Diogo Jota

Diogo José Teixeira da Silva(born 4 December 1996), known asDiogo Jota,is a Portuguese professionalfootballerwho plays as aforwardorleft wingerforPremier LeagueclubLiverpooland thePortugal national team. Jota is known for his clinical finishing, explosive pace, and dribbling ability.
Jota started his career withPaços de Ferreira, before signing forLa LigaclubAtlético Madridin 2016. After two seasons in thePrimeira Liga, he was consecutively loaned to Primeira Liga clubFC Portoin 2016 andEFL ChampionshipclubWolverhampton Wanderersin 2017. Having helped themgain promotionto the Premier League, he joined the club in 2018 for a reported €14 million and went on to make 131 appearances for them, scoring 44 goals. In 2020, he signed for Liverpool for a fee reported to be £41 million.
Jota is a formerPortugal youth international, representing his country atunder-19,under-21andunder-23levels.He was included in the squad for the2019 UEFA Nations League Finals, which Portugal won on home soil, and made his senior international debut in November 2019, playing atUEFA Euro 2020andEuro 2024.
Born inPorto,Jota joinedPaços de Ferreira's youth setup in 2013, fromGondomar.He was promoted to the main squad at the start of the2014–15 season, and made his senior debut on 19 October 2014 by starting in a4–0 home winagainstAtlético de Reguengosfor theTaça de Portugal.
Jota first appeared in thePrimeira Ligaon 20 February 2015, coming on as a latesubstituteforDiogo Rosadoin a 2–2 home draw againstVitória de Guimarães.He scored his first goals in the competition on 17 May, netting a brace in a 3–2 home success overAcadémica de Coimbraand becoming the youngest player to score for the club in the top tier in the process.
On 30 May 2015, Jota signed a new five-year deal with Paços, keeping him tied up until 2020.In the first game ofthe campaign, a 1–0 win over Académica at theEstádio da Mata Realon 17 August, he wassent offat the end for pushingHugo Seco;Ricardo Nascimentowas also sent off for retaliating on his teammate's behalf.
On 14 March 2016, Jota agreed a five-year contract withAtlético Madrideffective as of 1 July.On 26 August 2016, however, he returned to his homeland and joinedFC Portoon a one-year loan.On 1 October, Jota scored a first-halfhat-trickin a 4–0 away victory againstNacional.Jota also took part in the2016–17 UEFA Champions League, scoring his first goal in the competition on 7 December in a 5–0 home victory againstLeicester City.
On 25 July 2017, Jota signed forEFL ChampionshipclubWolverhampton Wandererson aseason-long loan.He scored his first goal on 15 August, in a 3–2 away win overHull City.On 30 January 2018, it was announced that a permanent deal with Jota had been agreed for a reported €14 million, being made effective on 1 July.He scored a career-best 17 league goals in his first year, ranking fifth in the league top scorer charts, as Wolves achieved promotion to thePremier Leagueas champions;due toEnglish Football Leagueregulations, he wore his legal surname on hisjerseyin the Championship but was able to change it to "Diogo J" after the feat.
Jota made his debut in the Premier League on 11 August 2018, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–2 home draw againstEverton.He scored his first goal in the competition on 5 December, helping the hosts come from behind to beatChelsea2–1.His second came four days later, in a win atNewcastle Unitedby the same scoreline.On 19 January 2019, Jota scored three times in the 4–3 home victory over Leicester City – his second career hat-trick.In the process, he became only the second Portuguese player to achieve the feat in the Premier League afterCristiano Ronaldo11 years earlier.This was a first-ever for the club in the competition and a first for the club in thetop flight of English footballsinceJohn Richards, against the same opposition, in theFootball League First DivisioninOctober 1977.On 16 March 2019, Jota scored the winning goal in a 2–1 win againstManchester Unitedin the2018–19 FA Cup, to help Wolves reach their first semi-final in the competition since 1997–98.
On 25 July 2019, Jota scored in a 2–0 win over Northern Irish clubCrusadersin the Europa League second qualifying round, Wolves' first European goal since October 1980,and in the next round on 15 August, he scored an overhead kick to conclude a 4–0 (8–0 aggregate) victory overPyunik.
In the finalEuropa League group stagegame at home toBeşiktaşon 12 December 2019, Jota replaced compatriotRúben Nevesas a 56th-minute substitute with the game goalless, scored after 72 seconds and completed a hat-trick within twelve minutes as Wolves ran out 4–0 victors.The following 20 February, he netted another treble in a win by the same score overEspanyolin the first leg of the last 32 of the tournament.His 131st and last appearance for Wolves was as a second-half substitute in their Europa League quarter-final againstSevillaon 11 August 2020;his 44th and final goal for the club in a 3–0 league victory over Everton on 12 July.
