God, I Still Can't Believe Jota's Gone

By Lewis Barnett 3 July, 2025 6 mins read 57 Views

I'm sitting here at my laptop, and honestly? I keep expecting someone to text me that this is all some sick joke.

But it's not. Diogo Jota is dead at 28, and I feel like someone punched a hole through my chest. You know that feeling when you lose someone who felt... permanent? Like they'd always be there, doing what they do best?

That was Jota for us. The Portuguese magician who could pull goals out of thin air when we needed them most. And now he's gone, along with his brother Andre, in what has to be the cruelest twist of fate I've witnessed in 30 years of supporting this club.

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The Goal That Made Him Immortal

His last goal for Liverpool - Christ, what a way to bow out. A late winner in the Merseyside derby at Goodison, practically sealing our 20th league title. The Kop went absolutely mental.

I was there that day. Section 107, row 23 (yeah, I keep the ticket stubs). The noise when that ball hit the net... it was like the stadium might actually collapse from pure joy.

Goals don't get much bigger than that. Jota the Slotter - that's what we called him - had this knack for showing up when everything was on the line. Some players crumble under pressure.

Not Diogo.

That Song Though...

Even when he was warming the bench, you'd hear it echoing around Anfield. Sixty thousand voices belting out his tune to "Bad Moon Rising" - and trust me, most of us can't carry a tune to save our lives.

"He's a lad from Portugal; better than Figo, don't you know; Oh, his name is Diogo."

Simple lyrics, but they meant everything. Getting your own song from the Kop? That's not just recognition - that's football immortality. Ask any player who's ever had one, and they'll tell you it's better than any trophy.

My mate Dave (season ticket holder since 1987) always said you knew Jota had truly made it when drunk fans were still singing his song at 2 AM outside the Albert pub.

The Parade That Broke Our Hearts Twice

Just a month ago - feels like yesterday and a lifetime simultaneously - I was squeezed into that crowd of 1.5 million watching the Premier League trophy parade through Liverpool city center.

What should have been pure celebration turned into something darker when that maniac drove into the crowd, injuring 109 people. I still get angry thinking about it. Here we were, finally celebrating our 20th title after all those years, and some lunatic nearly turned it into a massacre.

But Jota and the lads handled it with such class. Visited hospitals, stayed with fans, showed what this club is really about.

Two weeks later, he was lifting the UEFA Nations League with Portugal. Ten days ago, he married Rute, his childhood sweetheart and mother of his three kids.

Life was perfect for him. And then...

Numbers Don't Tell the Whole Story

Look, I could rattle off his stats - 67 goals in 178 appearances, crucial strikes in big games, that incredible Champions League record. But that's not who Diogo was to us.

He was the guy who'd come off the bench at 2-0 down and somehow find a way. The player who made impossible angles look routine. The one who celebrated every goal like it was his first, even when he'd scored 20 that season.

My nephew (he's 12, been coming to matches since he was 6) told me last week that Jota was his favorite player because "he looks happy when he plays football." Kids see things adults miss sometimes.

What Happens Now?

The club will retire his number 20. Has to happen - no question about it. Some jerseys become sacred, and his is definitely one of them.

But more than that, his song will keep echoing around Anfield for decades. New fans will learn it, old fans will teach it, and somehow Diogo will still be there with us every matchday.

That's how football works. The great ones never really leave.

I've been to too many memorial services at Anfield over the years. Bill Shankly, Ron Yeats, Gerard Houllier, Ray Kennedy - legends all. But there's something particularly heartbreaking about honoring someone who was just hitting his peak.

Twenty-eight years old. Three young kids. A new wife. A career that should have had another decade left in it.

It's not fair. But then again, when has football ever been fair?

You'll Never Walk Alone

Rute and those three beautiful children will never walk alone. Neither will Andre's family. The Liverpool family doesn't abandon its own, especially not now.

And somewhere up there, I like to think Diogo is still slotting them in from impossible angles, still celebrating like a kid who can't believe his luck.

Because that's who he was. That's who he'll always be.

Rest in peace, Jota the Slotter. The Kop will never forget.

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How To

How to choose football equipment that meets league standards

You must make sure that the equipment you choose complies with your league's rules. You can find out what equipment is approved by your league's governing bodies. This usually includes specifications for equipment such as helmets, shoulder padding, gloves and footwear. It is important to be aware of any changes in rules that may affect your gear, especially if you play at a higher level where the equipment regulations are more strict. Compliance ensures not only safety but also avoids penalties or disqualification from play.