Jota (footballer, born March 1999)

João Pedro Neves Filipe(born 30 March 1999), known asJota(Portuguese pronunciation:[ʒɔtɐ]), is a Portuguese professionalfootballerwho plays as awingerforScottish PremiershipclubCeltic. He is known for his passing and dribbling ability.
Born inLisbon, Jota came throughBenfica's youth academy. He began playing forBenfica Bin 2018 and was promoted to the first team a year later, but played only a few minutes. He was loaned toLa LigaclubReal Valladolidin 2020 andScottish PremiershipclubCelticin 2021, winning theleagueandScottish League Cup, before joining the club permanently for£6.5 million in the summer of 2022.  In July 2023, Jota joinedSaudi Pro LeaguesideAl-Ittihadfor a reported £25 million. In August 2024, he joinedLigue 1clubRennes. In January 2025, he returned to Celtic.
Jota is a former Portugal youth international, representing his country at various levels, includingthe under-17 teamthat won the2016 European Championship, theunder-19 teamthat won the2018 European Championshipand theunder-21 teamthat finished as runners-up at the2021 European Championship.
Born inLisbon, Jota started his career at Ginásio de Corroios, before joiningBenfica's youth ranks in 2007. He made his debut for the club'sB teamon 23 January 2016, replacingDálcioin the 62nd minute in a 2–1 home loss toVarzim. On 18 October 2018, he made his debut for the first team in a 3–0 away win overSertanensein the third round of theTaça de Portugal.He won the 2017–18Campeonato Nacional de Junioresand helped the team reach the final of the2016–17 UEFA Youth League.
On 1 February 2019, Jota was promoted to Benfica's first team, alongside three other Benfica B players.Following hisPrimeira Ligadebut in a 4–0 home win overChaveson 24 February, he made his European debut on 14 March, as a first choice, in a 3–0extra timewin overDinamo Zagrebin the second leg ofUEFA Europa League round of 16. After failing to impress managerBruno Lage, Jota was used sporadically and found limited first-team minutes, scoring only two goals in the2019–20 Taça da LigaagainstSporting da Covilhãon 3 December andVitória de Setúbalon 21 December.
On 5 October 2020, Jota moved toLa LigasideReal Valladolidon loan for the2020–21 season.On his debut on 22 November he came on as a 77th-minute substitute forÓscar Planoand scored the final goal of a 3–1 win atGranada, but he added no more goals in 17 games for the rest of the season, which saw the team relegated.
On 1 September 2021, Jota joinedScottish PremiershipclubCelticon loan for the2021–22 season, with an option to buy for £6.5 million.Ten days later, he made his debut for Celtic in a 3–0 home win overRoss County, playing the entire game.Jota scored his first goal for the club in a victory againstRaith Roversin the quarter final of theScottish League Cupon 23 September.He scored his first league goal on 3 October, a late winner in a 2–1 away win toAberdeen.Having scored six goals in 15 appearances, including two in a 4–2 win atDundeeon 7 November and four assists, he was awarded theSPFL'sPlayer of the Monthfor both October and November, prompting calls for Celtic to activate the option to buy in his loan contract.On 25 November, Jota scored in a 3–2 away defeat atBayer 04 Leverkusenin theUEFA Europa League.
A hamstring injury in early December forced him out of the club'sLeague Cupvictory againstHibernian.He made his return from injury on 17 January 2022, in a 2–0 home win overHibernian.After several games without a goal or an assist, on 9 April he assisted Celtic's third goal in a 7–0 win overSt Johnstone.In the next matches, Jota scored and assisted twice, earning him the SPFL Player of the Month award for April.On 1 May, he scored his first goal in theOld Firm derby, a 1–1 draw againstRangersatCeltic Park.He finished the season with 13 goals and 14 assists, as the club'stop assist provider for the season; 10 of those assists were in the league, thesecond-highesttotal, helping Celtic win their 10thScottish Premiershiptitle in 11 years.
On 1 July 2022, Celtic triggered Jota's buyout clause of £6.5 million, signing him on a permanent five-year deal, with Benfica also receiving 30% of a future transfer.Jota started the2022–23 seasonby closing Celtic's 2–0 home win against Aberdeen.On 6 August, he provided a hat-trick of assists for the first time in his career as Celtic beat Ross County 3–1 away from home.On 3 September, he scored a goal with a chip against arch rivals Rangers in a 4–0 win at Parkhead.On 14 September, Jota was namedplayer of the matchin Celtic's 1–1 draw againstShakhtar Donetskin the2022–23 UEFA Champions League.He scored his firstUEFA Champions Leaguegoal on 5 October in a 3–1 group stage loss toRB Leipzig.
On 3 July 2023,Al-Ittihadconfirmed the signing of Jota for £25 million, a club record fee paid for a player.He joined the likes ofKarim BenzemaandN'Golo Kantéat Al-Ittihad as part of the massive investment intoSaudi Pro Leaguefootball by thePIF. He scored his first goal for the club on 28 August 2023 in a 3–0 win againstAl-Wehdaafter coming on as a substitute for Benzema,but was later left out of the club's domestic squad by managerNuno Espirito Santo, with only eight foreign players being allowed as per Saudi league rules.
On 30 August 2024, Jota signed forLigue 1clubRenneson a three-year contract, with the transfer fee reported as €10 million.He later told French media that his former teammateN'Golo Kantéhad recommended the move toBrittany.
After less than five months in France, and being frozen out of the first team,he made a return to Celtic.
Jota's return to Celtic for a £8.4 million fee was announced on 27 January 2025.He took the number 7 shirt—previously worn by club legendsJimmy JohnstoneandHenrik Larsson—afterLuis Palmawent on loan toOlympiacos.He made his official re-debut with Celtic on 2 February 2025, scoring in the 94th minute againstMotherwellatFir Park, in a 1-3 Celtic victory.
Jota earned 73capsand scored 26 goals for Portugal across all youth levels, starting with a 2–1 win for theunder-15 teamagainst Switzerland inCampo Maioron 10 June 2014. He went with theunder-17 teamto the2016 UEFA European Championshipin Azerbaijan, scoring in the penalty shootout win over neighboursSpainin the final.
At the2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championshipin Georgia, Jota was part of thePortugal teamthat finished runners-up toEngland. In the final group game, he scored a late penalty as they came back to draw 2–2 withSweden.He was in the squad for the2018 tournament, beatingItaly4–3 in the final after extra time.He also finished joint top scorer in the tournament with five goals,and was named in the Team of the Tournament.
In March 2021, Jota took part in the2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championshipin Hungary and Slovenia. He scored in extra time as the team beatItaly5–3 in the quarter-finals at theStožice Stadium. Portugal finished as runners-up, after losing in the final 1–0 toGermany.
In October 2022, he was included in a provisional squad for the2022 FIFA World CupinQatar,but did not make the final cut.
Benfica
Celtic
Portugal U17
Portugal U19
Portugal U21
Individual