On 19 September 2020, Jota joinedLiverpoolon a long-term deal,reportedly for a £41 million transfer fee, rising to £45 million with potential add-ons.He made his debut in theEFL Cupfive days later, coming on as a second-half substitute againstLincoln Cityin a 7–2 win.On 28 September, he scored on his Premier League debut for the club, with the third in a 3–1 win againstArsenalatAnfield.Jota scored the club's 10,000th goal in their history when he netted the opener againstMidtjyllandin theUEFA Champions Leaguegroup stage,and scored a hat-trick on 3 November in a 5–0 win atAtalantain the same competition.In doing so, he became the first player sinceRobbie Fowlerin 1993 to score 7 goals in his first 10 Liverpool appearances.On 22 November, Jota scored the second goal in a 3–0 victory against Leicester City, becoming the first Liverpool player to score in each of his first four home matches in the Premier League.For his performances in October, Jota was awarded Liverpool Player of the Month by the club's supporters.On 9 December, Jota suffered a leg injury during aUEFA Champions Leaguematch against Midtjylland, in a dead rubber match, sidelining him for three months.
Jota ended his debut season at the club with nine league goals, including a back heel in a 4–2 away win against Manchester United,which helped Liverpool finish third in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League.
On 14 August 2021, Jota scored Liverpool's first goal of the2021–22 Premier Leagueseason in a 3–0 away victory against newly promotedNorwich City.On 24 October, he scored in a 5–0 away victory against Liverpool'sarch rivalsManchester United atOld Trafford.On 3 November, he opened the scoring in a 2–0 home victory in theChampions Leagueagainst his former club Atlético Madrid to ensure Liverpool's qualification to theround of 16, as group winners.On 1 December, he scored Liverpool's fourth goal in a 4–1 away win against local rivals Everton in theMerseyside derby, as the club became the first team in English top-flight history to score at least two goals in eighteen successive games in all competitions.For his performances in November, he was awardedPFAFans' Player of the Month.On 16 December, Jota scored Liverpool's first goal in a 3–1 home win against Newcastle United, in what was Liverpool's2,000th top-flight win.
On 20 January 2022, in the second leg of theEFL Cupsemi-finals, Jota scored both goals in a 2–0 away win over Arsenal to send Liverpool into thefinal.On 27 February, following a goalless draw against Chelsea after extra time, he scored his penalty during theshoot-outto help Liverpool win their first League Cup since 2012.On 14 May, in the2022 FA Cup final, Jota came on as a substitute for the injuredMohamed Salahafter 33 minutes.Liverpool won the final after a penalty shoot-out, in which Jota scored his penalty.On 28 May, Jota made a substitute appearance in the 65th minute of the2022 UEFA Champions League Final, as Liverpool lost to 1–0Real Madrid.
Jota suffered a hamstring injury in the pre-season which made him miss the start of the season.On 2 August 2022, Jota signed a new long-term deal with the club.He made his return from injury on 3 September, replacingDarwin Núñezin the 80th minute of a 0–0 draw against rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby.On 12 October, Jota came off the bench in a Champions League match away toRangers, before providing three assists in one match for the first time in his career to Mohamed Salah, who completed a hat-trick in the space of six minutes and twelve seconds of an eventual 7–1 win.On 16 October, he suffered a calf injury during Liverpool's 1–0 home win overManchester City, which ruled him out for the2022 FIFA World Cup.He returned from injury on 13 February, replacing Darwin Núñez in the 70th minute in a 2–0 victory against Everton.
Having not registered a goal since 10 April 2022, Jota returned to scoring ways on 17 April 2023, with two goals in Liverpool's 6–1 away win overLeeds United.On 30 April, with Liverpool conceding a last minute equaliser, having led the match by three goals, Jota scored the dramatic late winner in added time in Liverpool's 4–3 home win overTottenham Hotspur, leading him to be nominated for thePremier League Player of the Monthaward.At the conclusion of the season, Liverpool narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification.
Following an injury-riddled season, Jota started the new season on 19 August, by closing Liverpool's 3–1 win againstBournemouth.On 30 September, Jota was sent off just 24 minutes after coming on against Tottenham, leaving his team with 9 men. He would receive criticism from pundits;Stephen Warnockclaimed that he had "been poor since coming on at half time, not up to the pace of the game at all", whileGary Nevilleagreed with the red card, as he believed Jota's actions were a "stupidity".On 5 October, he scored his first goal in the2023–24 UEFA Europa League, closing the 2–0 win againstUnion Saint-Gilloisein a group stage match.
