Sports Illustrated FC
·3. Juli 2025
Diogo Jota’s Career in Photos: Breaking Records, Ultimate Team Glory, Making Liverpool History

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Yahoo sportsSports Illustrated FC
·3. Juli 2025
The football world has been left in mourning following the tragic death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, André.
The brothers were involved in a fatal car accident in Spain, just a matter of weeks after Jota had married his wife, Rute Cardoso, in the presence of the couple’s three children.
Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look back at Jota’s career in pictures, remembering the record-breaking journey that took him from his hometown of Porto to a place in Anfield history.
Portugal’s journey at Euro 2004 inspired Jota, alongside thousands of young Portuguese children, to throw themselves into football. He joined local side Gondomar in 2005, viewing football as the best way to spend time with his friends.
Jota came through at Gondomar. / DAZN
At 16 years old, Jota was forced into a decision. His love of the social side of football was as strong as ever, but the years had brought about a realisation that he had a genuine shot at making a living out of the sport.
He left home to join the academy of Paços de Ferreira—a move which he credited for giving his life “direction” as it forced him to mature both on and off the field.
Promotion to the Paços de Ferreira first team was not far behind. He scored on his debut in a cup game and netted his first league goals in the penultimate game of the 2014–15 season. He became the youngest player in the division to score twice in a single game since a certain Cristiano Ronaldo 13 years older.
“I sometimes find myself thinking, ’Enjoy his talents while you can’,” Paços de Ferreira coach Jorge Simão reflected. “He is a player we do not see every day and I believe he will soon reach the top. He never misses training and he has a maturity that goes well beyond his age.”
Jota turned down the chance to join Atlético Madrid in January 2016, instead preferring to finish the season with his current employers, but he did shake hands on a deal to take him to Spain’s capital that summer.
He was quickly loaned back to his hometown side of Porto to continue his development.
Jota joined Atlético before being loaned to Porto. / IMAGO/Alterphotos
After failing to settle with Atlético, Jota made a significant career choice. Having watched close friend Rúben Neves swap Porto for Championship-side Wolverhampton Wanderers—a move which sent shockwaves across the globe—Jota decided to follow.
Midway through the season, Wolves confirmed they had gleefully triggered the purchase clause in his loan contract. Jota scored 17 goals across the year, helping steer Wolves to promotion to the Premier League.
It took a little while for Jota to adjust to life in England’s top flight. He netted his first goal in December 2018, before the floodgates opened.
A goal against Newcastle United came days later, while January saw Jota become just the second Portuguese player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick. The first? Ronaldo.
Jota opened his Premier League account against Chelsea. / IMAGO/Focus Images
Jota’s career would continue to be intertwined with Ronaldo, who made way for him to make his senior debut for Portugal in November 2019.
Jota replaced Ronaldo for his Portugal debut. / IMAGO/NurPhoto
Liverpool came calling at the end of Jota’s second season in the Premier League, agreeing a deal worth as much as £45 million ($58 million at the time) to lure him away from Molineux.
Predictably, a goal on his Premier League debut set the tone for Jota’s Liverpool career. Hailed for a lethal proficiency in front of goal, the Anfield faithful trusted few strikers more than Jota when it came to finishing.
Jota’s eye for goal also yielded the 10,000th strike in Liverpool history in October 2020.
An injury in December 2020 forced Jota on to the sidelines. While the Liverpool star could not make an impact on the real pitch, he undoubtedly made one on the virtual turf.
Two months later, Jota ranked first in the world on FIFA 21’s FUT Champions mode, using his 99-rated card in the central midfield role in which he began his career.
Jota’s first silverware with Liverpool came in the 2021–22 season. First came the Carabao Cup, with Jota netting his penalty in a shoot-out victory over Chelsea.
Jota won his first trophy with Liverpool in February 2022. / IMAGO/Sportimage
Three months later, Jota lifted his second trophy with Liverpool after scoring in yet another penalty shoot-out.
FA Cup success soon followed. / IMAGO/Sportimage
Injuries would plague Jota in the years that followed, forcing him to miss out on the 2023–24 Carabao Cup triumph—, but he remained a popular member of the squad among both players and fans, many of whom longed for an extended opportunity to watch his ruthless eye for goal in action.
Under Arne Slot, Jota added the fourth and final piece of silverware to his trophy cabinet with Liverpool. Helping out as both a central striker and left winger, Jota deservedly got his hands on the Premier League title in 2024–25.
His final match would end up being perhaps the most significant of his career.
Lining up alongside Ronaldo, his childhood icon, and Neves, one of his closest friends, Jota helped inspire Portugal to glory in the 2025 Nations League final, establishing himself as an icon of Portuguese football with his final action.
Jota’s final match brought international glory. / IMAGO/HMB-Media
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