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to a calf injury.

On September 11, 2023, Jota scored two goals in Portugal's 9–0 win over Luxembourg. This was Portugal's biggest win ever. In May 2025, Jota was chosen for Portugal's 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals squad. He and his team won the tournament against Spain. This was Jota's final match as a footballer.

How Jota Played

Jota was a very flexible forward. He could play in many attacking positions. He could be a centre forward, a main striker, a winger, or even a false 9. Even though he was mostly right-footed, he was strong with both feet.

Jota was known for his accurate finishing, amazing speed, and great dribbling skills. He also had a good sense of where to be on the field and excellent control of the ball. This made him very effective in quick counter-attacks. He was also known for helping out in defense and working very hard during games.

About His Life

Jota's real last name was Silva. He chose to use "Jota" to stand out from other players named Diogo and Silva in the youth academy. "Jota" is the Portuguese name for the letter "J", so it was like calling himself "Diogo J."

Jota's brother, André Silva, was also a professional footballer. Both brothers started playing at Gondomar. André was playing for Liga Portugal 2 team Penafiel when they passed away.

Jota loved gaming and was ranked world No. 1 in FIFA 21 in February 2021. He had his own eSports team called Luna Galaxy. He also often streamed his games on Twitch. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, he won a FIFA tournament organized by the Premier League.

Jota married his high school sweetheart Rute Cardoso on June 22, 2025. They had three children.

His Passing

On July 3, 2025, Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, passed away in a car accident in Spain. They were returning to Liverpool for pre-season training. Jota had recently had minor lung surgery in Porto, Portugal, before getting married. Doctors advised him not to fly. So, Jota planned to travel to England by ferry from Santander.

He and his brother were driving to Santander when their car had a tyre blowout. The car veered off the road near Cernadilla and caught fire. This happened between 00:30 and 00:40 CEST. Emergency services confirmed that both men died at the scene. Jota was 28 years old, and his brother was 25. The Spanish Civil Guard stated that evidence suggests Jota was driving.

A wake for the brothers was held on July 4, 2025, in Gondomar. Many relatives, friends, and public figures attended. The funeral took place the next morning. Liverpool teammates Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson carried flowers. Portugal teammate Rúben Neves was a pallbearer for Jota's casket. The brothers were buried side by side.

Tributes and Memories

Oasis' tribute to Jota at their Live '25 tour at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Jota's passing received international attention. Many people from the football world shared messages. Arne Slot, Liverpool's head coach, said Jota was "a loved one to all of us." Liverpool announced that Jota's number 20 jersey would be retired. Jota's wife visited the memorial site at Anfield with their family. Many past and present Liverpool players posted tributes. Former captain Jordan Henderson visited the Anfield memorial.

Liverpool also opened books for people to share their condolences. The club confirmed they would pay Jota's remaining salary to his family. His previous team, Wolverhampton Wanderers, also expressed their shock.

Jürgen Klopp, who signed Jota for Liverpool, said, "Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend." Cristiano Ronaldo, his Portugal teammate, said, "It just doesn't make any sense. Just now we were together." FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he was "deeply saddened." Moments of silence were held before many football games. Flags at FIFA Headquarters were flown at half-mast.

Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro expressed their sadness. Prince William also paid tribute.

Icelandic singer Laufey performed "You'll Never Walk Alone" at her Liverpool concert. English rock band Oasis showed an image of Jota during their concert in Cardiff. The band Cast dedicated their song "Walkaway" to Jota. Portuguese-American guitarist Nuno Bettencourt wore Jota's Liverpool jersey during a concert.

On July 13, 2025, Liverpool paid tribute to Jota and his brother during a friendly match. Players and fans observed a minute's silence. Banners reading "Forever our number 20" were displayed.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

International Appearances

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Jota goal.

List of international goals scored by Diogo Jota

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	5 September 2020	Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal	3	Croatia	2–0	4–1	2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
2	14 October 2020	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	7	Sweden	2–0	3–0	2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
3					3–0
4	27 March 2021	Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia	11	Serbia	1–0	2–2	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
5					2–0
6	30 March 2021	Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	12	Luxembourg	1–1	3–1	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	19 June 2021	Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany	16	Germany	2–4	2–4	UEFA Euro 2020
8	7 September 2021	Baku Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan	21	Azerbaijan	3–0	3–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
9	24 March 2022	Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal	23	Turkey	2–0	3–1	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
10	24 September 2022	Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czech Republic	28	Czech Republic	4–0	4–0	2022–23 UEFA Nations League A
11	11 September 2023	Estádio Algarve, Algarve, Portugal	33	Luxembourg	5–0	9–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
12					7–0
13	4 June 2024	Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal	37	Finland	2–0	4–2	Friendly
14	8 June 2024	Estádio Nacional, Oeiras, Portugal	38	Croatia	1–1	1–2	Friendly

Awards and Achievements

Wolverhampton Wanderers

• EFL Championship: 2017–18

Liverpool

• Premier League: 2024–25
• FA Cup: 2021–22
• EFL Cup: 2021–22, 2023–24; runner-up: 2024–25
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2021–22

Portugal

• UEFA Nations League: 2018–19, 2024–25

Individual Awards

• Premier League Player of the Month: January 2024
• SJPF Young Player of the Month: October/November 2015
• Primeira Liga Goal of the Month: February 2016
• UEFA Champions League Breakthrough XI: 2020

See also

In Spanish: Diogo Jota para niños