In January 2024, with the absence ofMohamed Salahin the2023 Africa Cup of Nationsand his subsequent injury, Jota stepped up in absence, forming a successful partnership with Darwin Núñez, with scoring five goals and assisting another two in Liverpool's wins overBurnley, Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Chelsea, earning him thePremier League Player of the Monthaward for January.On 17 February, he suffered a knee injury during Liverpool's 4–1 away win overBrentford, sidelining him for two months.He made his return from injury in a 3–0 home loss to Atalanta in the first leg of theEuropa Leagueon 11 April.Shortly after, Jota suffered another injury setback againstFulhamon 21 April, leading him to miss Liverpool's remaining matches of the 2023–24 season.
On 17 August, Jota scored Liverpool's first goal of theArne Slotera in an 2–0 away win againstIpswich Town.Over the following matches, Jota started as the club'snumber 9, due to fitting better into Slot's system tactically, as he could drop deep and act similar to afalse nine, leading him to compete with Darwin Núñez for a starting spot.On 5 October, Jota made his 100th start for the club, scoring the only goal of an away win overCrystal Palace.
Jota started playing for Portugal atunder-19 level,scoring his first goal on 29 May 2015 in a 6–1 home win overTurkeyin2015 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification.He won his firstcapforthe under-21 teamon 17 November of the same year at not yet 19, playing 15 minutes in the 3–0 away defeat ofIsraelinanother qualifier.On 25 May 2018, he netted a brace for the under-21s in their 3–2friendlywin overItalyheld inEstoril.
In March 2019, Jota was called up to the senior side for the first time, ahead of the openingUEFA Euro 2020 qualifyingmatches againstUkraineandSerbia.Still uncapped, he was part of the squad that won the2019 UEFA Nations League Finalson home soil in June but did not make an appearance.On 14 November, he made his debut by coming on as an 84th-minute substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo in a 6–0 win againstLithuaniain a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier.He scored his first international goal on 5 September 2020 in a 4–1 home win overCroatiain theUEFA Nations League.
Jota was named in Portugal's final squad for the delayedUEFA Euro 2020tournament, scoring in a 4–2 group stage defeat toGermany.He played all games in a round of 16-exit defeat toBelgium.On 18 October 2022, Jota was ruled out of the2022 FIFA World Cupdue to a calf injury he sustained during a league match with Liverpool against Manchester City on 16 October 2022.
On 11 September 2023, Jota scored a brace in Portugal's 9–0 home defeat ofLuxembourgin theUEFA Euro 2024qualifiers, their biggest win in international history.On 21 May 2024, he was named in Portugal's squad forfinal tournamentin Germany,where he made three appearances againstCzech RepublicandGeorgiain the group phaseandSlovenia(3–0 victory in apenalty shootout) in the knockout stage,before Portugal was eliminated from the tournament byFrancein the quarter-finals after losing 5–3 in another penalty shootout.
A versatile forward, Jota is capable of playing in several attacking positions: he has been deployed as acenter forward, as an out-and-outstriker, as awinger, as afalse 9, or as aninside forward. Though ostensibly right-footed, he is very strong with both feet.Jota is also known for his clinical finishing, explosive pace, dribbling ability, positional sense, movement and close control which make him especially effective on the counter-attack. Moreover, he is also known for his defensive contribution and a high work rate on the pitch.
Jota, whose true surname is "Silva", chose to use the name "Jota" to distinguish himself from other players named Diogo and Silva in the youth academy. "Jota" is the Portuguese pronunciation of the letter "J", making this equivalent to calling himself "Diogo J".
Jota's brother, André Silva, is also a footballer, who currently plays forLiga Portugal 2sidePenafiel.
Jota is an avid gamer, and as of 6 February 2021, was ranked world No. 1 inFIFA 21'sChampions Leaderboard.He has his owneSportsteam known as Luna Galaxy (formerly "Diogo Jota eSports") and regularly streams onTwitch.During the lockdown during theCOVID-19 pandemiche took part in an invitational series of FIFA matches, run by the Premier League, eventually beating future teammateTrent Alexander-Arnoldin the final of the competition.
Jota and his wife Rute Cardoso have three children.
Growing up, Jota supported his blue Merseyside rivals Everton (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everton_F.C.) , having been quoted as saying he loved watching them play especially at the mighty Goodison Park.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Liverpool
Portugal
Individual
International appearances
General