Diogo Jota

Diogo Jota is immortalised as Liverpool Football Club's number 20 forever.The much-loved forward tragically died at the age of just 28 in a road traffic accident in July 2025, five years into a Reds career that was packed with special moments.Amid the huge outpouring of love for Jota, who passed away alongside his brother Andre Silva in the tragedy, the club confirmed the retirement of his jersey across all of its teams and for eternity."We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go," said head coach Arne Slot. "Maybe especially in difficult moments.

But in any moment we are here, we will carry him with us in our thoughts and in our hearts."The Portuguese had provided further Premier League-proven quality to the Liverpool squad after joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 2020.He had netted 16 goals in 67 top-flight outings in the previous two seasons as Wolves recorded successive seventh-placed finishes, plus nine Europa League strikes during a run to the quarter-finals in 2019-20.A hugely versatile attacker capable of featuring in any role of a front three and in wide midfield positions, Jota earned full international honours for Portugal, too, and opened his account for his country just weeks before signing for Liverpool.He originally switched to Wolves on loan from Atletico Madrid in 2017 and hit 17 goals that year to help fire them out of the Championship as league winners, before making the move to Molineux permanent and successfully transferring his talents to the Premier League.Having begun his career in his homeland with Pacos de Ferreira, Jota's rapid progress following a debut in 2014 had prompted Atletico to swoop for his services in 2016 – though he never actually appeared for the Spanish club.Instead, he spent 2016-17 on loan at FC Porto, scoring eight times in the Primeira Liga and gaining Champions League experience.By 2020, with Liverpool aiming to follow up their Premier League and European Cup triumphs of the previous two campaigns, manager Jürgen Klopp had identified Jota as a natural fit for his squad.Jota wasted no time in showcasing his talents at his new club, reaching double figures in goals after just 21 appearances despite his debut season being interrupted by a knee injury sustained in December that ruled him out for around three months.His progress accelerated again in 2021-22, the forward plundering 21 goals in all competitions and playing a key role as the Reds lifted the FA Cup and Carabao Cup while narrowly missing out on the Premier League and Champions League.Then, ahead of the beginning of the next season, Jota extended his time with the club by penning a new long-term contract, before making his 100th appearance in March 2023.An instinctive finisher with a massive work-rate, he hit the net another 15 times during a 2023-24 campaign that was affected by several injuries, taking him past a half-century of goals for the club in all competitions.Jota went on to add a coveted Premier League medal to his collection during the next season, Slot's first as head coach, providing nine goal contributions from 26 appearances in the top flight.Once more, he was a man for a big moment, crucial equalisers versus Fulham and Nottingham Forest during the campaign preceding what proved to be the final goal of his life: a vital Kop-end winner in the Merseyside derby."It is a remarkable achievement for a small guy that came from Gondomar, where I had this dream," Jota said of winning England's title. "To arrive at this moment was outstanding."UEFA Nations League glory with Portugal followed his domestic joy for the Reds, and so too did marriage to long-term partner Rute, with whom he had three children.The sudden and tragic passing of Diogo and his brother Andre, in Spain on July 3, 2025, devastated all connected to Liverpool FC and prompted an enormous number of tributes on Merseyside and across the world.As his own supporter chant referenced so often, his name was Diogo and he took us to victory.He will always be our number 20.